This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme is ‘Ruby Red.’ See more responses here.
The top photo shows a Crown of Thorns sea star, which feeds on coral, though not to a problematic extent in Hawaii.
The second photo illustrates a definite problem. When I stopped by the Harbor House restaurant at Honokohau, these were the only two Kona Brewing taps available. I was told the company has discontinued their Castaway IPA, which, if true, is a sad state of affairs, it being by far their best beer in my humble, but completely correct opinion.
The bottom three show a Gold Dust Day Gecko on a torch ginger, a Budweiser (not my beer of choice) sign at the Harbor House, and what I think is a Western Blood-red Lady Beetle.
The top photo looks like a single eel, but a closer look shows some color variation. It’s really two Whitemouth Moray Eels. I noticed the first one, with its head on the right of the photo, and took a few photos. Then a second, smaller Whitemouth swam into the picture. It was nearer to me, but then retreated into the crack angling at 45 degrees to the first eel.
It popped out of the other end of the crack, and the two eels looked at each other for a moment. The smaller eel then headed toward the other one, only to be greeted by a nip on the head. Chastened, it retreated back into its crack and that’s the way I left them.
The skydiving plane that operates out of Upolu Airport, has lately been making some lower level takeoffs. A couple of times I’ve been walking up from the coast, east of the runway, when the plane suddenly zoomed into view and whizzed over my head.
On the third occasion, I was ready for it and got this photo. In this case, it was the pigeon that was startled and made a sudden takeoff of its own.
This boat hoist, on the North Kohala coast, is used to launch small boats off trailers and into the water. I’ve featured it before (here), being engulfed by towering waves. All that salt water has undermined the integrity of the structure, but despite some large holes in the very rusty metal structure, people still launch boats here. All I can say is, I hope those boats are insured.
My homeward commute last evening was extended by this brush fire on Akoni Pule Highway, north of Kawaihae. I heard that the highway was closed before I left work, but thought I’d head that way in the hope that it was a small fire and the road would soon reopen.
When I got closer, I saw a line of flame on the ridge ahead and I knew this wasn’t going to be a short delay. The flames were only on the ocean side of the highway, but the wind, though not strong, was onshore. The road was closed because of the possibility of the flames reaching or even crossing the highway
I couldn’t get much in the way of definitive information. Someone said an hour delay, but this being Hawaii, an hour can easily become three hours. So I bit the bullet, turned around, and headed for Waimea and the Kohala Mountain Road to get home. That was the only alternative. However, it wasn’t that many years ago that the mountain road was the only way in and out of North Kohala, so I can’t complain too much.
I got home around 6 p.m., a good hour later than I would have had the road been open.
When I first saw this spider on the front door, I thought it was a small Hawaiian Garden Spider. But after it had been there a while I got a closer look and realized it was something else and that it wasn’t going to get any bigger. I don’t know what kind of spider it is, and I don’t know if it’s going to survive there, since I’ve never seen it catch anything, but I like the shadow it casts on the door.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Beautiful Beaches.’ See more responses here. Obviously, this was a tricky challenge for me, but I have managed to come up with a few photos!
The top photo shows Green Sand Beach. It’s official name is Papakōlea Beach and the color of the beach is due to an abundance of olivine from the old volcanic cinder cone that borders the beach.
Next we have two black sand beaches. The best known black sand beach on the island is Punaluʻu Beach, which is often referred to simply as Black Sand Beach. However, there are several others. The first of these is Pololu Beach here in North Kohala. The black sand is a result of the breakdown of black lava into smaller pieces. Over time, the grains become as fine as those on white sand beaches.
Pohoiki Beach is the newest such beach on the island, formed by the eruption of 2018. The grains are still a bit coarse, but it’s mind boggling to think that before that eruption, there was basically no beach here at all. Now, as the photo shows, it’s extensive.
Finally, some white sand beaches. Anaeho’omalu Bay Beach, at the south end of Waikoloa Beach Resort, is a curve of sand dotted with palms, a quintessential tropical beach.
Hapuna Beach, farther north, is a regular on lists of best beaches in the U.S.A..
The beach at Spencer Beach Park is a current favorite of mine, a place I like to walk in the early morning before going to work. The sheltered waters, shade trees, and picnic areas make it a favorite with families.
Graham's Island 