In Search of a Perfect Beach in Hawaii

Last Thursday was one of our two-a-week days off.  We look forward to them and plan for them and enjoy them to the fullest!  On this day off we wanted to relax and rest and slow down a little, so we went in search of a perfect beach.  There are SO many to choose from!


On the way to the North Shore, we pulled over to check out some Dole pineapple fields.  I wouldn't want to work in them--they look painful!  But the pineapples sure are good to eat!

We stopped by Turtle Beach, because we couldn't pass up an opportunity to possibly see Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles.  These turtles are an endangered species, and get their name not because they're green on the outside, but because their internal body fat is green.  They can weigh up to 400 pounds, and we saw some BIG ones!  We probably saw 10, but they were swimming and feeding near the rocks and didn't come ashore to pose for pictures. 




We stopped at several beaches, trying to find one that met our criteria for the day:
1.  Trees for shade
2.  Calm water for swimmimg
3.  Reefs for snorkeling
4.  Easy access
5.  A bath house
6.  Empty of all people besides us  :)

This one was amazing, but the trees were too far from the water.   I couldn't snorkel, and didn't want to be too far from the others.  (As it turns out, I broke my hand in the hiking fall and ended my water play for this trip.)


 All that searching made us hungry, so we stopped at a road-side stand for fresh fruit.  Sliced coconut and pineapple.  (And maybe a fried banana.)

We finally ended up at Pounder's Beach.  The water was too rough for swimming or snorkeling, but there were trees for shade, and the only other people were far away.  And we just wanted to rest.

 The skies to the right were gray and moody, and the skies to the left were a brilliant blue.

Tim didn't really need the shade trees--he just rigged up a towel on a stick!

Pretty vegetation growing at the water's edge.  They aren't grapes--not sure what they are.

All that salt air made us hungry (pretty much everything makes us hungry), so we headed out to find lunch.  Guess what Tim and Art wanted?  Yes.  Cheeseburgers.  We ended up at Seven Brothers, a restaurant that had been recommended to us.  DELICIOUS!

This is the PQniolo "Cowboy" burger.  What was I thinking?  And in case you're wondering, no, you can't eat this with one hand.  I gave away one of the two humongous onion rings, took the bun off, and ate the meat, cheese, and bacon.  Awkwardly.



This is a really embarrassing post to write.  I should have titled it "In Search of a Perfect Food"!  We stopped at the Dole Plantation on the way back to Pu'u Kahea for the sole purpose of getting a Dole Whip.  It is a pineapple sherbet tasting soft-serve delight.  Very light and refreshing!





And THEN we headed back to Waianae to meet our co-volunteers and duplex-mates, Fred and Joyce, at the Sunset Cafe for dinner and music!  (And in case you're thinking less of us for our gluttony, Tim and I shared an appetizer for our dinner, as did Denise and Art.)

We enjoyed the sunset, the food, the music, and talking to each other.  It was wonderful hearing about Fred's and Joyce's adventures on their many volunteer missions trips.  They are inspiring, and are some of the hardest workers I have ever met.