Tag Archives: South Point

The Numbers Game #96

The space tracking station near South Point.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 218. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A fireweed control moth (Secusio extensa)
Two Pacific Day Octopuses.
A bee clambers out of a water cooler after collecting water for the hive.
The beach at Keawaiki.
A Monk Seal and pup at Kekaha Kai.
A tug and barge entering Kawaihae harbor.

The Numbers Game #72

Lava fountaining in the summit caldera of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
Lava fountaining during the 21st episode of the current eruption at Kilauea Volcano.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 193. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

The top photo is from two days ago, when I finally made it down to Kilauea Volcano to see the latest in a string of eruptions. Hopefully, I will get my photos sorted for a longer post about that in the next day or two.

A bee in a cannonball tree flower in Hawaii
A bee in the flower of a Cannonball Tree.
A Phalaenopsis violacea orchid.
A Pinktail Triggerfish.
Hapu’u Ferns.
Kahili Ginger and raindrops.
An old propellor on shore near the boat lauch at South Point.

The Numbers Game #63

Water surges into a cavern at South Point.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 184. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A plane lands at Kailua Kona airport.
The Banyan trees in downtown Hawi.
Wailuku River gorge contains an area known as Boiling Pots, which is beautiful but dangerous.
Raccoon Butterflyfish in formation.
Sunset off the coast of North Kohala, Hawaii
Sunset in Kohala.
A creature lurks.

The Numbers Game #61

A gecko checks out the scene from the coin return slot of a Pepsi machine.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 182. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

V22 Ospreys landing at Upolu AIrport.
The 1820 Mission building in Honolulu.
Papakōlea Beach, near South Point, is better known as Green Sand Beach.
A Praying Mantis peers down.
A Wild Turkey struts his stuff.
A Dendrobium secundum orchid.

The Numbers Game #21

Sunken roads at South Point Hawaii
Sometimes, the way to move forward is unclear, as when navigating these roads at South Point.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 142. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Also posted for Becky’s Squares: Move Forward, Reconstruct, Renew, and/or are Burgeoning. See more responses here.

Cattle and their egrets near Hawi Wind Farm.
A lunar eclipse over Hawaii
A lunar eclipse a few years ago.
Two Asian Swallowtail butterflies frolic on the wing.
A Whitemouth Moray Eel in the waters off Hawaii
A Whitemouth Moray Eel.
Acute Halfbeaks swim in the waters off Hawaii
Acute Halfbeaks swim just below the surface in the waters off the Kohala coast.

Where dinosaurs roam

A view of South Point from near Ocean View, Hawaii
A dinosaur looks out over Kau, Hawaii

I drove to the southern part of the island recently. Just past Ocean View is a scenic viewpoint that I stopped at. There’s a decent view towards South Point, which is a little farther on from the line of wind turbines in the top photo.

The land down to the ocean is mostly old lava flows with scrubby vegetation striving to maintain a foothold. It’s a bit bleak and primeval, the sort of land I could imagine being roamed by dinosaurs, so it was no surprise to see one on the wall of the viewpoint. It was pink and surprisingly small, but quite friendly-looking. I was not in fear for my life and did not run screaming back to the car.

The dinosaur came with a little note underfoot which said something about posting a photo on Facebook, but since I’m not on any social media, I paid no further attention. I suspect the idea was to have the photo posted and then the dinosaur moved to a different location. I’d have hidden it in a dark, dank place where it might not have been seen again for millions of years, so it’s probably just as well that I left it where it was and continued on my journey.

Colorful Beaches

A view of Green sand beach (Papakōlea) on the Big Island, Hawaii

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.

A view of the black sand beach at Pololu on the Big Island, Hawaii

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.

A view of the black sand beach at Pohoiki on the Big Island, Hawaii

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.

A view of Anaeho’omalu Bay on the South Kohala coast

Hapuna Beach, farther north, is a regular on lists of best beaches in the U.S.A..

A view of Hapuna beach on the Big Island, Hawaii

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.

A view of the beach at Spencer Beach Park on the Big Island, Hawaii

The view from the top of Puʻu Mahana

Puʻu Mahana is an ancient cinder cone near the southern tip of the island. It is best known for Papakōlea beach, the green sand beach, which formed when the ocean cut into one side of the pu’u, creating the bay seen here. The sand’s green color is due to the presence of the mineral olivine. (More photos here.)

Posted in response to Becky’s April Squares challenge theme of ‘Top.’ See more responses here.