Tag Archives: Mahukona

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.

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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!

Another brush fire

A brush fire at Lapakahi on the North Kohala coast, Hawaii
A brush fire at Lapakahi on the North Kohala coast, Hawaii

I was driving home yesterday when I noticed some haze blowing out to sea. I thought it was rain at first, but quickly realized that this was smoke, likely another brush fire, and my heart sank. I was halfway home. Up ahead was Lapakahi and beyond that, Mahukona, two places I spend a lot of time at.

As I got closer I saw that the fire was burning at Lapakahi. Traffic was still passing on the highway though the land beside it was black and smoking. But strong trade winds had blown the fire, which apparently started near the park entrance, down towards the ocean.

A brush fire at Lapakahi on the North Kohala coast, Hawaii

My guess is the fire had been going less than an hour when I got there, though a considerable area had already burned. Fires were burning along the north edge of the area, not far from the road, but the most smoke and bigger flames could be seen closer to the ocean. It looked like the small visitor center had escaped, surrounded as it is by the looping access road. But other structures might not have been so lucky, and the native plants, birds and insects probably did not fare well.

A brush fire at Lapakahi on the North Kohala coast, Hawaii
A brush fire at Lapakahi on the North Kohala coast, Hawaii
A brush fire at Lapakahi on the North Kohala coast, Hawaii

One of our barriers is missing

High surf at Mahukona Hawaii

A series of high swells recently, played havoc with the place where I go swimming. Concrete barriers were not only moved around, but one went missing altogether! The decaying parking area was roughed up, with more potholes and cracks appearing. As a result the gate to the parking area was kept closed for several days while ideas were mulled about what to do.

High surf at Mahukona Hawaii
Barriers on the move and water shooting up through the asphalt lot.
A concrete barrier in the water at Mahukona Hawaii
The missing barrier under the water.

One day, several new concrete barriers appeared, though the missing barrier had been located – near the entry ladder, but underwater. Word leaked out that repairs were to be made. The sunken barrier would be recovered and the holes in the lot filled.

They were true to their word. Next day a crew arrived and the promised work was completed in a day. The barrier was back in place, its smaller replacements removed. The gates were opened and cars flooded in. It looked like a brand new place, relatively speaking.

Yesterday, I went down there to see how the latest big swell looked. The parking lot gate was closed again as expected. The swell was still building, but washed across the lower reaches of the lot. And the recently replaced concrete barrier was on the move again, heading across the parking lot, en route to the channel by the entry ladder!

The swimming entry at Mahukona Hawaii
Calm conditions, but a rather battered looking lot.
The parking area at Mahukona Hawaii
Barriers back in place and potholes filled!
High surf at Mahukona Hawaii
Barrier on the move again!