Kona Pier
Beaching a Canoe
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- Super Woman
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- Scooter Couple
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- Here They Come, Kona
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- Beaching a Canoe
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- Launching a Canoe
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- Mud Ball Man
The pier in Kona is a center of activity. People hang out there or swim on a small sandy beach. Every evening the outrigger canoe teams practice with the men and women alternating days so that the canoes never sit idle. One man takes a daily swim with his clothes on, makes a mud ball and stuffs it in a drain pipe when he is done.
South of Kona
Boats on The Beach
South of Kona there are a series of nearby beaches. Place of Refuge is a Pu’uhonua o National Historic Park and it is adjacent to Two Steps Beach, a popular snorkeling and scuba diving spot. Further down the road is Hookena Beach Park where I photographed some locals and their boats.
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- My New Girlfriend
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- Place of Refuge 1
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- Place of Refuge 2
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- Sea Turtle at Two Steps
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- Boats on The Beach
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- Kicking Back
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- The Painted Church
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- Painted Church Cemetary
Weird Trees
Twisted Trees
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- Pololu Valley
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- Trippy Trees
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- Bent Trees
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- Twisted Trees
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- Banyan Hill
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- Banyan Side
That morning I spoke to a lady on the beach who said “I don’t do drugs, but there are some trippy looking trees up at the North end of this island. Just drive past Hawi until the road ends.” She forgot to mention the steep trail down to the beach. The banyan were photographed on the Hilo side of the island earlier in the week.
Rocky Places
Napoopoo View
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- Lava Meets the Sea
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- Napoopoo View
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- Petroglyphs by the Sea
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- Rock Waves
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- Lava beach
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- Lava Thumbprint
Last night it rained 6 inches (15 cm) in my neighborhood. Streets flooded and the lights went out for 8 hours. That did not stop me from going out to some art gallery openings.
The Big Island is mostly covered by lava fields and volcanic ash. The beaches are no exception. Few of them are sandy.
Volcanos National Park Part II
Crater’s Edge
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- Three Girl Backpackers
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- Lava Swirl
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- The Blob
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- Palms Escape Destruction
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- Crater’s Edge
Today I will be traveling back to Texas, where everything is bigger. I have a lot of photos from Kona and other areas yet to blog.
I met the girl backpackers at the visitor center and a few hours later saw them crossing a lava field off Chain of Craters Road on their way down to the shore. That is one long hike and some very fit women.
Hilo to Kona
Rain Forest Walkway
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- Sunrise on Mauna Kea
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- Akaka Falls
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- Rain Forest Walkway
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- Wall of Palms
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- Dog in a Dress
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- Do Climb Wall
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- Lava Field Overlook
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- Daniella and Kestrel
It’s about 95 miles from Hilo to Kona over scenic roads, going through Waimea. The day began with a stunning view of Mauna Kea from my hotel room watching light from the sunrise move down from the summit. Akaka falls and its surrounding rain forest are on the way, followed by miles of lava fields. In Kona on the pier both the mood and climate are completely different.
Mauna Kea and Others
Ascension
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- Rainbow Falls
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- Saddle Road Lava Field
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- Dr. Doom’s Office
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- Spherical Fun
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- Above the Clouds
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- Mars on Mauna Kea
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- Fence Line
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- Ascension
After a short stop at Rainbow Falls I headed for the Saddle Road to visit Mauna Kea. There is a visitor center about halfway up to the summit from the main road. The road surface then turns to gravel and is steep for 5 miles. My rented Hyundai Elantra barely made it because the minimum speed to produce enough power was also fast enough to overpower the suspension. The final 3 miles is very steep, but paved. The summit is at an oxygen starved 13,796 feet (4,200 Meters). The final photo is one of the spectacular views from my hotel room in Hilo.
Volcanos National Park
Lava Landscape
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- Lava Landscape
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- Lava Tube
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- Busted Lava
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- Road Closed
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- Chain of Craters
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- Rain Forest
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- An Offering to Pele
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- Steam Vents
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- Crater Pano
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- Caldera at Night
This is a magical place where molten lava and poisonous gases spew forth from the ground. Nature is at its peak of fury here. The message is we are nothing. In minutes one passes from desolate inhospitable areas at altitude to lush rain forests and pacific beaches. The landscape is unreal often covered by lava flows.
Lions Mating
Lions Mating 5
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- Lions Mating 1
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- Lions Mating 2
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- Lions Mating 3
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- Lions Mating 4
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- Lions Mating 5
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- Lions Mating 6
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- Lions Mating 7
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- Lions Mating 8
These photos were captured at about 6:30 AM local time in the golden light of morning at a game reserve near Mossel Bay, South Africa. Range was about 10 meters and there were no barriers between me and the lions. After seeing Lions up close in their natural environment I have come to believe they are the most beautiful of all wild animals.
Kauai Tour North
Tree and a Fence
This is the second part of the Tour of Kauai. Previously, the South and central parts were covered. We pick up at Kapaa in the central area. There is a nice path along the beach where the skater and yoga gal were photographed. Heading North is the Jurassic Ranch and across the road from it I photographed “Tree and a Fence”. There are spectacular overlooks past Princeville. Drive down the hill to Hanalei and walk on a beach which has some of the most expensive real estate in the US. It was featured in the movie “The Descendants”. At the end of the road is Tunnels Beach where I found an abstract composition in a nearby cave,
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- Yoga by the Sea
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- Girl Skating in Kapaa
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- Tree and a Fence
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- Jurassic Ranch
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- Overlook From Princeville
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- Hanalei Overlook
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- Hanalei Bay
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- Cave Abstract
At the Beach in Lagos
Horse Waiting For A Table
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- Horse Waiting For A Table
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- Girl With Lace Sleeves
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- Three Girls and a Lady In Black
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- Bartender With Mint Leaves
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- Produce Market Shopgirl
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- Beach Volleyball Practice
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- Rotting Boat
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- Lagos Bluff
Lagos is a beach resort several hours South of Lisbon, Portugal by bus. I was there before the season started, so it was quiet. My impression was there is not that much going on, but it is a fine place to kick back, eat a fish dinner, and make your own fun.
Lovely Capri
Capri Hillside
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- Capri Croissant
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- Miami
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- Capri Hair Adjustment
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- Almost an Aerial
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- Capri Marina
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- Capri Hillside
Just a short ferry ride away sits Capri, playground of the rich and famous, while swarming with ordinary tourists like myself. The views are fabulous and the people walking around, amazing. Here is just a little bit of what I saw on the island. I did get to speak with the lady from Miami. She is a down to earth gal.
