One More Aloha...

recently there was another Beach Boy funeral, Chief.

Sad as time goes by, the only time that so many of them are

together again is for funerals.

Oh, those glory days of Waikiki...

the pau hana parties on Friday nights on the beach,

the uncles watching all the kids and as the girls

got older watching out for them,

cement umbrella weights,

the food, reading the paper very early in the morning with the boys,

little boys helping the uncles clean up the beach at 4pm,

"set-ups", the old beach stand, all the chairs and umbrellas lined

up in their certain spots, haircuts downstairs in the storeroom,

the two snack-shops under the stairs by the garage- the best 

plate lunch and hot dogs, Davy Jones Locker and all the $$

that the kids put into Pac Man, canoe rides to fill the boats, sand sliding, endless waves

ridden on those heavy old boards, jumping into the pool at the 

Royal and the window in the Outrigger pool... most of 

all the Aloha

most of all the Aloha

(mahalo Suzy Makua for your photos)

Pililaau Rest Camp, Waianae

Last weekend I ended up on the "westside" for a birthday party at Maili .  I drove

down to Makaha to take some pictures and was surprised that our neighbors, 

the Cuas were staying at "Rest Camp" in Waianae and invited me 

to come over.

I'd never been there before and was surprised at how really nice it was.

This is a military spot that has cabins on a beautiful beach.  

It looked like the cabins had been re-done recently and they were so

clean and sitting on a really  great beach.

the front lanai

Susu and I enjoying the warm, westside sun

other friends were coming out to spend the weekend with the Cuas...and by the 

looks of their instagram photos it looks like they had a great weekend of sun, surf, music

and friends.

Ed and the boys gave me a final shakka before I left for home.

Thanks Cua family for the visit to a gem..."Rest Camp"

Not So Obvious...

when the waves are big and the tide is really high there is one thing that

happens that isn't so obvious...water comes up onto Kam Hiway.

May not seem like a big deal and it isn't so bad, they don't 

close the hiway, just interesting.

This was taken at Lanis just a quick snap of my phone.

in the upper left is the caution tape closing the beach.  Lanis (also some people

call it "turtle beach") is right on the hiway and the beach isn't wide any time of 

the year.

Just another not so obvious effect of the high surf on the North Shore.

Magic Island

Just a short distance from the beaches of Waikiki is Magic Island.  This actually part of

Ala Moana Beach Park.  It's not an actual "island" but a spit of reclaimed land with Ala Wai Channel

on the east and the lagoon of Ala Moana Beach Park on the west.

Years ago I did a 5k walk out there and I remember the trees were much smaller.  It seems

like there is always something going on out there. 

It's a favorite spot to take wedding photos because it sticks out farther.

Bikers, walkers, runners, fishing, sitting or watching the sunset,

Magic Island has something for everyone.

Ala Moana Beach Park

Last Saturday was such a pretty day.  On my way home from hula, I drove through

Ala Moana  Beach Park.  I just snapped a few pics of the beach scene.

Right across from the beach is a huge park.  It was full of all kinds

of parties.  I know that people had been there for hours before sunup

saving some of the prime spots under the shade trees.

The reef at Ala Moana is really far out and there's sort of a breakwater

thing.  There are tons of people that go there to swim laps and then there are

the SUPers.  They actually had to come up with separate lanes for the swimmers

and paddlers, so they wouldn't run into each other.

Ala Moana Beach Park is at the Ewa end of Waikiki, directly across from Ala Moana

Shopping Center and next to Magic Island.

It's nice and clean....but it gets really, really hot on the sand.  And the water is warmer

it seems, guess thats because it's not such open ocean.