Tuesday, February 26, 2013

SURF'S UP - WAIKIKI/O'AHU/HAWAII on "TRAVEL TUESDAY"

Possibly being the only person in the Mainland United States to have never been to Hawaii, I got my chance last summer, when my husband worked a 6 month stint on the beautiful island of O'ahu.  Every day (for 12 days), while waiting for him to return from work, I strapped on my new walking shoes, and with camera in hand, did just that...I was a walkin' fool and, not being able to hit the bricks in Vegas during the summer due to oppressive desert heat, I relished every mile walked.
O'ahu is the third largest, and most populous, of the Hawaiian Islands. The state capital, Honolulu, is located here, as is Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, and the North Shore, most notably.
44 miles long and 30 miles across (607 square miles), the length of the shoreline is 227 miles.
 
This is the Waikiki Beach looking from one end, with the hotels - to the other, with the looming Diamond Head volcano...which I also walked!
Peaceful, breezy, friendly, GREEN - I would trade these little beach crabs for our scorpions, any day!
The world-famous neighborhood of Waikiki was once a playground for Hawaiian royalty.  Waikiki’s very first hotel, was built on its shores in 1901. Today, Waikiki is Oahu’s main hotel and resort area, and most every room is just two or three blocks away from the sea.
Legendary Hawaiian waterman, Duke Kahanamoku grew up surfing the waves of Waikiki. This Olympic gold medalist in swimming actually taught visitors how to surf at the turn of the century, and was later known as “The father of modern surfing.”
 
The bronze Duke Kahanamoku Statue has become an iconic symbol of Waikiki, and was never for want of beautiful leis, during my daily jaunts past.  The surfboards are actually locked up, overnight, much as you would find bikes being locked up on the mainland - in all actuality, the surboards are probably safer locked there overnight than bikes would be, here, even for a few hours.
Not huge waves while I was there (the biggest are to be found on the North Shore - the opposite side of the island, but it was the wrong time of year for those, also), but I found the beauty and motion of the water to be relaxing enough to want to spend an hour or so, each day, just sitting and breathing it all in.
Sailboats, swells, swimmers, and surfers...SWEET!
And speaking of the surfers (another life sized bronze along the beachfront)...
They came in all sizes - the little girl with the board on top of her head couldn't have been more than 5 or 6, and was heading out with her dad.  My concrete pier vantage point proved to be a favorite entry to the waters below, though I cringed each time one of them hurtled off the wall, as the rocks were visible below the water.  Yeah, it's one of those "Mom" things, I know...1) Don't go swimming for 30 minutes after eating and, 2) Don't do flips into the water, over rocks - obviously, they'd all done it before.
Young and old, alike...SEE THOSE ROCKS AND CORAL BENEATH THAT LITTLE BOY UP THERE!  OH, OH, OH!
More surf jumpers, and one of the "coolest" dogs I will ever see, guarding his owner's gear while soaking up some rays in his Eastons, brah!  Sat there by himself, for the entire hour I was there, and never tried to remove the glasses - nor did anyone try to take them from him.
 
Hope you catch a most excellent wave this week - back next Tuesday with a further look around the island - there's so much to see - in the meantime, HANG LOOSE!
 

16 comments:

Shane Pollard said...

Wonderful photos Tanya - I'll feel like I've just had an island holiday with you as my tour guide.

It's just like that where I am too as it's Summer here too!
Shane ♥

Jackie said...

Cowabunga dude! Those pictures a knarly! I hope to see hawaii one day, friends have invited me but i really want to see it with my hubby! great pics and that dog is toooo cool for school!

Walking In May said...

Oh I love walking...especially on the beach to just watch the sea which I can only usually do on holiday! Beautiful photos...the picture of sunshine is lifting the cold London day! And I admire that brave little girl...I am still shamefully afraid to swim out to the deep sea...maybe in time I will learn.
Thank you for your lovely comment on my Qipao post my dear and I wish you had kept that dress from the 80s...would have been a real gem I am sure! Have a fabulous rest of the week Tanya!
May xx
www.walkinginmay.com

Ahl Cooped Up said...

I love this post Tanya.
I planed to walk in Roatan, but the beach was too soft. I'm used to the firm beaches on the Atlantic. Your trip looked lovely. Yes, I'm one of the only people that haven't gone to Hawai or, Guess where!!( Disney world/land). Never was interested in it!(Disney) LOL...I will go to Hawaii. Thanks for the tour!

Everydaythings said...

oh wow this is great - planning to go to hawaii next feb, so more pics please this is fascinating! thanks so much for sharing! ps more info on that volcano please!

Createology said...

Your trip must have been perfection by the photos you are sharing. Beautiful scenery and lots of people watching with the uber cool guard dog. Thank you for this trip...

Sea Witch said...

Wow, what a terrific way to spend some time. I hope to visit Hawaii one day to do a little diving and your pictures certainly want me to get there as soon as I can.

My Garden Diaries said...

Loving those pics girl! How completely awesome to go there and just chill!!! Did you get up on a board?? Surfers amaze me! I think it is because I was raised in corn but I am a woosie when it comes to the ocean...or maybe Jaws just scared me too much as a kid! The dog takes the cake! Just want to take him home! I can't wait to see more!

Hindustanka said...

aww..I'm so fond of the beaches!I adore swimming so much!
Hawaii look so attractive and beautiful.. and yea, relaxing.The latter is something I long for ...
Thanks for taking us along, Tanya!

Elisabeth said...

Beautiful photos Tanya! The blue sky and blue ocean are incredible. I'm a walker too, I love it! Elisabeth x P.s loved the dog too!

Quinn said...

Definitely not the only mainlander not to visit the Islands...I've not gotten there yet ;)

The blues of that water!!! Just the thing to brighten a very raw, gloomy, slush-falling-from-the-sky day here.

Dorthe said...

So beautiful photoes again, dear Tanya,- I love you walked those beaches while there, and made all those photoes possibly for us to see. I will never see Hawaii-I`m sure, so this trip was lovely. I love how very green it is and then the huge blue sky above , with only a few cotton clouds . A wonderful place to dream about.
Thankyou sweetie for your birthday wisches for Mathilde, I will be off tomorrow morning and have a feast with them :-)
Hugs and love,
Dorthe

DearHelenHartman said...

Wow, such fun pics. I never can believe the water is that blue.

Gabriela said...

Great pictures!My nephew is a surfer and lives on the North shore...

Tammy said...

Fantastic photos. My family went to Hawaii when I was 14. We did a lot of hiking on that trip, to dormant volcanoes and around islands -- we barely made it to the beach. My mom was more for seeing things and exploring than just hanging out, which at the age of 14, was all I wanted to do. :) Best wishes, Tammy

Anonymous said...

Wonderful photos. My Aunt and I went to Honolulu and Hawaii the Big Island when I was 14.
It was so long ago, i really don't remember much of it anymore.
Although I do have a nice photo album scrap book that I made as a teen of our time there.
I believe we stayed for 3 weeks.
My Aunt had no children and was not married and I was only child, so she indulged on me!