Category Archives: Places

Life’s a beach

The beach at Anaehoomalu Bay on the Big Island, Hawaii
The beach at Anaeho’omalu Bay is very popular. This was taken in the late afternoon when the crowds had thinned out.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer.’ See more responses here. Beach scenes seemed appropriate for this, even if some of these photos were taken in the winter! Captions on the photos.

The beach at Kaloko Honokohau on the Big Island, Hawaii
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park is also popular, but not many walk the length of it, so there are often empty stretches of sand.
The beach at Hapuna on the Big Island, Hawaii
No wonder Hapuna beach often appears on lists of best beaches.
The beach at Kohanaiki on the Big Island, Hawaii
Kohanaiki is popular with surfers, but the beach is good too, even if it is close to the airport.
The beach at Kawaihae harbor on the Big Island, Hawaii
The beach in Kawaihae Harbor is popular with locals, especially on weekends. It’s a great spot for families with the water protected by a long breakwater.
Spencer Beach Park on the Big Island, Hawaii
Another beach that’s popular with families is at Spencer Beach Park. Smooth sand, calm water, shade trees, and good facilities are the reasons why.

Bond Library restoration

Restoration work at the old Bond Library in Kapaau, Hawaii
Restoration work at the old Bond Library in Kapaau, Hawaii
A sign at the old Bond Library in Kapaau, Hawaii

Back in 2019, I posted a bit about the old Bond Library (here), mentioning that there were plans to convert the old Bond Memorial Library to a cultural/historical museum.

When I was down that way a few weeks ago, I found that work is now underway on that project. The overgrown area around the building has been mostly cleared and it looks like the roof is receiving attention. The rest of the building looks pretty much unchanged, though.

I have to say that the $1,000,000 project goal seems steep for fixing the building, but I have no idea what construction costs are these days.

Windows at the old Bond Library in Kapaau, Hawaii

Waipi’o Valley view

A view of Waipio Valley in Hawaii

A view across Waipi’o Valley from the road into the valley. This road has been closed to visitors for some time, because of rockfalls from the steep slopes above it. A project to improve the road recently finished its first phase, but it’s likely to be a few years before the road is opened to anyone other than residents, licensed tour operators, and native Hawaiians exercising traditional rights. Even then, it’s not clear what access will be permitted.

One thing this means is that the (strenuous) Muliwai Trail, into the next door Waimanu Valley, is currently closed and is likely to be so for some time, if it ever reopens. That trail can be seen (very faintly) making a zigzag up the steep slope on the far side of the valley.

A river runs high

A river in Hawaii after heavy rain

Keanuiomano Stream has been bone dry for weeks, but yesterday’s passage of Tropical Storm Calvin transformed it into a roaring river. There was a lot of rain up in the Kohala Mountain area, which is the source of the stream. It was interesting, though, that the gullies that carry water off the leeward side of that mountain were still dry, so all that rain must have fallen mostly on the windward side and the east end of the mountain.