What comes down, must go up

A surfer off Keokea Beach Park, Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Bucket List Images.’ See more responses here.

I’ve never had a bucket list, but if I did, being able to do this might be on it. However, if I tried this now, I suspect all that would happen with the bucket is that I would kick it.

How did he get there? See the slide show below.

  • A surfer off Keokea Beach Park, Hawaii
  • A surfer off Keokea Beach Park, Hawaii
  • A surfer off Keokea Beach Park, Hawaii
  • A surfer off Keokea Beach Park, Hawaii

Raccoon Butterflyfishes

Racoon Butterflyfishes in the waters of Honaunau Bay (Two Step), Hawaii
Racoon Butterflyfishes in the waters of Honaunau Bay (Two Step), Hawaii

Last week, my wife and I fled Hawi in the wee hours of the morning to avoid being trapped at home by the Ironman race. The cycling portion of the race goes past our driveway and the road was closed from 7:00am to 3:00pm.

Our first destination was Two Step, more properly known as Honaunau Bay. Arriving before 6:30am, we were the first people there and had the bay to ourselves for a short while. It’s a great spot for snorkeling as it’s generally fairly calm, and the area is a marine reserve, which means the various kinds of fishing aren’t allowed. Experience has shown that fish in marine reserves are less skittish, which makes them easier to see and photograph.

These Raccoon Butterflyfishes are a good example of that. I see them elsewhere, hanging in the water, but if I approach they ease away from me. At Two Step, the fish stay where they are. I’ve had one or two come right up to me, presenting a different photographic challenge as they butt my camera housing.

This small school was drifting above the steep slope bordering the deeper part of the bay.

Kamehameha Park playground

A new playground at Kamehameha Park in Kapaau, Hawaii

There’s a new playground in town, specifically at Kamehameha Park in Kapa’au. The official opening is Saturday, but I took a sneak peek yesterday.

A new playground at Kamehameha Park in Kapaau, Hawaii

The playground was surrounded by orange tape so I couldn’t get a close look, but my first impression was that I was glad I wasn’t a kid anymore. I didn’t see a thing I’d know what to do with! The story that alerted me to the new playground noted it “features new tactile and interactive elements, challenging climbing structures, and various spinners and swings.” Some of the pieces looked like things that could cause a good deal of pain. Others suggested it would be handy to have a jaws-of-life nearby.

A new playground at Kamehameha Park in Kapaau, Hawaii

No, if I was a kid I’d probably end up sitting on the ground, rubbing my arm against the synthetic turf, to see how long it took before I caught fire.

Posted for Bushboy’s Last on the Card (top photo). See more responses here.

Cornered

A small Black Witch Moth rests in Hawaii

This Black Witch Moth showed up on the back lanai recently and was noteworthy for its size. The moths I notice have a wingspan of 6 inches or more. This one was an inch or so across, and presumably a juvenile. It looked a bit beaten up, as moths often do, so I don’t know whether it will go on to attain its full size. Here, it’s having a rest, tucked into the corner, out of the wind.

The Numbers Game #45

A boy hangs off a yellow raft off the coast of Hawaii
A yellow raft on blue water.

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 166. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Pololu

A view of the coast at Pololu in Hawaii

Pololu is at the end of the highway in Kohala. A popular destination for visitors, social media coverage has now boosted it into the burgeoning overrun category. Last week, I headed out there for the first time in ages, intending to walk down to the beach and see if the place had changed.

When I got to the end of the road, I found several people involved in organizing parking and giving out information. This was certainly new. The parking is still inadequate for the number of visitors, but a parcel of land, near the end of the road, is supposed to become a parking and information area, though the time frame for that is a bit vague.

With rain pushing along the coast, I didn’t go down to the beach, but the views along the coast and up the valley are still wonderful. Do me a favor though, and keep that to yourselves!

A view of Pololu valley in Hawaii