Category Archives: Parks

New boat hoist, or is it?

This is the boat launch hoist at Mahukona. I’ve posted about this before, being buried by high surf (here), when it was in bad shape (here), after it was removed (here), and the dramatic signs on the new boat hoist (here).

I was going to post this photo, taken on March 10, 2024, to show the new hoist, but thought I’d wait to get a photo of a boat actually being launched. A blessing ceremony was held on April 4, 2024, which was front page news in the local monthly newspaper. But in the ensuing year and a half I’ve not seen any boat launched. For some time now the only difference in the scene is that the wire and hook have been removed. Not going to be launching boats without that.

I don’t know what’s happened, not being on social media and the like, but I’ve heard that the Army Corps of Engineers nixed the operation. A clue as to why that might be can be seen in the photo. The parking lot is a patchwork of patches over patches, where water regularly fountains up through the cracks.

I’ve no idea what will happen next with this, but it’s Hawaii, so it won’t happen soon.

The Numbers Game #85

The port at Kawaihae at sunset — Lights at the Port of Kawaihae.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 207. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Large Orange Sulphur Butterflies mating.

One of the pools at Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park.

Life’s a beach, or is it?

A reflection of sand on a tanker in Hawaii — Is it a mirage?

This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme is ‘Tan, beige, and/or peachy shades.’ See more responses here. Captions on the photos.

Anaehoʻomalu Bay beach on the Big Island, Hawaii — The beach at Anaehoʻomalu Bay is one of the most popular on the island, but was still quiet this early morning.

Hapuna Beach on the Big Island, Hawaii — At Hapuna, flooding cut the beach in two. The lagoon is the remnant of the flooded area.

A piece of driftwood looking like a seal at Spencer Beach Park, Hawaii — Is it a seal on the beach at Spencer Beach Park?

The Numbers Game #83

A Long-tailed blue butterfly on a tasselflower in Hawaii — A Long-tailed Blue Butterfly on a Tasselflower.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 205. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Also posted for Becky’s Squares: Simply Red. See more responses here.

A brown anole keeps watch — Brown Anole.

Flags at Lapakahi

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Flags.’ See more responses here.

In Hawaii, there are usually two flags flown. The top one here is the well-known national flag. The other is Hawaii’s state flag, the only state flag to contain the flag of another country. But how did the Union Jack get there?

This comes down to interactions, in the early days of western contact with Hawaii, between the British Royal Navy and King Kamehameha, who at that time ruled only the Island of Hawaii, not the whole island chain. Kamehameha already had already taken into his inner circle, and thought highly of, a pair of British sailors who acted as military advisors. Then, in 1794, Captain George Vancouver signed a pact with Kamehameha, which he thought ceded the island to Great Britain. That wasn’t how the Hawaiians interpreted it. They thought it established the island as a protectorate. However, one aspect of this exchange was that a British flag was given to the king and was used as a symbol for the kingdom after Kamehameha went on to unite all the Hawaiian islands.

There’s a story that, when the American war of independence with Britain broke out in 1812, Kamehameha did not want to offend either side and so he designed a flag that incorporated elements of both nations’ flags. However the new design came into being, it became the flag of the Hawaiian nation, though the number of stripes, the colors, and the size of the Union Jack often varied.

It wasn’t until 1845 that the current version became official, with the eight stripes representing the eight main islands of Hawaii.

The Numbers Game #77

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 198. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth in Hawaii — A Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth.

Rosy-faced Lovebirds in Hawaii — Rosy-faced lovebirds.

A Green Hover Fly in Hawaii — Rosy-faced lovebirds.

Over the lava and through the woods

The Pu'u O'o Trail on the Big Island of Hawaii — Trails come in all shapes and sizes. Some meander through the woods.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Paths and Trails.’ See more responses here.

A Trail along the coast on the Big Island of Hawaii — Some follow the coast.

A Trail over Pahoehoe lava on the Big Island of Hawaii — Some follow the coast.

The trail to Akaka Falls on the Big Island of Hawaii — Some are paved and have rails for safety.

A sign marks the trail at Weliweli Point on the Big Island of Hawaii — Some are paved and have rails for safety.

The Ka'awaloa Trail on the Big Island of Hawaii — Some trails are mysterious.

The Powerline Trail on the Big Island of Hawaii — Some trails are mysterious.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

A lava breakout from the Kilauea lava flow. — A lava breakout in a flow from Pu’u O’o covers the old coast road, which is now a trail (here).

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Parks.’ See more responses here.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is the best known park on the island. It covers 354,461 acres, which includes, not just the Kilauea area, but up to the summit of Mauna Loa and down the southwest rift zone of that volcano. The park contains 106 miles of roads and 155 miles of marked trails, many of them well off the beaten track.

I’ve hiked a lot in the park, though I doubt I’ll ever cover all the trails, but these photos are from ones I’ve done with links to the original posts for those interested.