Just like on the Mainland, October is a transition month in the Islands. Unlike the Mainland we don’t have foliage changing colors. Instead, we have a period of muggy weather because the trades go away. Usually the result of a storm to the north of the Islands that will eventually reach the Pacific Northwest. Which means the North Shore is the place to be if you’re a good surfer.
I do mean good. North Shore surf is not for the beginner.
This how it looks out my back door when it’s dead calm.
On Wednesday of this week (9/16) I assisted a couple of my Hang Gliding friends launch from Kamehame Ridge above Waimanalo. Being a beautiful clear morning I decided to walk to a higher point along the ridge known as “Three Poles”. On days like this you’re rewarded for your effort with a view of the eastern most point of Oahu looking towards Molokai across the Molokai Channel.
Capturing this view in one shot is beyond the capability of my photo gear. Instead, using my wide angle lens 17-35 (effectively 25-52 on my Sony A700) I made a series of vertical shots. After importing the 23 shots into Lightroom for processing the individual exposures I ran them in the Photoshop CS4 merge to Panorama action.
On Sunday 120 Paddleboarders and Stand up Paddlers made the crossing of Kaiwi Channel from Kaluakoi on Molokai to Maunalua Bay Beach Park in Hawaii Kai. Portlock Point on Kokohead is a good place to watch the paddlers as they enter Maunalua Bay before making the final dash to the finish line about two miles away. Just before they disappear around China Walls I got this picture of a fisherman amidst the swells crashing against the ledges. Fortunately, he wasn’t swept away but it isn’t the best spot to catch dinner.
Last year I got pictures of the Maunalua Bay fireworks from ground level. The only drawback for me is the land on either side of the bay is mostly dark with no landmarks to give the fireworks scale and dimension. This year I walked up on top of Koko Head so I could look down on the display. In this picture the flash reflecting off the water showing the boats anchored nearby along with the street lights snaking behind the display provides a sense of height, depth and width.
I see it’s been a very rainy and cold spring so far on the Mainland this year. Especially the East Coast. It isn’t very often the grounds crew at the U.S. Open figure so prominently in water removal! Just in case you’re getting tired of that weather here’s what it looks like in Waikiki this summer.
