DAY 145 – 22nd November – Friday – OAHU, HAWAII
UncategorizedWest to North Oahu
We’re woken to familiar sounds. Wailing fire engines, police vehicles, early morning dustbin trucks and the howling wail of, well we’re not quite sure? Is it a morning greeting, a cry for help or a disgruntled homeless person? We have heard it on a few of our mornings here, a repetitive holler, and not by the same person. The sound is amplified up here on the 27th floor, echoing across and up these lofty downtown apartments.
It’s travelling up the west coast today – the outstanding section of Oahu’s coastline and sadly our last day.
We decide on an early lunch with the locals at Makaha Chop Suey as further northwest there aren’t suitable outlets. It’s very yummy and the proprietor takes a shine to us and gives us tastes of his sweet treats too. He has worked for three years without a day’s break – so he tells us.
Ka’ena Point trail at Ka’ena Point State Park. It’s accessible from the north or west sides of the island but we have been informed that the western approach is prettier. It’s a remote 3km in one direction which starts off as an easy rural flat path for most of the distance.
It’s very hot and with no shade on offer. We pass blowholes, tidal pools and enjoy lovely mountain and coastal views looking forward to Ka’ena Point and back to Makaha and Wai’anae.
After entering the park it then becomes very sandy and slow towards the end point where coastal sand dune habitat exists.
We ticked off our target of the Laysan Albatross. One can’t get closer – they are there to be seen as in the Galapagos. They show no fear in this protected area having few if no predators.
It’s in flight that they are so difficult to capture on camera, swooping quickly and effortlessly.
In the last little cove, we see a Hawaiian monk seal wallowing in the water. Hawaiians, similar to Costa Rica’s ‘pura vida’ principles practice LNT or ‘leave no trace’. This includes keeping your distance from wildlife so as not to disturb them.
There is a rather satisfying feeling closely coexisting out in the open with nature’s fauna. In South Africa due to the danger of our wildlife we are more often in restrictive vehicles when in reserves and not on foot. We’re convinced that these flowering succulents have to be invasive weeds!
We passed what can only be a stolen and dumped car on the way in and couldn’t resist a few photos on the way out. It was obviously driven to its final resting place but it must have taken some determination. On reflection its the sort of thing varsity students might do?
It takes forever to return to Waikiki. Traffic is slow and we return via downtown Honolulu and it’s financial district to take a peak, only from our vehicle, at the Iolani palace of Hawaiian Royalty built under King David Kalakaua’s reign before Hawaii became a state of the USA and across the road is Ali’iolani Hale, the current Supreme Court, which was originally designed as a royal palace and the golden statue of King Kamehameha, out front, the founder of Hawaii in 1810.
Some humour is lost by the tedium of evening traffic.
Bernie has walked and driven the whole day in his new Hawaiian shirt without the batteries going flat and he believes its the only one on the island until he meets his doppelganger in the foyer.
We eat leftovers and pack up. Tomorrow we fly to Big Island, also known as Hawaii island, but that gets rather confusing when in Hawaii.
Fabulous nature photos. Albatross unexpected!