(Did you ever think I was going to get back to my Hawaii posts? Even though several months have passed since the trip, I can't let it just fade away without documenting it, so here they come.) (In case you missed the Hawaii introduction, or just forgot it since I posted it three months ago, click here.)
Once anyone finds out you're going to Hawaii, they all have a different opinion about which beach is a must, but I think it must be weather- and seasonally-dependent. Some of the beaches that had been the most highly recommended were actually too dangerous while we were there; the surf was too high. Luckily, there are dozens of beaches, and we found our own favorites. No two beaches are the same, and we liked each one for different reasons. Here's a little rundown:
Our beach (Punalu'u)
We arrived late on a Saturday night. It was already dark, and everyone immediately fell into their beds and went to sleep. (I cracked the window in our bedroom and could hear the waves rolling in on the beach, so I knew it was out there, but couldn't see a thing.)
The next morning, we opened the curtains to a stunning view. The ocean was right there, stretching away towards the horizon. We stepped out onto the balcony and gazed at it in complete wonder. That view continued to distract us as the days went by. We'd be getting ready to go out or cleaning up after breakfast and catch a glimpse of it and then just have to stop and stare.
We went down to the beach almost immediately. We all got in the water immediately. We were just so happy to be there.
It was still early in the morning (around 8:00am), and we were shocked to see a giant turtle resting on the sand, making its slow progress toward the water. At first we thought, "What luck! Here we are, less than 12 hours on the island, and we've already seen a turtle!" As it turned out, that ended up being the first of many.
They came up on the beach every night (the most we saw at one time was fifteen!) and then went back into the ocean in the morning, their bodies dragging paths through the sand. It seemed so common after a few days that we didn't fully appreciate our experience until we were talking to another family who were almost at the end of their trip and hadn't seen a single turtle the whole time (they were staying at a resort in Waikiki).
On our last full day, we finally decided to snorkel on our beach (we had snorkeled other places but not there). It shouldn't have surprised us (but it kind of did) to find the same turtles swimming in the water that had been on the sand just a few hours before. Seeing them on the beach is one thing, but they are absolutely majestic swimming through the water with such ease and grace.
I took advantage of the jet lag to go down to the beach by myself many of the mornings we were there and just sit in a chair, watching the sun come up over the horizon, listening to the constant roar of the sea along the break contrasted with the ebb and flow of the waves hitting the shore. I brought my knitting, and it was the most peaceful way to start my day.
We took many walks, played football, caught sand crabs, dug in the sand, got stung by a Portuguese Man of War, and swam. As much as we liked the other beaches we visited, we were always so happy to come "home" to this one.
Pounder's Beach
Just a short drive from where we were staying, this beach had great sand and waves. It was the only beach we went to where we were semi-successful with body surfing.
There was a little lake where the water had come in and then not gone back out with the tide. The color was a bit questionable, but the water was warm and calm, and Ian and Silas loved it. I think if we hadn't had such a great beach just a few feet away from where we were staying, this would have been the one we went back to again and again, both because of proximity and quality.
Mermaid's Cave
We were trying to kill a little time before lunch one day and made a stop at Nanakuli Beach Park to see Mermaid's Cave.
This wasn't a sandy beach, so even if we'd had more time, it wouldn't have been a place where we came to swim and play. We climbed up and over rocks to get to the cave while the ocean crashed against them. The cave was small but cool, and everyone except me climbed down into it.
Lagoon at Ko Olina
There are four man-made lagoons connected with the Ko Olina resorts. They are free and open to the public. We went to one of them for the afternoon. As you might expect, it was more crowded than the other places we had been to so far.
However, it was a great place for snorkeling, especially for little kids. The big boys only snorkeled for a short while, and then laid out in the sun and fell asleep. I think this was the beach where I spent the most time in the water; it was a great temperature and very gentle, and I loved floating on my back.
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
This stunningly gorgeous bay offers some of the best snorkeling on Oahu. It has an amazing ecosystem of coral reef and sea life. Visitation is limited to Wednesday through Sunday and reservations are required. This gives the reef a chance to rest and recover. Reservations open two days before, and we wanted to go on Wednesday, so Mike got on the website at exactly 7:00am on Monday morning to snag our spots.
Before entering the park, we watched a short video that detailed some rules and expectations. Not going to lie, I felt a little anxious that we were somehow going to be responsible for damaging an ancient reef, but that anxiety (mostly) subsided once we were actually on the beach.
The walk down might have been my favorite part. It was just so pretty. You get to see the bay from above, and the coral reef is visible through the turquoise water.
Despite the limited reservations, the beach was still plenty crowded. We all took turns snorkeling, and there was a lot to see. However, the reef was so high in some places that it was almost impossible not to bump into it or step on it, and that stressed me out a little. Clark was especially enthusiastic and went out again and again with one or another of us. He never seemed to tire. He was rewarded for his efforts and was the only one of us to spot an eel. There were so many varieties of fish, and several people saw a giant green parrot fish.
I will say that the beach itself wasn't as good as some of the others we went to in terms of nice sand and entry into the water, so Silas did not have as much fun here as some of the other places we went. It was unique and definitely worth going to, but even if it had had unlimited accessibility, I think one day would have been enough for us at Hanauma Bay.
Besides all of these beaches, we also tried Sunset, Three Tables, and Sherwood, which had been highly recommended, but the conditions were not safe at any of them. Mike talked to a lifeguard at one of them who told him, "The fact that you're carrying life jackets means that this beach is not for you."
Even if the only thing we had done on Oahu was visit beaches, it would have been enough, and we still wouldn't have seen them all. But we did much more than that. Next up: hikes.
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