The Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway was built in the 1970s to connect Kailua Kona to Kawaihae and Waimea along a coastal route. This also opened up the south Kohala coast for resort development that had been led by the Mauna Kea Resort, which opened in the late 1960s. Mauna Kea Resort is in the foreground of this image.
The trunk of a False Kamani tree (Terminalia catappa) at Spencer Beach Park.
Kohala by the Sea is an upscale gated community on the northern edge of Kawaihae. What appeals to me in this image is the curvy roads terminating in little asphalt blobs. It gives it an organic feel, which I suppose it is in a way.
An aerial view of La Perouse Bay near the southern tip of Maui. With the colors and the stark landscape, there’s something alien about this view, I think.
On my way to work recently, this sunrise promised much, then faded, then regrouped with this vibrant display. Mauna Loa and Hualalai provide the backdrop.
I saw this ship moored in Kawaihae Harbor recently. It looked unlike anything I’d seen there before, so I stopped by to take a look. I found the ship’s name on the stern, between the twin hulls.
According to Wikipedia, the City of Bismark is a Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, operated by the United States Navy’s Military Sealift Command. It was built in 2017 and entered service at the end of that year. Ironically, when I first saw the ship, I thought it looked a bit beaten up and wondered if it was an older ship that someone had bought and was planning on fixing up!
On my recent visit to Keokea Beach Park, I saw this on the rocky shore. It’s hard to know who placed it there. It could have been a local, but it could also have been a tourist. Tourists have taken to making such offerings, thinking they’re honoring Hawaiian culture. But they’re blissfully unaware that, in Hawaiian culture, the when, where, why, how, and by whom of these things can be very specific. Any deviation from correct practices can turn a good intention into an insult.
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, except perhaps in politics, where it appears to be a prerequisite these days!
A few days ago I posted photos of people surfing outside the breakwater at Keokea Beach Park (here). This photo shows the sheltered waters inside the breakwater.
Graham's Island 