Aloha

 

We kicked off the summer with a trip to Hawaii with Katy's family

A 3 1/2 hour layover in Honolulu was plenty of time to head out to Pearl Harbor National Memorial

On the Big Island we stayed on the sunny Kohala coast. Time-shifted 6 hours from EDT, we rose early to enjoy the beaches before the crowds and the powerful sun. Hapuna Beach was beautiful, with Maui visible in the distance, although the waves were not big enough for Charlie and Erin.

Waialea Beach had great snorkeling with sea turtles

For our luau dinner Heather and Katy ordered outfits from Etsy

The centerpiece was kalua pig roasted in the earth

The next day we were up early to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The days of massive lava flows from Kilauea have ended, for now, and the only lava is deep inside the the Kilauea caldera and not visible from the rim. We walked the Kilauea Iki trail that traverses an eruption zone from 70 years ago.

This sign made Erin happy

This sign did not

This sign warned visitors at the Hawaii Botanical Gardens

Parts of the Big Island are tropical and dank but not where we were

Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park preserves fishponds that the Hawaiians built to catch fish for the royal families. Just outside the enclosure there were dozens of small green sea turtles munching on sea grass

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park preserves the "place of refuge" for Hawaiians that committed forbidden kapu acts such as stepping on the shadow of a royal family member. Warriors would hunt the rule-breakers but if they reached this sanctuary accessible only by water then the crimes were pardoned.

First time we received Junior Ranger badges from a law enforcement ranger packing heat

Pu'ukohola Heiau completed the tongue-twister Big Island sites. It preserves the stone temple built by Kamehameha during his effort to unite the Hawaiian islands under his rule.

Spam musubi - pretty good

POG - really good

Palm frond golf - really fun

Up in the Waimea grassland hills we rode horses and this is Coffee.

Katy and Heather rode Bonnie and Clyde, brother and sister fjord horses that were inseparable

We moved to Maui, staying on the west coast in south Kihei. The surf was up and the kids had a blast.

Even Caroline got in on the wave riding

After a good thrashing on day 1, Tessie spent the rest of the time in the sand

We revisited Warren & Annabelle's magic show in Lahaina

Haleakala National Park contains the monumental volcano at Maui's core

At the top we had a full view of the west side of the Big Island

Aloha Hawaii