Title: February 10, 2022-Hawaii: Scratch on Snorkeling, But Go to Wai’po and a Book Group

 

Title: Title: February 10, 2022-Hawaii: Scratch on Snorkeling, But Go to Wai’po and a Book Group
Hike Info : Description   Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type:Car

Description:

I think I may be a bit apprehensive about going to Puako again-David and Kevin may be a bit as well

First beach entrance at Puako

. Last night’s sleep was a bit interrupted. But I still got about 8 hours of sleep and an hour more of laying in bed. Also before going to Puako, I felt a bit jittery. Taking my blood sugar reading it is low. So I start scarfing up a mochi, then some macadamia nut cookies and a glass of milk.

By the time we get to Puako, I am OK blood sugar wise-we will see how my mind works when my toes touch the water. But when we get to the first beach access, there seems to be some pretty rough water out there. Everybody is more cautious after last time, so we do not go into the water here. But we continue on down to an access spot close to the Catholic Church. At first, the waters seem to be acceptable, but then on a closer look, there was rough water with even bigger waves. So snorkeling today is a scratch.

David and the malasadas

We head back to the condo, where we have breakfast. Then we pack up to head over to the eastern side of the island. We go through Waimea again-we got our ice cream here earlier. Then on to Tex Drive-In. This was on our list of places to go. Why you might ask? For the malasadas, of course! Not only that, Kevin notes that we on a select items, if you buy a lunch, you will get a second one free. So we get a hamburger Loco-Moco (after reading the background, I might not have ordered :-) (Kevin gets two beef curry stew rice bowls.) The Loco-Moco is OK, nothing compared to the malasada.

 

 

 

 

Waipo'o Overlook

 

 

 

We then take off to the Waipi’o Overlook. It is only about a twenty minute drive. The view, as we have been here before, is really awesome. You look up the coast-this is where they filmed parts of Waterworld. Then looking up the Waipi’o Valley is good, with its lushness. We spend about 25 minutes just gazing on this.

 

 

 

 

 

Brothers: David and Gary

And then we return back to the condo by 12:30. While I do not think I have done much today, I am tired, so I go upstairs to take a nap. Then I work on getting my questions organized for tonight’s book group. I come down around 3 and putter around for awhile-watch a bit of the Olympics. Sherri has gone out for a swim in the pool. Around 4pm, Sherri and I have the second Loco-Moco bowl. The bowl is a bit degraded, but still edible.

And then 5pm comes around; 7pm PST. Our book group gets started and we talk about Michael Lewis’ book, The Premonition. Sherri and I are on Zoom, most of the rest of the group is in person. It works out fairly decently-just a bit hard to guide the discussion remotely. Kevin and David take off to give us some space-there is not too much private which is said in book group. We end up at 7pm after a good and vibrant discussion.

David and Kevin come back a bit later. I think we are all ready for bed. Tomorrow is our last full day on the Big Island. I suspect my body is ready for a return to my ordinary life. Still it is a place I enjoy and I hope to enjoy this last day as well.

 

 

 
Extra Photo's

Beach at Waipi'o

A plantation in the Waipi'o Valley

We were fascinated with this "Waipi'o spider"

The Waipi'o Overlook

Sherri and our LocoMoco

Animals

 
Flowers and Plants

February 8, 2022-Hawaii: Snorekling at Puako, Shopping and Coffee, and Whale Watching

 

Title: February 8, 2022-Hawaii: Snorekling at Puako, Shopping and Coffee, and Whale Watching
Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type:Snorkeling

Description:

Today was an exciting day, while much of the day was good, there was a period of distress and grave concern.

I got up a little after 7am. I then had breakfast before heading out to Puako for a morning snorkel. We went to the south beach access, which is really the first access to the beach. The ocean looked a bit choppy, but manageable. So we headed out into. The first thing which David sees when he sticks his head in the water is a Green Sea Turtle. Exciting. Then Kevin sees another one, which I manage to get a video of. So far pretty good.

 

When I look to find Kevin and David, they are well out into the water, swimming around. So I start swimming towards them. Sort of surprisingly enough, I make it out to them quicker than I thought I was going to. My snorkel is getting a bit of water in it, but I am cleaning it out OK.

 

Then Kevin comes by and says he is going in. But David is still out there, so I hesitate for a few minutes on going in. But then David starts to come in as well. So I turn around and head in. We had just gotten out beyond the reefs and there is a channel which allows us into the inner part of the area where the shallower water is. But as I go through the channel, I am being pushed back out into the bay. Not only that, I am getting caught up in the swells. David and Kevin say that they can see my body being tossed up on the crest of waves-that may be why I am sucking water through my snorkel.

Waiting for Mountain Thunder tour

Before I know it, David is by my side, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards shore. Kevin joins him and helps me as well. Between the two of them, they are able to get me through the channel and out of the wave action. I can feel my breathing being very rapid and not very good. But fortunately I have not swallowed a lot of water. Once we get to calmer waters they check me out and we all start heading towards shore.

It was pretty tense, Kevin was the one who raised the alarm with my brother that I was in trouble. When we got back to the car and were able to shed our snorkeling gear, we were able to express relief that we all made it out OK. After comparing notes, we realized that besides the choppy water, we were also fighting a receding high tide. As David said, not a major drop between tides, but still enough to make it beyond my abilities.

Mountain Thunder

We got back to the condo, relieved. We rest for a little while, then head into Kona to Ross. We pick up some Hawaiian clothing-discounted because we are seniors-Yeah! It is good to be old, and today, alive and well. Then we head up the mountain to a coffee plantation called Mountain Thunder. Sherri buys a bag of their coffee. At 11:30, we take a half an hour tour of the processing part of the plant, getting an explanation of the processing of coffee beans, which are not beans. Interesting even for a non-coffee drinker such as me. We

Pine Tree Cafe-Kevin, Sherri and Gary

all have lunch at Pine Tree Cafe again. Always a good choice, then head back to the condo for a bit of rest. 

 

At 2:00pm, Kevin drives us north along the coast. Several whale spouts are spotted. There was also a small brush fire completed with three engines and crews, police and an ambulance. A helicopter was dropping water on the fire. Looks like it was down by the ocean.

 

 

 

Picnic area at Kapa'a SP with Sherri, David and Kevin

Kevin pulls us into a state park at Kapa’a State Beach. Several other groups are there as well to observe whales. None of us are disappointed as we spot one maybe a couple hundred yards or farther off shore. Then the big attraction happens out towards the horizon. A huge whale is laying around out there, splashing I assume for our entertainment. Wonderful.

 

Ocean view from Kapa'a

We turn around and drive back home. We see several other spouts on our way back. Dinner is pulled pork-our second time. Still very good. Then we head on over to the beach by the Lava Lava Club. We arrive about 20 minutes before sunset and just mosey down the beach, away from most of the people. Even here, we see a whale spout in the distance. And then the sun sets, deep into the ocean, turning the sky into orange. A wonderful view.

 

 

 

Sunset

When we get back to the condo, we spend a little while watching the Olympics before going to bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Extra Photo's

Display at Mountain Thunder

Tiki Man at Mountain Thunder

 
Flowers and Plants

February 4, 2022-Hawaii: Puako, Kona and Waimea

 

 Title: February 4, 2022-Hawaii: Puako, Kona and Waimea

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Snorkeling

Location: Puako

Description:

Last night we talked about going out and snorkeling at high tide today. that would be at 5am local time. The problem is that it is dark at that time and I do not feel confident of being out in the surf in the dark. I happened to wake up at that time. While Kevin and David are awake, they are not moving. so I lay down for another 45 minutes until Sherri moves.

There is light downstairs. We are off to a slow, but pleasant start. David has everything prepared to go. After eating a bit of granola, we are off to snorkel at Puako a little before 7:30. I feel like I am the slow one of the group-David, Kevin and myself. Still out there having fun. David finds an eel in a crack in the rock and shows it to me. Kevin finds several schools of fish, including the colorful Convict Tang. In a deeper underwater ravine, another school of big fish is spotted. We just enjoy seeing them move so gracefully in the water. It is now time to turn back. They make good headway. My snorkel starts to take on water, causing me to blow it out often. Then in on crease, I swim pretty good, but make no head way. Later on Kevin said he got caught in the same crease and struggled there as well. I feel better. We all get out of the water and wash off, then return to the condo. For more on this crease, see Wednesday’s blog entry, when it is posted. 

 

After rinsing off the gear, we lay around a bit. But then head down to Kona. The first order of business is to change the car out. The current one has part of the side rubbed off. After getting a couple of alternatives, we find one which is OK. We then go to the Kona’s farmers market and hunt around for stuff, then walking along the shops there.

After tiring of that, it is time to head back to the car. Kevin and David drop Sherri and I off at the Pine Tree Cafe, where we had a couple of rice bowls-teriyaki beef for Sherri and teriyaki chicken for me. Very filling. As we finish up, the Costco contingent comes back and we go back to the condo.

Remnants of a whale splash

There we put away food and get ready to head out again. This time, we take the highway north, looking for whales. We stop at the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company and buy stuff there. From its perch on top of a hillside, we spot both goats and a whale. The whale keeps us occupied for 15 minutes or so. Always amazing those mammals. After that, we head on to Waimea. There we stop at a KTA grocery store and pick up stuff. But the chief interest is to head to the Tropical Dreams Ice Cream plant. No samples, but we buy a couple of flavors to satiate our desires for the trip.

Goats at the Nut Factory

Then it is back to the condo to rest for a little while. We watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Kevin goes upstairs to rest. I follow him a few minutes later to my bedroom. I read for a few minutes and fall asleep for an hour.

We head out towards the Hilton area to watch the sunset. Really a wonderful sight. Rich in colors. Clouds on the horizon block any thoughts of a green flash which is sometimes seen. Then back to the condo where Kevin and David fixes a Chinese Chicken Salad. I think we are all content for the day.

On way to see the sunset

Tomorrow, Kevin is going to clean while David, Sherri and I visit the east side of the island.

 

 

 
Extra Photo's

Places: HI-Puakō

 

 
Puakō-3' (Puu Hinai) (19.9715337, -155.8402061)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__ 

Puakō Bay-0' (Puu Hinai) (19.9745790, -155.8342409)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__ 

Puakō Point-3' (Puu Hinai) (19.9734698, -155.8380282)
Legal: T__S, R__E, Sec__  

Description : Trips : References : Pictures 

Description:

From GNIS:

• Puakō, also called:
• Pukao
• Puako
• Lalamilo
•  Puakō Bay also called
• Puako Bay
• Puakō Point also called
• PuakoPoint

Trips:

• February 4, 2022 - Snorkeling at the first beach access
• February 8, 2022 - Snorkeling at the first beach access. Rip tide caught Gary for a little while.
• February 10, 2022 - Water too rough to snorkel
• 
  

References:

• Wikipedia. Also the Hokuloa Church
• To Hawaii guide
• Article by The Nature Conservancy on decreasing coral, reef and fish populations
• Hawaii Guide-best thing is it tells where the beach access is
  

Pictures:

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