Vocano

Today we drove to the volcano.  Kilauea was not actively erupting, but it was giving off gases.  The crater glows in the dark, but we didn't want to drive the long, winding road back home after dark.  They expect a new eruption in the next day or two.

Butterflies at the beach

Visiting two beach sites in two days, I was impressed with the movement of hundreds of small yellow butterflies near the water's edge.  Against black lava rocks, their flitting about was both enchanting and visually striking.  Even a modern dancer who had been leaping and dancing along the rocks stopped to admire them.

Yesterday's coastline, looking south to the slope of Mauna Loa

Today, I tried really hard to photograph them.  This is what I captured.

They occasionally rested on the sand

Why I look in tide pools

Tide pools can be really interesting.  Sometimes they teem with small fish or invertebrates.  They can be complex little ecosystems.  Sometimes they contain surprises.  These are some of the tide pools I looked in today.

Today, I was happily surprised to find a sea turtle grazing in a lava-rock tide pool.  It was about 16 inches long.

Refuge

This morning, we visited Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, also called Place of Refuge.  Beyond its historical significance, this site has a very peaceful feeling.  During the period of Hawaiian culture that practiced the kapu system, this site was a safe space for lawbreakers and defeated warriors to seek asylum.  A great wall separated the refuge (Pu'uhonua) from the royal grounds (Honaunau).

Looking from the royal grounds to the northern end of the great wall

On the royal grounds

Fish pond on the royal grounds

Today's world would benefit from more places of refuge.

For the birds

I'm always looking for interesting birds.  Hawaii has a plethora of interesting birds.  Many of the endemic birds are rare and/or endangered.  And many of the abundant species have been introduced.

Today, I'm sharing photos of one endemic and endangered species, the Hawaiian stilt.

Known in Hawaiian as Ae'o (stilts or upright poles) and
Kukuluae'o (stilt walker or having long legs)

And two introduced species.

A Japanese White Eye feeding in Aloe flowers.
(The head is visible towards the top in the center of the photo.)
Introduced from Japan to Hawaii island in 1937, for insect control.

Gray Francolin. Introduced from India in 1958, 
as a game bird.

A little music at the beach

This morning, while walking along the old airport beach, I encountered a ukulele group gathered under a beach shelter for their weekly play-along/sing-along event.

Today's music: Nothing but a heartache

A visit to the north end

Yesterday, we had the great fortune to visit a lovely property up north where dozens of turtles and tortoises range freely.  Our hosts were feeding the tortoises a variety of flowers and fruits.  Lots of happy animals.

A red-headed Red-footed Tortoise

Cuttlebone is an important source of calcium.
These are Leopard Tortoises 

Red-footed Tortoises eating fruits

Red-footed Tortoise checking out whether my shoelaces are edible

A large Sulcata Tortoise

Another charming resident, an Afghan Tortoise

Pond slider turtles

Among other things, I learned that tortoises like having their shells scratched.  Who knew?

Prior to visiting the tortoises, we enjoyed a surprise hula performance at the restaurant where we ate lunch.  We are definitely not in Kansas.

Aloha!

The end of kapu laws

At this site, a lava field south of the Keauhou golf courses, in 1820, two factions faced off: one (loyal to Kamehameha II) sought to abolish the kapu laws (which included punishment by death for violations), the other (led by his cousin, Kekuaokalani) sought to maintain the old ways.  A ferocious battle took place here.  Over 300 people died.  Kamehameha II's forces prevailed and the ancient religious practice was abolished, prior to the arrival of missionaries on Hawaii.

This site was the battleground and hundreds of bodies were buried here.  It is known as the End of the World and the Lekeleke Burial Grounds.

A large goat population lives at this site

Eye opening swim

This morning, we went to a beach that we like.  I walked around for several miles, then decided to get in the water.  The beach is popular with surfers, and there are a couple of safe entries through the rocks.  Our chairs and umbrella were set up high on the beach where it was flat.  From there, the beach slopes steeply down to the water.  

As I got in, I was focused on making sure that I picked the right entry place.  After snorkeling around for several minutes, I looked back up at the beach and was completely shocked to see a sleeping Monk Seal (an endangered species) lying on the beach about 20 feet from where I got in the water.  I got out and told Bori.  It was more than 6 feet long, and hard to miss, but neither of us had seen it.  Bewildered, I inquired from a nearby beachgoer how long the seal had been there, and was told it had been there quite a while. 

Earlier, I heard and then saw a Hawaiian Stilt (another endangered species) fly overhead.  Two endangered species at one site.

My motto du jour: Pay attention!

A little snorkeling

This morning, we went snorkeling early, which we prefer.  Currents were strong, and there were not many people in the bay.  We saw some lovely fish, and two turtles.

A pair of Moorish idols (Kihikihi)

A pair of threadfin butterflyfish (Kikakapu)

After about 50 minutes, we headed back to the beach.  As we were getting out, the lifeguard was making an announcement for the surfers on the north side of the bay to get out of the water, as there was a large tiger shark in the surfing area, in 10 feet of water, heading into the bay.  By the time we were completely out of the water, the lifeguards were telling all snorkelers to get out of the bay as well.

The bay without snorkelers and surfers

The beach closure notice

The beach was closed, following large-shark protocol.  The closure was scheduled to last for 2 hours.  After 2 hours, a helicopter flyover verified that the shark was no longer present, and the bay was reopened.  Many people left early.  Others waited it out and were able to return to the water.  We headed home just as the lifeguard announced the re-opening of the bay.

The helicopter as it inspected the bay

Fishing tournament

This morning, we drove down to the south coast to the Punalu'u black sand beach.  It was a busy place with a community-organized, catch-and-release, fishing tournament for kids taking place.  It was fun to see lots of kids fishing with simple bamboo poles.  This was the first time since Covid that the tournament had taken place, so it was the first opportunity for many of the little kids to participate.

They put up tents with tables and chairs for a big lunch after the tournament, with live entertainment and prizes.  It was great seeing the local kids so engaged in activities around the water.

Sea turtles in the middle of the beach