Hawaii Vacation Day 4 (what a workout!)

I was DEAD tired and had a hard time waking up this morning. Tim got up at 5:30 to take care of some real estate stuff he had going on back in Provo.  (he had a client that had a closing scheduled for today so he wanted to review all the documents before they went in to sign everything)  I woke up just before 7 and dragged myself around like dead weight until about 8, when we hit the road for another day of adventure.

Today was the day of “exercise fun.” We started the day by hiking to the top of Diamond Head crater.


It was a HIKE, only 1.5 miles round trip but a steep rise. The views were AMAZING though. Well worth the hike to get up there.

see that little  spot WAY up at the  top???  That's the goal.

some of the many steps to the top

almost to the top

We made it!

if you click on this one  to enlarge it  you can see the map better and read a little of the history

Then we continued driving around the south shore, to the Hanauma Nature Reserve.  It was GORGEOUS just to look at from the parking area above.  My friend Angel had a great experience snorkeling here when she came to Hawaii 6 years ago and she insisted that we come here.  (she even paid for it - as her birthday present to me)  THANK YOU ANGEL -  it really was a spectacular experience!

our first  look at Hanauma bay -  just beautiful

First we had to watch a movie about how the bay was formed and how to snorkel there without killing the coral, the we hiked down the STEEP hill to the beach where we rented our snorkel gear. (lucky for me they had “optical masks” so I could actually see under the water.)

another view  of the bay  (and the coral reef) as we were  hiking down....

After a few instructions at the information booth for the “beginner” (ME), we went snorkeling. It was really cool! We saw a ton of bright and colorful fish, plus 2 sea turtles (they were AWESOME) and I saw a little octopus guy. The only downside?  My underwater camera that Tim bought specifically for this trip worked for the 1st hour, but then started acting up.  We weren't sure what the problem was and didn't want to push our luck so we took the camera back in to the beach and left it there while we went back out.  Wouldn't you just know it that THAT was when we saw the octopus and the turtles...  and now some pictures...

an  underwater shot of Tim

Here you can see where Tim gashed his knee on the coral.  It probably should have been stitched,  but instead  he just let it bleed off and on for 3 days  :)

here we are,  taking a break on the beach -  in all of our  lily white/land lubber/more concerned about skin cancer than being tanned -  beauty!

After Hanauma Bay, we stopped a further down the coast to see the Halona Blowhole.  It was  fun to watch  - but frustrating to try and get a  picture...  you could never tell  which wave  was  going to  hit it just right to get it  to spout

 

here is a short  video  (30 seconds) where you can see it  spout pretty well.  (it was  more cool in person, or  course.)

Next was the Makupu'u lighthouse.(little did I know it was another strenuous hike.  OK, maybe not “strenuous," the guide book called it “moderate” but after our earlier hike, (which was labeled strenuous) plus several  hours of snorkeling and sun at Hanauma Bay, my body was getting a little tired!) this hike was 2 miles long RT, and a steady UPHILL all the way! I was dragging by the top – but once again... GORGEOUS views! 

view looking along the windward side of the island

We thought we saw a whale spout or two, but it was a little too far away for us to be absolutely certain about that... :(







We stood on top of the hill and watched a small rain storm blow in off the ocean until it hit us. (can you see it coming right at us?)

getting closer

After hiking back down, we headed back to Waikiki via H3 – the newest interstate built in HI.  (finished in 1992 if I remember correctly)  Known as one of the most beautiful and EXPENSIVE  highways in the country.  It was a bit longer to go this way,  but we wanted to check it out.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped in Chinatown for a quick stroll and dinner.

Proud to finally be a member of USoSL - (a photo of just the lion below)

And  FINALLY -  for Charlotte and fellow USoSL  members -

guarding a driveway along the south shore of Oahu, HI.

Chinatown, Honolulu, HI.