Spencer Beach Park, near Kawaihae, is a popular spot for families. With protected water, sand, shade, and facilities it’s got most everything little kids need. On weekends it can get crowded, but during the week it’s usually possible to find a quite spot.
The park is right next door to Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site so it’s possible to visit both places from one parking spot.
Puʻu Mahana is an ancient cinder cone near the southern tip of the island. It is best known for Papakōlea beach, the green sand beach, which formed when the ocean cut into one side of the pu’u, creating the bay seen here. The sand’s green color is due to the presence of the mineral olivine. (More photos here.)
Posted in response to Becky’s April Squares challenge theme of ‘Top.’ See more responses here.
This sign marks the border between Hualalai Resort and one of the public beaches there. It’s the equivalent of prescription drug warnings that taking them might turn you into a four-armed, paranoid psychopath.
Here, the dangers include man-o-wars, sharp coral, slippery rocks, sudden drop-off, dangerous shorebreak, high surf, and strong current. Oh, and there’s no lifeguard on duty. Well, no wonder, they’d have to be crazy to enter the water there.
When I was down at Hualālai Resort recently, I was impressed that every morning the paths are swept and the sand, bordering these paths, is raked. Look closely at the photo, and you’ll see a some grains of sand have escaped the call to order.
Kohanaiki Park, just north of Kailua Kona, is a popular park which provides a great view of the sunsets, has a good surf break, has protected pools for keiki to paddle in, and has all the facilities needed for a good barbecue.
If there’s a downside to the park, it’s that it’s just south of the airport. It’s not O’Hare, but planes come and go with some regularity. It’s also used by the military and planes, such as this big C-17 transport, practice touch-and-goes with some frequency. So it’s not the most relaxing beach on the island, that’s for sure, but with white sand, blue water, and hot sunshine, it has a lot going for it.
I see green turtles hauled out on pebbles, rocks, and lava flats, but a sandy beach seems to be the preferred spot for a rest. They’re rather ungainly on land, so digging those flippers into soft sand and nudging forward to a suitable spot is probably easiest for them.
This week’s Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Simple Joys.’ See more responses here.
This is one of the beaches at Hualalai Resort on the Kona coast. While the resort is private and access is restricted, Hawaii law states stipulates that the public has a right of access along the beaches and shorelines in the state situated below the “upper reaches of the wash of the waves.”
Any developments along the shore are required to provide designated public access points. The catch here is that sometimes parking at these places is limited and if it’s full, getting to the beach involves a much longer walk.
At Hualalai, there’s a good-sized parking lot, an easy walk to the coast, and a paved trail along the waterfront. Some beaches can be quite crowded but, in my experience, it doesn’t take much of a walk to find a stretch of sand that is either sparsely populated or entirely deserted. And in my book, walking along the coast, past palm trees and sandy beaches, is definitely a simple joy.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Yin-Yang.’ (See more offerings here.) I had no idea what I’d post for this, but ended up with a couple of posts.
The first is a simple take on light and dark, or light and shadow. On a recent walk along the shoreline, the shadow of a palm tree imposed on a sunny beach, deserted except for empty chairs.
Tomorrow’s post will be another on this theme.
Graham's Island 