Sunday, August 09, 2009

Another Day, Another Dollar... Spent

After Andrew's third day in town, I had worn myself out, and I was exhausted. So, we hung out around home and around our pool, and I didn't take any pictures. Boo. I love our pool here, so it is still on my list to take pictures.
Then, after a good night's rest, we got up early and headed over to the other side of the island to Hanauma Bay.
This is the only place on Oahu that you have to pay to go snorkeling.
It's a nature preserve.
Some of our guests got there at nine one morning, and it was full. The parking lot was closed. This place gets packed.
But then, they went at 6am the next morning, and no one was there, so they got in free!
We showed up around 8, and it was great. Eight is great. Earlier than that would have been better, but no later. The water was still very clear (and very cloudy when we left at 11), the crowds weren't too bad, and there were plenty of active fish. Very cool, colorful, BIG fish.
I really like snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.
Oh, and they have chickens. There are actually wild chickens all over the Hawaiian Islands. I heard a rumor that they got out of some farms during a hurricane, and have been around ever since, but I think they've just always been here. As long as people have been here.
This particular chicken and an accomplice started digging through someone's bag while they were getting into the water, and they had to come out to chase them away. I thought that was pretty funny.
After you leave Hanauma Bay, if you head east, you can see some spectacular views of my favorite part of the island. The water is so blue! And the lava rock is so beautiful. I love seeing how the ocean has formed different parts of the rock over the years.
Isn't our world beautiful?
After lunch at Teddy's Bigger Burgers (to be featured in a future post), we headed out to our favorite beach, Lanikai.
Okay, so maybe it's not the best collage, but I had fun playing around with it in picasa.
Our kids have had so much fun playing with boogie boards this summer, trying everything from skim boarding to boogie boarding to surfing to just floating around looking for fish.
Lanikai became our favorite beach after some friends introduced us to it a couple of years ago. The water is so blue, the view is beautiful, the sand is white and soft and perfect for building, the waves are mild, snorkeling is good, swimming is good, it's just fantastic. It also used to be relatively uncrowded (is that a word?), so we always had plenty of space and privacy.
It's not so quiet anymore.
In fact, although we've heard people say that Hawaii tourism is down and the economy is suffering because of it, the beaches that I have seen, have never been more crowded. Including, alas, our beloved Lanikai.

I have a feeling that if we kept going there, it may not be our favorite for long. But I'm leaving this week. And we may not ever be back. So we'll just leave it as our favorite. Besides, I don't know if I can think of a good beach to replace it with.

5 comments:

Cal said...

I remember being fascinated by the wild chickens. I like that picture.

Sjauna said...

Haha, yeah you were probably fascinated, because they woke us up right outside our window at Blake's every morning! That and the neighbor opening coconut after coconut.

Heatherlyn said...

Those beaches are amazing! So beautiful! I know I've said it before but what an amazing wonderful thing to have been able to live in Hawaii!

Carrie said...

Hi Sjauna,

I got your fun, fun, fun package :o) Thank you!!

I found a rental in our neighborhood and I called on it. I don't know your email so email me!
carrie_weatherbee@hotmail.com
Or just let me know if you already have a place to come home to.

adrienne and ryan said...

So, sometimes I read your blog. :) I love your Lanikai pictures. Ryan and I went on our honeymoon right near there, in Kailua, so your pictures made me say, "Awwwwwe." How fun to get to live there for awhile.