North Shore

Spent a week on the North Shore of Kauai, my favorite place in the world.  I've been there many times, so I know the area well, but it's always nice to poke around and enjoy the sublime scenery.  This is Hanalei Valley with its taro patches.  This pic was taken from a well known viewpoint shortly before the highway descends to cross the Hanalei river over a 100 year old wooden one lane bridge.  I first stopped here in 1980, and I remember that I was blown away by the countryside I saw in the next ten miles to the end of the road.  The towns were idyllic, the beaches out of a fantasy, the countryside amazingly green and lush.  The sense of peace and tranquillity was overwhelming.  I had never been to such a fine spot in my 29 year life up to that time.  I loved Hanalei and Haena at first sight, and still do.  It's significantly busier than it used to be here, but it's still awful nice.

My last several days here, the trades died, so I went to my favorite sunset spot on Kepuhi Beach, within an easy walk of my resort.  You set up your beach mat on the sand, pull a bottle of wine and a glass out of your pack, sip, revel in the beauty, and let the dopamine flow.

One night I realized that nobody had passed by in awhile, and there was quite a bit of stuff on the beach, washed up by large surf.  I went and took a look, and promptly picked these large cowries right off the sand!  They're both about two inches long.  I did my Big Cowrie dance...think Elmo Wright, for old timer football fans.

Just another crummy sunset on my favorite beach in all the world.  And I've been to a LOT of beaches.

Even the water turns pink during a fine Hawaii sunset.

Lumahai Beach.  North swells were powerful here as usual, but it was calm enough in a rocky cove at the far east end of the beach for some nice ocean swimming...always a treat for a Monterey resident.

The arrowhead shaped mountain on the left is Makana.  Long ago, the ancient Hawaiians would climb this mountain and throw burning logs off the summit.  Made of lightweight wood, the logs would rise on the updrafts created by the tradewinds hitting the mountain, and soar out to sea, still aflame. 

Kepuhi Beach during the day.  I've been coming to the North Shore since 1980, and to this beach since 1990. 

Last evening on the North Shore...for this trip.  I had been away for five years.  I'll return a helluva lot sooner than that!!

Sunrise from my lanai at the Hanalei Colony Resort.  The first time I stayed here was in March 1990.  It was cold and rainy the entire time, for five days straight.  This time I was here for a week...there were brief showers the first two mornings, but otherwise the weather was dry and mostly sunny...perfect.  This was my last morning here...by late evening I was back in Monterey, after a flight with hordes of squalling ankle biters.  A hassle, but absolutely worth it to travel to Kauai.