When I went down for a swim one day, the water was rough so I stayed on shore and wandered around taking photos. There’s a hollow in a rock that the birds bathe in and I usually check that out. This was the scene on that day.
There are a lot of feral cats in this area, and I suspect that one of the bathing birds was rudely interrupted in its activities.
This boat hoist, on the North Kohala coast, is used to launch small boats off trailers and into the water. I’ve featured it before (here), being engulfed by towering waves. All that salt water has undermined the integrity of the structure, but despite some large holes in the very rusty metal structure, people still launch boats here. All I can say is, I hope those boats are insured.
My homeward commute last evening was extended by this brush fire on Akoni Pule Highway, north of Kawaihae. I heard that the highway was closed before I left work, but thought I’d head that way in the hope that it was a small fire and the road would soon reopen.
When I got closer, I saw a line of flame on the ridge ahead and I knew this wasn’t going to be a short delay. The flames were only on the ocean side of the highway, but the wind, though not strong, was onshore. The road was closed because of the possibility of the flames reaching or even crossing the highway
I couldn’t get much in the way of definitive information. Someone said an hour delay, but this being Hawaii, an hour can easily become three hours. So I bit the bullet, turned around, and headed for Waimea and the Kohala Mountain Road to get home. That was the only alternative. However, it wasn’t that many years ago that the mountain road was the only way in and out of North Kohala, so I can’t complain too much.
I got home around 6 p.m., a good hour later than I would have had the road been open.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Beautiful Beaches.’ See more responses here. Obviously, this was a tricky challenge for me, but I have managed to come up with a few photos!
The top photo shows Green Sand Beach. It’s official name is Papakōlea Beach and the color of the beach is due to an abundance of olivine from the old volcanic cinder cone that borders the beach.
Next we have two black sand beaches. The best known black sand beach on the island is Punaluʻu Beach, which is often referred to simply as Black Sand Beach. However, there are several others. The first of these is Pololu Beach here in North Kohala. The black sand is a result of the breakdown of black lava into smaller pieces. Over time, the grains become as fine as those on white sand beaches.
Pohoiki Beach is the newest such beach on the island, formed by the eruption of 2018. The grains are still a bit coarse, but it’s mind boggling to think that before that eruption, there was basically no beach here at all. Now, as the photo shows, it’s extensive.
Finally, some white sand beaches. Anaeho’omalu Bay Beach, at the south end of Waikoloa Beach Resort, is a curve of sand dotted with palms, a quintessential tropical beach.
Hapuna Beach, farther north, is a regular on lists of best beaches in the U.S.A..
The beach at Spencer Beach Park is a current favorite of mine, a place I like to walk in the early morning before going to work. The sheltered waters, shade trees, and picnic areas make it a favorite with families.
I was one my way home from Kailua Kona yesterday when I saw this cloud formation off the North Kohala coast and pulled over to get a photo.
Posted for Bushboy’s Last on the Card photo challenge. See more responses here.
Seen on the North Kohala coast.
On the coast where I snorkel, there’s a spot known locally as Viper Rock. This is where a very large Viper Moray Eel used to reside in a recess in the rock. I haven’t seen him lately, but it’s also a good spot for a variety of fish so I go down there regularly.
On this day, I approached the rock from the shore side and noticed these Whitebar Surgeonfishes swimming by. Then I noticed the Great Barracuda that can be seen in the background against the edge of the farther rocky outcropping. A few moments later I saw another one, and then a third.
It appeared that the barracuda ohana that frequents that area was around in force. Rather than cross to the other side of the ridge by Viper Rock, where the barracudas were, I returned the way I came. A couple of barracudas looked like they might follow, but quickly lost interest. Their interest in people appears to be related solely to the possibility that those people will snag some fish which the barracudas will then hope to steal.
I like old signs like this one on the South Kohala coast. These coastal dirt roads can get a lot of traffic from people fishing or just off-roading so that’s probably why the gate was put in. However, I didn’t see much in the way of vehicles or people when I was there.
Graham's Island 