Early evening sun illuminates ripples on the water.
Category Archives: Series
Signs: Temporary closure
Back in 2006, an earthquake off the west coast of the Big Island caused extensive damage. One of the casualties was this trail. Part of the cliff it traverses slid into the sea and the path was deemed unsafe. But this wasn’t just some local trail. It’s the Ala Kahakai trail, also known as the King’s Trail, which followed the coast from North Kohala all the way along the west and south coasts to the Puna District in the southeast of the island.
Just beyond this sign is a private gated community and specifically a very large, very expensive house (currently available for 10 or 11 million dollars – it’s been for sale for a while). The trail wasn’t popular with the home’s original owners, who put up a barbed wire barrier (well, I suspect they didn’t actually do the work).
Anyway, the trail has been temporarily closed for 10 years now and, as is the way around here, I suspect it will remain permanently temporarily closed. That is, until the next significant earthquake detaches another stretch of cliff and sends the big house sliding into the ocean. Then, who knows?
Abstracts: Kiholo branches
A tangle of curly branches forms a dense thicket along the shore near Kiholo Bay.
Better Days: Hakalau Plantation Company
This is one of two remaining warehouses of the old Hakalau Plantation Company at Hakalau Point. This was one of several sugarcane plantations that dominated the Big Island. The sugar mill was located nearby, in the gulch at the mouth of the river. The mill was wiped out in a tsunami in 1946 and swiftly rebuilt in the exact same place!
The mill finally closed in 1974 and now the plantation company property is up for development. Hawaii County is mulling a proposal to buy this property and preserve the site. This process will likely go on for months, possibly years. At this stage, it could go either way. One thing is certain, similar situations will continue to crop up on the Big Island: there’s a lot of coastline and most of it is prime development real estate.
For more information about Hakalau and the Hakalau Plantation Company, go to hakalauhome.com.
Abstracts: Tide pool colors
A tide pool shimmers with greens and golds.
Abstract: Wet rocks
I like seeing how light reflects off wet rocks at the water’s edge.
Signs: Anything goes
Usually, beach resorts have warnings about anything and everything that might pose a risk to patrons, that and expose the resort to any kind of liability. But on this day, all bets were off.
Abstract: Maui
The hills of Maui seen through evening clouds.
Graham's Island 