This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Celebrations.’ See more responses here. Since I rarely take photos of people, the usual options for this one were off the table. So I’ve gone with some photos from Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.
This site is also known as Place of Refuge and it represented guaranteed forgiveness for those who had broken kapu. The park’s website (here) notes, “Kapu (sacred law) regulated fishing, planting, and the harvesting of other resources. Any breaking of kapu disturbed the stability of society, and the punishment was often death. Any fugitive who had broken kapu could seek refuge and forgiveness within the walls of the Puʻuhonua.” The refuge is bordered by a huge L-shaped wall on land and by the ocean on the other sides.
I imagine some such unfortunate swimming across Honaunau Bay. The palm trees look welcoming, but this is a sacred place, home to Hawaiian royalty, and to important ceremonial sites. One of these is Hale o Keawe, situated at the northern end of the wall, a place of powerful mana, or divine power. It is home to many ki’i, representations of “the akua, or the multitude of Hawaiian gods, deities, and venerated ancestors.” The refuge is on the other side of the Hale.
These ki’i would look down on the miscreant swimming toward them, growing in size as they got closer. But so too would the welcoming palm trees and though it is a rocky shore, a few cuts and scrapes would be a small price to pay for salvation.
Once ashore, forgiveness was guaranteed and the person was free to reenter society and rejoin family and friends, who would no doubt celebrate the return.
I happened to glance out of the window on a recent evening and saw a nice sunset in progress. My house is not great for sunset photos, with power lines and trees getting in the way. If I walk down the drive towards the street, there’s a spot that’s not too bad for photos. But these days I have a new option.
The house below has been empty for months – and falling rapidly into disrepair – but it has some clean and open views (though not the “expansive views of Maui” in the real estate listing). So I marched down there and took advantage of the gorgeous skies and lovely palm silhouettes that were on offer.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘The Great Outdoors.’ See more responses here.
Recently, I took a hike along the South Kohala Coast, starting out at ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay in Waikoloa Resort, and heading south to Keawaiki Beach, before returning the same way. This is a hike I’ve done before, but not for some time.
ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay is often referred to as A Bay because it’s a tad easier to pronounce. It’s one of the more popular beaches on the island, but head south, around the corner from the main beach area, and the golden sands are largely deserted. Well, except for the odd green sea turtle taking a nap.
There are a few rustic structures behind the beach along here, but it’s a far cry from the resort developments less than a mile to the north. When the sands end, there’s a short stretch where high tides wash up against a wall of greenery. Hiking at those times, which I did, involves nimble footwork or getting your feet wet. I’m not nimble!
A table supported by elephant heads!The trail can be underwater at high tide.Looking back towards A Bay.This turtle found a quiet rocky beach to rest on.
Beyond this point the coast becomes rocky lava, where flows from Mauna Loa have tumbled into the ocean in bygone days. The trail is mostly over a’a lava, which is irregular and rough. The trail itself is not hard to walk, but straying into the lava fields is another matter entirely.
I found this sad looking buoy banging around in a tide pool, so carried it higher on shore where it looked much happier.
The first marker on this part of the trail is the lone palm tree at Akahu Kaimu Bay. Just inland from this palm is a pool, which is mostly freshwater and deep enough to swim in. This is a welcome option on a hot day, but since it was mostly overcast with a nice onshore breeze, I didn’t take a dip this time.
The lone palm tree at Akahu Kaimu Bay from the north.The lone palm tree at Akahu Kaimu Bay from the south.The lone palm tree and pool at Akahu Kaimu Bay.
The trail continues over the lava field to the next bay and it was here I got lost. The coast trail often passes over the lava rather than follow the coast around points and the only trail I could see appeared to be doing just that. But when I followed it for a while I saw that it continued inland. However, I could also see that where it headed was to the Golden Pools of Keawaiki, which was I planned on visiting anyway, so I carried on until I came to familiar ground. The golden pools owe their color to a unique algae that grows here. These are not pools for swimming in since that could alter the conditions and destroy the algae.
The trail to the Golden Pools of Keawaiki.The highway, less than a mile away, is seldom seen and never heard. The Golden Pools of Keawaiki.The Golden Pools of Keawaiki.
Heading back to the coast, the trail comes out at Pueo Bay where I found an abandoned kayak, not in great condition. Keawaiki beach, just beyond, is another bay marked by a sole palm tree, but this poor tree has been badly damaged by storms and is no longer much of a tree.
Abandoned kayak at Pueo Bay.Keawaiki Beach.The beach at Pueo Bay.The house near Weliweli Point.
Heading back north, I passed the sole house on this part of the coast, just beyond Weliweli Point. I have yet to see anyone at this spot, though someone obviously maintains the property. I got back to the bay where I had strayed off the track and realized where I’d gone wrong. The coast trail zigzags up from the beach and is marked only by a couple of pieces of bleached coral, which don’t stand out much on a beach strewn with the same kinds of coral pieces.
This trail isn’t a great one for birds, but I did see a Great Frigatebird wheeling overhead, which is always nice. And though this coast appears unforgiving, there are hardy plants to be found including native Hau trees and swathes of Beach Naupaka.
A Hau flower.Beach Naupaka flowers.A great frigatebird.
By the time I got back to A Bay, the Lava Lava Beach Club was busy with dinner patrons, enjoying their meals at tables set up on the sand and close to the water.
Lava Lava Beach Club.
Also posted for Jo’s Monday Walk. See more responses here.
This week’s Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge is ‘Green.’ See more responses here. One of my favorite spots on the island is Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden and I stopped by there again just last week. As luck would have it, I took a few photos – OK, more than 200; I can’t help it. Many of them – OK, all of them – featured some shade of green. It is a tropical garden after all. Here’s a selection.
All sorts of greens, all sorts of patterns!
Going green. That’s what fronds are for!
Why the long faces? things are looking up.
There’s a gecko in two of these photos. There’s probably geckos in all three, but two are visible.
For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.
This is the last day for the November edition of Becky’s Squares with the theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).
I’m finishing off with part of the coast path in South Kohala. Blue skies, blue water, palm trees, and a nice, easy path underfoot. Oh, and a gentle breeze and warm, but not too warm temperature. What’s not to like?
Despite being brightly colored, Gold Dust Day Geckos can blend in when they’re on the right plants. I only noticed this one on a palm tree trunk because it was moving. I never tire of the look geckos give me when they realize they’ve been spotted.
Graham's Island 