South Kohala Coast of the Big Island
Green Sea Turtles on the South Kohala Coast of the Big Island
Green sea turtle up close
Wandering Tattler on the South Kohala Coast of the Big Island
Pu'ukohola Heiau (translated = 'Temple on the Hill of the Whale') on the South Kohala Coast of the Big Island. This national historic site preserves the ruins of the last major Ancient Hawaiian temple, built in 1790-91 under Hawaii's first king, King Kamehameha I. It was built entirely by hand with no mortar, in less than a year. The red stones were transported by a human chain about 14 miles long.
At the Lapakahi State Historical Park, which preserves ruins from an Ancient Hawaiian fishing village on the North Kohala Coast of the Big Island
Famous statute of King Kamehameha I, Hawaii's first king. He was born in 1758 and died in 1819. Also known as Kamehameha the Great, he conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi in 1810. His name is pronounced 'ka-MAY-ha-MAY-HA. The statue is in the town of Kapa'au in the North Kohala District on the northwest corner of the Big Island.
Picture of the ocean from a viewpoint at the end of a road east of the town of Kapa'au. This is where the Pulolu Valley meets the Pacific Ocean.
Looking into the Pulolu Valley on the northwest corner of the Big Island
The aptly named cattle egret standing next to a cattle!
View of Mauna Kea volcano and the Kona Coast (west coast) of the Big Island (looking south toward the town of Kailua-Kona). Taken from the road that runs between Kapa'au and Waimea
Gray Francolin, a species of partridge in typical habitat at low elevation
The beautiful Makalei Golf Club up in the hills above Kailua-Kona
A Common Peafowl, one of several seen at the Makalei Golf Club
Erckel's Francolin, also seen at the Makalei Golf Club
Saffron Finch
Difficult hole at the Makalei Golf Club. I hit into the sand trap to the right of the hole. The ball came out of the sand trap and rolled into the lake on the left. Not one of my better holes!
Patio at the Hawaiian Oasis B&B, where we stayed for 5 days in Kailua-Kona. Very relaxing and pleasant stay.
Patio at the Hawaiian Oasis B&B
Japanese White Eye
Dolphins we saw from the Fair Winds boat taking us to snorkle in Kealakekua Bay, a marine sanctuary near the Captain Cook Monument. (This photo was taken with my phone camera.)
Endangered monk seal, which was attracted to the boat and its passengers in Kealakekua Bay. We were warned not to engage with it.
Monk seal and snorkelers from our boat in Kealakekua Bay
Warbling Silverbill
Randy and our rental Ford Focus at the Kipuka Pu'u Huluhulu on the Saddle Road that bisects the Big Island. A kipuka is an area of ground surrounded by lava. Often times kipukas are an oasis for birds and other species that could not survive the lava flows. We had a pleasant hike up this kipuka.
Beginning of the Pu'u O'o Trail along the Saddle Road, where we saw some great native birds
Beautiful i'iwi, a native honeycreeper found at elevation on the Big Island
Apapane, another native honeycreeper found at elevation on the Big Island. The native birds survived only at higher elevations, where non-native mosquitoes could not survive to infect them.
We're now on the "wet side" of the Big Island, just north of Hilo at Akaka Falls State Park.
Flower at Akaka Falls State Park
Akaka Falls State Park
Akaka Falls
Banana tree at Akaka Falls State Park
Kolekole State Park on the Hamakua Coast on the northeast side of the Big Island
We saw these stones set up and couldn't believe how they could stay up despite the pounding of the surf
Randy decided he had to try his hand at it -- and he succeeded!
Kolekole State Park on the Hamakua Coast
Randy's creation, with ocean foam in the background
Flowers near the Waipio Valley viewpoint
Waipio Valley and coastline on north side of the Big Island. Pretty darn gorgeous.
Pacific golden plover at Waiakea Pond in Hilo
Black-Crowned Night Heron (Pacific Golden Plover looks on). Taken at the Loko Waka Pond in Hilo.
Ohia flower at Kilauea Volcano
Looking into the Kilauea Crater from Waldron Ledge
The Kilauea Crater was putting out plenty of sulphur dioxide-laden steam, and the guide hurried us away.
Randy in the Thurston Lava Tube at the Kilauea Volcano
Looking over a lava field at the ocean on the southeast corner of the Big Island along Chain of Craters Road.
Mauna Ulu along Chain of Craters Road
Randy on the Puuloa Petroglyphs Trail
Puuloa Petroglyph
The ocean at the end of Chain of Craters Road at the southeast corner of the Big Island
Southeast corner of the Big Island, at the end of Chain of Craters Road
Black Noddies nest in the cliff wall
Randy looking for an elepaio on the road that runs between Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. We finally found the elepaio after much searching.
Nutmeg Mannikin
Taken near South Point, the southernmost tip of land in the United States
