Yesterday we got going early to try to see the sunrise from the lookout point near Diamond Head. We arrived a little late, but there were too many clouds anyway, so we didn't miss anything. We sat in the car quietly, gazing at the undulating water, vast sky and piling clouds, when a guy next to us said, "There's a blowspout!" I got out of the car and we watched as whales - who knows how many were out there - jumped out of the sea, and blew into the air. They were pretty far away, but still exciting, especially as we had decided to forego the whale-watching excursion in favor of the submarine ride. God's creation is filled with wonders!
After the whales were gone, we drove to Hanauma Bay, which is where the best snorkeling on Oahu takes place. Pete brought his wet suit and our fins, snorkels and goggles all the way from Minnesota, so we were determined to snorkel before we left, but it seemed pretty breezy and cool - it's been cloudy almost the whole time we've been here - and we decided to wait and see if it got nicer later.
Right across the highway from Hanuma is Koko Head, a hill/mountain (very green, probably about 1200 feet high) with what looked like a path going up. As soon as we stopped at the scenic point across from it and Pete got out to take a look, I knew we were going to be climbing this thing. Sigh. We went down into the suburb to get a Starbucks, and ate our granola bar breakfast in a park nearby, then had quiet time. We've been spending good amounts of time with the Lord during this v
acation, so I was in tune enough with the Spirit to pray and write in my journal, "Lord, please give me strength and stamina, because it means a lot to Pete if I go along on these adventures." I asked a gal who was obviously dressed for exercise if she climbed the mountain often, and she said she did it in 25-30 minutes, but if we allowed an hour and took plenty of breaks, it would be fine - "and it's so worth it!!" We put on sunscreen, picked up our water bottle, and started hiking.
The trail up Koko Head is an old railroad track - some of the rail is still there, but you climb on the ties. At the halfway point is a bridge where there's no earth under the ties, but it's not as scary as it sounds because there are still the crossbars or whatever they are. It doesn't look like it would be easy to fall through, and you'd probably live even if you did...
The farther we got up, the more beautiful the view. Before the halfway point we could see all of Hanauma Bay, which is a postcard picture. I had to stop several times, while Pete would have enjoyed trying to set a record of some sort. There was a steady stream of people going up and down - I saw at least one other couple where I could tell the lean, athletic husband had also talked his slightly pudgy wife into this climb.
When we arrived at the top, the scene took my breath away. Not only could we see all of
Hanauma Bay, but also Waikiki, far in the distance, and around the corner, the east coast of Oahu. It was gorgeous and we spent almost an hour gazing, meditating, and taking pictures. The takeaway for me is: Often when all we can see is the hard work required, the destination is "beyond what we could ask or imagine." Go for it!
After the whales were gone, we drove to Hanauma Bay, which is where the best snorkeling on Oahu takes place. Pete brought his wet suit and our fins, snorkels and goggles all the way from Minnesota, so we were determined to snorkel before we left, but it seemed pretty breezy and cool - it's been cloudy almost the whole time we've been here - and we decided to wait and see if it got nicer later.
Right across the highway from Hanuma is Koko Head, a hill/mountain (very green, probably about 1200 feet high) with what looked like a path going up. As soon as we stopped at the scenic point across from it and Pete got out to take a look, I knew we were going to be climbing this thing. Sigh. We went down into the suburb to get a Starbucks, and ate our granola bar breakfast in a park nearby, then had quiet time. We've been spending good amounts of time with the Lord during this v
acation, so I was in tune enough with the Spirit to pray and write in my journal, "Lord, please give me strength and stamina, because it means a lot to Pete if I go along on these adventures." I asked a gal who was obviously dressed for exercise if she climbed the mountain often, and she said she did it in 25-30 minutes, but if we allowed an hour and took plenty of breaks, it would be fine - "and it's so worth it!!" We put on sunscreen, picked up our water bottle, and started hiking.The trail up Koko Head is an old railroad track - some of the rail is still there, but you climb on the ties. At the halfway point is a bridge where there's no earth under the ties, but it's not as scary as it sounds because there are still the crossbars or whatever they are. It doesn't look like it would be easy to fall through, and you'd probably live even if you did...
The farther we got up, the more beautiful the view. Before the halfway point we could see all of Hanauma Bay, which is a postcard picture. I had to stop several times, while Pete would have enjoyed trying to set a record of some sort. There was a steady stream of people going up and down - I saw at least one other couple where I could tell the lean, athletic husband had also talked his slightly pudgy wife into this climb.
When we arrived at the top, the scene took my breath away. Not only could we see all of
Hanauma Bay, but also Waikiki, far in the distance, and around the corner, the east coast of Oahu. It was gorgeous and we spent almost an hour gazing, meditating, and taking pictures. The takeaway for me is: Often when all we can see is the hard work required, the destination is "beyond what we could ask or imagine." Go for it!
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