Two Step

 Two Step on Honaunau Bay is rated "Don't Miss" for snorkeling in the guide books.   We drove down Keala o Keawe Road from Honaunau to park in the $5 parking lot across the road from Two Step. 

One walks out on the lava to a spot where two "steps" underwater allow easy entry for snorkelers.  I have a blue colored snorkel; Joanne has a pink one.  From time to time, I looked around for a pink snorkel to keep track of her.  At Two Step, I followed the wrong snorkel!  This was the first time I encountered two pink snorkels in the water and I locked onto the wrong one.  

How is the snorkeling? Well, every time we always something different, some thing interesting. This time, I saw an eel gliding along the bottom through rocks and coral keeping under cover as much as possible. Joanne saw a turtle. 

On the way back, we followed the very narrow Puukonua Road that parallels the shoreline to the "must miss" Manini Beach where one can rent kayaks and then up the windy but very picturesque Napo'opoo Road to the highway. 

  

     

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

 

We stopped by Punalu'u Black Sand Beach on our way to Volcanoes National Park in the morning and then again in the afternoon on our way home. Although the beach is renowned for its turtles, we saw only one. 

Black Sand Beach in the Morning

Only Turtle on the Beach This Morning.

Wind Came Up in the Afternoon

Rougher in the Afternoon

Thinking of Stopping for Gas on Your Way Home?

Kaloko-Honokhau

 

Kaloko-Honokhau Park Just south of the airport, this beach is known for turtles and sunsets. We went twice with Michele, the second time after Michele treated us to a lobster dinner.

A Short Walk from the Boatyard Parking to the Beach 

Lobster Dinner 

A Walk on the Beach after Dinner

Joanne with daughter, Michele

Honoka'ope Bay Beach

 Sunday, 6AM - We loaded the car with beach chairs, umbrellas and snorkel gear for an hour's drive to the beach on Honoka'ope Bay.  The beach is accessible through the Mauna Lani Resort.  We met Michele's friend, Amy, and her boyfriend there before the crowd showed up to fill the parking lot; only twenty parking spaces are available. 

Early Morning on Honoka'ope  BayBeach

Don't Walk on the Sand with Bare Feet - Very Hot!

Mauna Kea

 Mauna Kea translates to White Mountain in English.  Snow falls on the volcano in the winter.  Although summer is high, the mountain is higher, rising 13,796 feet above the ocean.  Wind, driving bitter cold to the bone, requires a parka to stay warm. Fortunately. parkas were provided by Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, the tour company we chose to take us to the top for sunset viewing and star gazing.  We expected to be above the clouds but unfortunately fog almost completely socked us in  - so no star gazing!   But in spite of it all, it was a great time! 

Mauna Kea, Looking West

Joanne Beside Van

Looking Back Down Road from Visitor Center

Visitor Center at 9200 ft, Only 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles Go Higher 

On the Way to the Summit, Mauna Loa in Distance

Somewhere between 9,200 and 14,000 ft.  Keo, Our Driver & Guide

At the Summit in Parkas

Telescopes

One of the Telescopes

Sunset in the Clouds

Sunset in the Clouds

Sunset in the Clouds

At Home in Hawaii

Michele lives on the western slope of Mauna Loa in an area known as Captain Cook, named for a post office in the Captain Cook Coffee Company in the early 1900s.  This area, south of Kona, is lush with vegetation. North, the landscape is near barren lava for mile after mile.

 

Hawaii, Looking East North East

Michele's Home in Captain Cook

Early every morning, I, sipping coffee, gazed upon the Pacific from the lanai, sometimes shrouded completely in low cloud banks and other times open to the sky.  

View from Lanai - Ocean 1500 ft below

View from Lanai - Ocean 1500 ft below

Almost everything in Hawaii is on the slope of a volcano and this house is no exception. Apparently the jungle, now cleared, had reclaimed the backyard at the time Michele purchased the house.  

Michele's Backyard Recovered from the Jungle

Looking Up and Down

Dinner at Home

While Joanne accompanied Michele to Honolulu for surgery, I painted the dinning room.  The day before, Joanne and I picked up the paint, rollers, etc. at Lowes. Everyone without exception wore a mask, unlike Florida. 

Richard Painted the Dinning Room

Richard Painted the Dinning Room

One cannot see the sunset from Michele's lanai but the driveway affords a view.

Sunset from the Driveway

We enjoy eating breakfast at the Coffee Shack, just two miles down the highway.  A lot of other people do too so there is always a wait. Every table, all on the lanai, afford a view of Kealakekua Bay. 
      

Hawaii, Looking West 

Our Favorite Place for Breakfast, Always a 30 to 60 Minute Wait

Inside the Coffee Shack

This little guy is a Coffee Shack Fan!

 

View from Coffee Shack, Kealakekua Bay Below 

Looking Southward from Napo'po'o Road Somewhat Above Captain Cook Monument

 

On the way home one evening passing through an area thick with vegetation, a strong smell enveloped the car.  In response to Joanne's inquiry as to the source of the odor, Michele responded "Pot." Joanne not knowing what Pot was heard "possums."  On a following evening, passing through the same area, Joanne exclaimed that the possums really smell. Michele and her friends had a big laugh over the confusion, no possums on Hawaii. but plenty of Pot.  Perhaps Michele should have said "Pakalolo." 

Pakalolo is the Hawaiian word for marijuana. The word is a combination of the word "paka" which means tabacco  and "lolo" which means numb or paralyzed.

We are now familiar with Lowes, Walmart, Safeway, Costco, Ace and few other provisioning suppliers.  Expect prices to be double or more mainland prices. 

Hawaii Safe Travels

Months before our trip to Hawaii to visit Michele, I created an account for myself and another one for Joanne on the Hawaii Safe Travels website. I entered the required personal information, vaccination details and uploaded an image of the vaccination card for each of us. Next, I created a trip record with the details for our flight, Hawaii address and contact information.

Within 24 hours of departure, one completes a health questionnaire on the website. Surprise, the date of last flu vaccination was required to complete questionnaire. We were in California and our records were in Florida, fortunately on-line at Millennium (our doctor's practice). I suppose I could have just made up a date, but I didn't want to do that.

Our orange wrist bands

Upon completion of the questionnaire , a "QR" code will be emailed to you. It will also be added to your trip record. Well, my "QR" did not show up on my phone probably due to some way my phone is set up. However, Joanne's showed up without a hitch on her phone! Unsure of our smartphones, I printed out our trip records that now included the "QR" code.

At the Oakland airport, checking in for our flight required for each of us, our driver's license, "QR" code, and COVID vaccination record. The clerk actually photographed our cards! With all of our paper work complete, each of us were fitted with an orange wrist band. Not sure what the wrist band is all about, but I think this speeds your passing through the airport upon arrival in Hawaii.

BUT, We were not done! We were required to open our Hawaii Safe Travels accounts by the rental car clerk to show that we're vaccinated before we could get our rental car.

OOPs, You are not done yet! Masks are required to be worn in indoor public places in the state of Hawaii. Violators are arrested!

Sounds like a lot but it is really quick and simple. A You Tube video explains the Safe Travels program.

You can also enter Hawaii via a negative COVID test administered by a provider approved by Hawaii. The test must taken within 72 hours of your departure and the result must be available before you board your plane. But why would you when the vaccination is so SAFE and readily available?

Summer Trip to California and Hawaii

After flying almost all day from Fort Myers via Chicago to San Francisco and a minor adventure with the Clipper Card, we boarded the BART for a train ride to meet Joanne's sister at the Lafayette station near her home in Pleasant Hills, CA.  

Clipper - A little research showed that riding the BART trains required a Clipper Card for payment. It seemed to me that one could download the Clipper App to one's smart phone and register a credit card to use the phone for contactless passage through the turnstiles. Just open the app and walk right through. However... It didn't work and the attendant at the SFO station said it's a new system and he didn't know anything about it! 

What to do? We bought our Clipper Cards from the machine at the station in a hurry. Easy!  Credit card required!  We boarded the north bound yellow line just minutes before its departure for a pleasant ride to the Lafayette station. Off the train, I failed to spot the escalators, so we manhandled our bags (one big extra bag with snorkeling gear) down the stairs and out to Claire's waiting car. All's well that ends well!

Since we would be taking BART back to San Francisco for some sightseeing and Chinese food, I decided to register my Clipper card with my phone to add some money to the card.  NOT! I found that the funds would not be available for 24 hours! So I now have a Clipper Card in Florida with five dollars credit for BART in California. Live and Learn.       

Claire's beautiful backyard in Pleasant Hills is all flowers and native plants, sans grass for a tax credit. I was up for coffee and the sunrise every day.   Check out pictures below.

Sunrise from Claire's Backyard

Sunrise from Claire's Backyard

One afternoon I borrowed Claire's bike to ride a few miles along the tree and flower lined Contra Costa Canal Trail that runs right behind Claire's house. 

Contra Costa Canal Trail Runs Behind Claire's House

Trail Map

Joanne with Claire and Lana

Joanne with Lana

Napa Valley Wine Train

Napa Valley Wine Train

Napa Valley Wine Train

Joanne and Claire at BART Station and at the Botanical Gardens 

Sunset from Claire's Backyard