Having booked late by " Xmas in hawaii" standards the choice of accommodation was a bit limited, plenty over the other side of the island near to the erupting volcano, bargain prices too but a week of breathing in sulphur isn't the best for your health. The only choices left were expensive, but what the heck, it was for Christmas after all. We ended up in a unit at a resort, by unit they mean something the size of a house , kitchen and living room the same size as ours at home, 2 bathrooms, massive bedroom, I could have brought the chickens on holiday after all!! They would have enjoyed the patio and garden, and the break in the sunshine.
So we headed off up the coast in search of scenery and beaches.
The ancient Hawaiians had it all worked out. A village by the sea, a sheltered cove, fish inot the sea, cotton plants growing wild, nice weather, it makes you wonder what the kings and Queens of Hawaii would have thought when they decided to become part of the USA in 1959 . Judging by the number of eateries, I reckon they would have been better keeping Captain Cook's original name of the Sandwich Isles.
BIG island is the place where the Hawaiians met their first westerners when Captain Cook landed there in 1778, having traveled the globe, discovering and claiming places like, Canada, New Zealand, Tahiti, Thailand and generally being a nuisance, spreading western diseases he finally got his come uppance and was killed in Hawaii following some sort of quarrel in 1779. He has been conveniently side lined in Hawaii. ... apart from something he left behind. ..... can you guess what it is yet....?
The ancient Hawaiians were well off for fish, as Europeans we are not used to year round warm water, let alone the life that teems in the ocean, a couple of feet off the shore. Even at paddling distance from the beach there are tropical fish feeding off the life on the rocks, Als phone is allegedly waterproof but we decided not to risk it by Tring to take photos in the water. The Rock pools make interesting exploring too, spiky things, baby molluscs, tiny fish, all sheltering from some of the waves in their little nurseries.
Yes, for the first time in years, Al removed his socks and shoes, rolled up his trouser legs and paddled in the water. We haven't been big beach people over the years, it is too cold at home and the East coast of the USA is too rough to paddle, Hawaii has rough seas too, massive tsunami like waves, but here and there you can find sheltered coves, usually denoted by a load of cars parked illegally beside the road.
I found a couple of shells in one pool to take back home, but it was not until we go back to the car that I realised I was making someone homeless. .. tiny hermit crabs, I was busy looking at one , meanwhile the other one had walked off down my leg looking for its dinner. Not wanting to evict the little crabs, we put them down to find their way home.
The sea is so rough here on occasion that it washes coral from the reefs out at sea onto the beach, masses of it, certainly enough to take a piece as a Christmas present for the cacti in the conservatory.
I thought it was a cold I caught from someone on the plane.... perhaps I have something else??
Funny how the lava makes ridges as it gets squished on its way to the sea
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