Pasadena and Hawaii

Loosely translated it means see you soon in Hawaiian.  Time draws near for our return to the east coast.  There is penance due for spending time in this climate.  I looked at the forecast back home.  Around our apartments I've been in shorts and bare feet.  Guess that won't work at Camp Conti.  Hawaii definitely makes my list of "we could spend a couple of weeks here during the winter" list.  It is expensive.  We dined with a couple last night who bought a home and a car to keep here because it works out to be less money in the long run (for them).  Photo courtesy Carol Santacrose Now it's time to put away my camera and other electronics, pack up the suitcase and travel back to the Empire State.  Until next time, Aloha a hui hou no.

If you follow our vacations you know Jan and I enjoy whale watching.  Every trip to Alaska included one.  The whales that are in Alaska from May until October are in Hawaii, near Maui, from November until May.  Manners alone dictate that we go visit. Five minutes out of port and just clearing the harbor sea wall, a humpback went full breach.  No one had a camera ready. There were lots of Moms taking their children out for a swim, which is typical of Maui.  We can see this from our porch too, just not nearly as close.  They are very good about staying a distance away with the boats.  They also cut the engines until the whales swim away.  Mom taking a baby out for a Thursday swim. When the fluke comes up the whale is headed down.  On average, they will stay below for 20 minutes but can make it much longer if the mood suits the whale. One of three breaches.  This one is a good distance off.  I saw the blow near that bo...

According to the National Park Service (which is not staffed at the moment) the majority of visitors who come to Haleakala National Park drive up to watch the sunrise.  Gathered with a few hundred people we did not know, all bundled up to deal with the cold, we faced east.  And waited. And waited. And then.... There was one NPS representative there to clean the bathrooms and empty the trash.  There was another checking to see if we secured our sunrise permits for the summit, but not collecting any money. Silver swords are rare.  They only grow at certain altitudes.  The plant grows slowly.  Sometimes it takes 30 years for it to bloom.  Then it will flower for two months with spectacular red petals.  And that's it.  They die.  Our group chased one visitor away from the areas where these plants grow.  They are classified as rare and endangered.  Walking in the areas where they grow c...

In 19 years not many improvements are evident in the road to Hana on Maui.  I am sure it received some paving attention.  In places the road is actually narrower.  Still, it's the only way to see certain parts of the island. As I mentioned in yesterday's post winter doesn't change the temperature here, but it does push the winds a bit harder.  That generates waves and that draws surfers. A Tuesday morning and this beach is loaded with surfers.  Not sure how they manage that.  I asked about public schools.  It's full year school on Maui for K through 12.   The winter break is longer.  It's just concluding.  Not many of the surfers looked in that age range.  A couple.  Most looked older.   No matter.  They get out there into the waves and enjoy the sun. Further ahead on the road you can enjoy a variety of vegetation. Tall trees.  The bark is multicolor.  More muted than the rainbow Eu...

Our goodbye to Kauai featured a gorgeous sunrise, monk seal pups, a humpback whale and her calf.  Welcome to winter in the 50th state.  From a climate standpoint there is very little difference between winter and summer.  Daytime highs tend to reach into the low 80s.  Overnight lows are usually in the low 70s.  During winter a strong northerly wind makes for very large waves on the shores that are buffeted.  Lots of rip tides.  During the summer the same waters can look "lake-like." For the past four days the winds created some very tall waves but this morning they eased up a bit and it looked safer to venture out into the water.  A few clouds in an otherwise clear sky made for a picture perfect sunrise.  These shots are from the Poipu side of the island. Monk seals are an endangered species.  When they show up a group of wildlife protectors keeps watch over them to make sure humans do not get too close.  There were t...

We spent the day on the move, Saturday.  By the time I arrived back at our apartment at Poipu it was late.  I picked out a few more images from the helicopter cameras.  These are frames from the video that I retrieved.  This lighthouse is almost impossible to get to by car because the road is gutted from storms.  By air it is easily viewed. People call it Jurrasic Falls.  It's actual name is Manowaiopuna Falls.  Having trouble trying to pronounce the words?  A makes an ah sound.  O is oh.  AI is eye.  U is you.  E is ay as in hay.  Everything is pronounced.  Nothing is silent.  Waimea Canyon State Park.  Accessible by car and hiking trails.  More canyon.  Part of the coastline cut off by the summer storms in Hawaii.  People who live there must use boats to get supplies.  The roads to most of the areas are still impassible. The place where we dined on Saturday night is...