June 24, 2024

Magic Sands Beach June 23rd the ocean is returning sand. Fascinating.

Following series of photos are street views of downtown Kailua. Kailua was Kamahameha the Great’s capitol once he defeated the neighboring Big Island chiefs, after the Heiau was constructed and he was given the priests blessing he then went on to defeat the chiefs of neighboring Maui and Oahu (had some help with strategy and cannons, that’s another story) then unifying the major islands. For a short time Lahaina on Maui was the trading center and a part time capitol until, because of it’s safe harbor for foreign merchant ships to unload cargo, Honolulu became the capitol of the islands as it still is. (The photo sequence goes from South to North along Ali’i Avenue).

In late August of 1823 William Ellis visited Kiholo Bay a small fishing village on the West Coast of Hawaii Island 19 miles north along the shore from Kailua. Near the end of his journey of circling the Island he traveled almost exclusively by canoe which was subject to ocean conditions, sometimes needing to stop until the water had calmed where they would continue whether it be during the day or under moonlight, he was determined to arrive prior to sunrise on Sunday the 24th. Ellis describes Kiholo as a straggling village inhabited principally by fishermen. It’s draw for tourists like myself (and Islanders too of course) is as Ellis writes “This village exhibits another monument of the genius of Tamehameha. A small bay, perhaps half a mile across, runs inland a considerable distance. From one side to the other of the bay, Tamehameha built a strong stone wall, six feet high in some places, and twenty feet wide, by which he had an excellent fish-pond, not less than two miles in circumference.” https://bigislandguide.com/kiholo-bay

Sometimes maps can mislead. Wanting to visit the Bay I read one review (not enough of a source) and looked for access roads on Google maps, thinking I could drive to a parking lot at the end of the dirt road and walk on to check out Kamehameha’s pond I arrived later than I should have (rain chased me north changing my morning, in the end didn’t matter) to find out that the road that allows the few houses and resort compounds ingress and egress to the highway is kapu to tourists and outside visitors so I had to trek in 1/2 the way, as I didn’t prepare properly not bringing enough water and starting too late the photos will show the long view to Kamehameha’s Fish Pond. Maybe another time if I can fit it in. For this hike I should allow at least 4 hours and start early to end by noon and avoid the afternoon heat as most of the way is not shaded. At least more than a bottle of water. Did not see turtles, or sharks as I was told by someone who works at the resorts.

A few photos of Kiholo Bay.

Goats outnumber people.

Blue arrow points to part of the fishpond wall. The full hike would have taken me to the hump at the far end of the bay and in the middle of the photo.

My first seven weeks I stayed at a nice 2 br second level corner condo unit. Always a breeze, used the AC only at night for sleep. Quiet, next to one of the two community pools and within walking distance to town, also a short walk to the ocean side to watch sunsets. I was fortunate to work out additional time as my original plans changed and I didn’t need to travel to the Hilo side of the Island until the end of the month so my hosts let me stay on and gave me a discount on their rate. Made life a lot easier for me because I was returning one car for another and if I had to move would have had to pack my stuff into one car then unload to the second that I’m using now and then to find my second place, blah, blah. Glad they came through. Mahalo nui loa Ron and Lori! Didn’t get an inside shot there did take one at this new place which as you’ll see is a one room layout (can’t believe families live in these tiny spaces!!).

[It, from appearances, has some age maybe built around the ’70’s? And, just guessing here, rented as holiday efficiencies to folks who came to laid back and boring Big Island just to relax. Then the ’80’s came along and the idea of buying up resort properties like this one and turning them into individual condo units became the rage that it still is. Investors didn’t put a lot of money into replacing or repairing things from what I’m seeing, sold to either home buyers or vacation rental investors who I think are the folks who own the first floor 5′ from my parking space unit shown here in this inside shot:] So this paragraph is changed, since writing it I’ve spoken to the couple who own and rent the unit next door and who sold the one I’m staying in. These small vacation apartments where built in 1971 and sold to individual buyers as vacation apartments. Didn’t get much more than that from them as they were busy cleaning for their next guests.

On the wall map to the right (and one not shown) I counted 115 pin points where visitors had pinned their 24 countries on 5 continents. On a 2nd map out of the photo to the right I counted 36 States including Oahu, Hawaii. “Towson”, what a surprise, got a lime green pin. Cozy place just 2 blocks from where I was, reminds me of the first place I stayed in 2019 at Makaha near the west point of Oahu Island. If you don’t want to blow through your travel budget finding places with a kitchen is a must for me.