Tag Archives: Mahukona

Railway remains

Remains of the old sugar port at Mahukona, Hawaii

Mahukona was the terminus for the railway which served the sugar plantations of North Kohala from the 1880s until its closure in 1945. There was no proper dock at Mahukona, so ships anchored offshore and the sugar was boated out to them.

There are quite a few relics from that time at Mahukona, including a terminus building. The area in this photo was likely a place where railway engine and equipment maintenance took place.

For more information about the Kohala sugar railroad, go to https://coffeetimes.com/blogs/history-culture/sugar-and-steam-in-kohala

High surf at Mahukona

High surf crashes ashore at Mahukona, Hawaii

’Tis the season for big northwest swells to start rolling in here. Happy days for surfers, not so much for snorkelers. The first of the season hit west-facing shores over the past two days. By and large the swells weren’t too bad, but every so often a big swell, such as this one, would crash ashore.

No birds or small children were harmed in the taking of this photo! Posted for Bushboy’s Last on the Card. See more responses here.

Bird bath mayhem

Feathers left in a bird bathing area in Hawaii

I’ve posted before about this rock at Mahukona where the birds like to drink and bathe. I’ve also mentioned (here) that it’s not a place where the birds can relax because of feral cats in the area. This photo, taken last month, is a graphic illustration of that.

I’m running this today because yesterday, toweling off after my swim, I noticed one of the cats hurrying towards this spot. Several small birds were gathered in this pool when the cat launched itself from below. The birds scattered, but one of them left with the cat, if you get my drift. First time I’ve seen that happen there.

That’s strange

An inflatable mermaid and a glove on a beach in Hawaii
“I’m stranded here,” cried the mermaid. “Can someone give me a hand?” It did not end well.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Oddballs, Wild and Weird.’ See more responses here. Captions on the photos.

Also posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

A hiker wears an umbrella hat on the 1871 Trail in Hawaii
It’s a hat. It’s an umbrella, It’s a fruit bowl. I want one.
A painted rock at the Hawaii Island Retreat in Hawaii
See the rock. The rock sees you.
A Clumpy Nudibranch in the waters off Hawaii
There are many strange creatures in the ocean. This Clumpy Nudibranch in one of them.
Campers at Spencer Beach Park in Hawaii
Unclear on the concept.
High heels stuck to the roof of a painted truck in Hawaii
It pays to keep them handy.
A sign at a beach park in Hawaii
I just want to say that I have never knowingly violated a dog!

Birds at the watering hole

Birds gather for a drink of water in Hawaii

At my local swimming spot, there’s a row of big rocks to prevent anyone driving off the edge of the parking area into the ocean. Before anyone says ‘No one would be that dumb,’ there’s a raft of examples I can offer that prove the contrary.

One of the rocks has a good-sized depression on the top and this has become a watering spot for the local bird population. People clean it out and top it up with fresh water on a daily basis. Most of the birds seem to get along and don’t appear to mind the many wasps that avail themselves of the opportunity for a drink. There are feral cats in the area though, so the birds are always looking around, never able to relax completely.

Posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

Scarface Blenny

A Scarface Blenny Peeks out from under a step at Mahukona, Hawaii

You don’t have to go far to see something interesting in the water. This Scarface Blenny hangs out around the ladder for getting in and out of the water at my local snorkel spot! I’d seen it before, but not been able to get a photo of it.

A few days ago, I had my camera ready as I approached the ladder. Sure enough, I saw the blenny’s head sticking out from below one of the ladder’s rungs. It quickly disappeared, but I hung on to the ladder to see if it would return. It did, and I was able to get a couple of shots.

I thought this was a Gargantuan Blenny, but when I got home and looked at the photos, I realized that the red eye ring and red marks on the face meant this was actually a Scarface Blenny. Both these blennies are endemic but the Scarface Blenny is slightly smaller than the other.

A Scarface Blenny Peeks out from under a step at Mahukona, Hawaii

Gotta have rain for a rainbow

A rainbow off the Kohala Coast, Hawaii, seen from the water

A couple of mornings ago, it was teeming down with rain at home. I still headed out for a swim because that spot, a few miles down the coast, is usually warm and dry. This was not one of those days. The sky was solid gray, the precipitation steady.

I have an irrational dislike of it raining when I swim! I mean, I’m getting wet anyway. What’s the difference? The main compensation on this occasion was the presence of this rainbow offshore. This rainbow stayed steady throughout the swim and was still there when I drove home, with the heater cranked up and the fan blowing strong.

A rainbow off the Kohala Coast, Hawaii

Beware

A sign at Mahukona, Hawaii
A sign at Mahukona, Hawaii

The old boat hoist at Mahukona has been replaced, though it’s not yet ready to handle boats apparently. But recently, two new signs appeared at the site.

The top one, advising swimmers to beware of boaters is OK, though it implies there are boaters out there, cruising the waters, searching for swimmers to run down. If those boaters exist, I’ve yet to encounter them.

The second sign was the one that caught my eye though. Beware of swimmers! What do they think we’re going to do? Bite a hole in the boat? Attach a mine? Reach a long arm over the side and drag the boater to a watery grave? I guess ‘Watch out for…’ was too many letters!