Olympic Medalists From Hawaii!

With all the excitement that comes with the XXX Summer Olympic games currently underway in London, I have been posting a list of Olympic medalists from Hawaii on Twitter (@myhawaiifoodfun) and I thought that I should go ahead and enter a post here re-listing them all, even though you can also find this list on the “Interesting Facts About Hawaii” page, as well.

So, here is a list of Olympic medalists from Hawaii throughout the years, in no particular order:

• Just heard, Clarissa Kyoko Mei Ling Chun, a graduate of Roosevelt High, just won a Bronze medal in women’s wrestling in London today, Aug. 8, 2012.  Congrats Clarissa!

• William Tripp Woolsey, McKinley High School, in 1952 won a Gold medal on the 800-meter relay swim team & Silver at ’56 Olympics.
• William Smith, Maui, won two gold medals at the Olympic Games in 1948 in the 400-meter freestyle and in the 4 x 200 free-style relay.
• Yoshinobu Oyakawa, Hilo High grad, won a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, 1956.
• Ford Hiroshi Konno, won four medals at the 1952 (2 gold/1 silver) and 1956 (Silver) Olympic Games, in 3 swimming events.
• Warren Paoa Kealoha won Gold medals in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1920 Olympics and again at the 1924 Olympics.
• Pua Kealoha won a gold medal in the 4 x 200 free-style relay and silver in the 100-meter free-style at the 1920 Olympics.
• Evelyn Kawamoto-Konno won two Bronze Medals at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland.
• Brothers Manuela & Maiola Kalili won silver as part of the 4×200 free-style relay team at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.
• Mariechen Jackson, of Honolulu, won 2 medals at the 1924 Olympics…gold in the 4 x 100 relay & silver in the 100 m free-style.
• Kalama Aiu, a Kaimuki High grad, won a gold medal at the 1948 Olympic Games in the 4 X 100-meter free-style team relay.
• Samuel Alapai Kahanamoku finished 3rd in the 100 meters free-style behind Duke, his older brother, in 1924, winning Bronze.
• Clarence “Buster” Crabbe won a bronze medal in the 1928 Olympics in the 1500-meter free-style and…a gold medal at the 1932 Olympics in the 400-meter free-style. At one time, Buster held six world records simultaneously.
• Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, McKinley ’93, member of the Women’s Volleyball team in 2000, ’04, and won Silver at the ’08 games/Beijing.
• In 1948, Richard Tom one of the first Asian-Americans to be selected to the U.S. weightlifting team, won a bronze medal.
• Chris Duplanty, Punahou Class of 1984, was a 3-time Olympian (’88, ’92 & ’96) in water polo. He won silver in the 1988 Olympics.
• Tommy Kono was a 3 time Olympic medal winner, 2 Gold in 1952 and Silver in 1960 & holds records in 4 divisions of weightlifting.
• Kevin Asano, 1981 Pearl City High School graduate, won the Silver in Extra Lightweight Judo Competition at the 1988 Olympics.
• Keala O’Sullivan, born in Honolulu, won Bronze in women’s 3 meter springboard at the 1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City.
• Harold Sakata (better known as Oddjob in James Bond’s Goldfinger) was born in Holualoa and won Silver in weightlifting in 1948 Olympics, London.
• David McFaull & Michael Rothwell became Hawaii’s 1st Olympic sailing medalists, winning Silver at the 1976 Montréal Summer Olympics.
• Castle High School Grad, Bryan Clay, born in TX, but grew up in Honolulu won the Gold Medal in the Decathalon in Beijing, 2008.
• Natasha Kai was a member of the Gold Medal winning US Women’s soccer team in Beijing in 2008.

and of course, no list of Olympic medalists from Hawaii would be complete without its most favorite son, Duke Kahanamoku.

• Not only was Duke Kahanamoku an ambassador of surfing, but he also won 5-Gold Medals in swimming at the 1912 Olympics!

Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Finally Gets Well

If you ever thought that you had to move to Alaska to find people with the pioneer spirit, you would be wrong.  Hawaiian Ocean View Estates first started selling “lots” back in the 1960’s.  Hawaiian Ocean View Estates is located on the Mamalahoa Hwy/Hwy 11 between the Kona-Kau boundary to the north and Naalehu/Waiohinu to the east.

Growing up, I spent my summer and Christmas vacations with my grandparents in Naalehu and how everyone felt sorry for the “crazy haoles” who had bought lots.  They were marketed on the mainland and sold as “ocean view” property. And, technically, that’s true.  You can see the coast, which is about 5 miles away and probably 1500 feet below the slopes of Mauna Loa that Hawaiian Ocean View Estates spreads over.

A lot of people, mostly retired, bought their piece of Hawaii and arrived after having sold all their property back home, and were shocked to find that their “subdivision” sat in the middle of nowhere!  It’s a 45 minute drive to Kailua or a 20 minute drive to Naalehu and another hour to Hilo.

All there was was lava rocks and lehua trees!  Roads were simply crushed rock that bulldozers had cut through all the lava to make lots accessible.  There was no electricity, no water, no sewer, no phones…no services of any kind.  As you can imagine, most people were shocked, heart-broken and angry.  Many chose to make their way back to the mainland.  A few hardy souls stayed and made the most of the situation.

The original “settlers” made due with kerosene lanterns and stoves and built rain catchment systems for their water needs.  Some bought generators, but most did without.  If you’re not familiar with the conditions, you should know that “gardening” on lava fields is next to impossible, unless you truck in tons of dirt to place on top.  So, even living in the tropics did not provide any fruits or vegetables for them.

Over the decades since, more people have moved in.  Electricity was brought to the subdivision.  They built a community center.  They built their own fire department…still with no water.  And, they have been fighting to get a well dug to provide clean drinking water to the community since the 1990’s.  The county has made water available by bringing a water truck that residents could fill their containers.

Communities without water was not uncommon in Hawaii at that time.  My great-grandmother lived in the Holualoa Kona-coffee district on a coffee farm and had an outhouse and rain catchment system.  I vividly remember seeing an old tobacco pouch tied to the water spigot to catch whatever might have fallen into the water tank.  If I remember correctly, they finally got water brought in to them in the 1980’s.

The containers will remain in use as this new “water system” consists of a well, a storage tank, and enough piping to have two spigots available for people to use whenever they choose.   So, while they still don’t have indoor plumbing, but progress is progress!

Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Well Dedicated

So, it was with much anticipation that their well was dedicated and the tap turned on last week, on July 5th.  BigIslandVideo.com provided coverage, which you can see at www.bigislandvideonews.com/2012/07/06/video-hawaiian-ocean-view-estates-water-well-dedicated/.

Ocean View Comes of Age

You can find the community listed on maps as Ocean View.  They have a couple of gas stations, grocery stores, a handful of restaurants, located right along Mamalahoa Highway.  Many of the residents work in Kona and make the commute daily, some taking the county bus that makes the run several times a day.

So, as you can see, the pioneer spirit is still alive and well as demonstrated by the residents of Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, Kau, on the Big Island.  It hasn’t been easy, by any means, but they are a resilient bunch of people that are happy to have their own well.  A stark contrast to the Hawaii that most tourists experience completely unaware that they have driven through such areas.

It seems that there have been more shark sightings recently than is normal.   On Sunday, April 29, a 10-12 foot Tiger-shark sighting  a couple hundred yards off shore caused the closing of Ala Moana Beach until Monday morning.  Yes, Ala Moana!  Keep in mind, “a couple of hundred yards” would put the shark “outside” of the reef, so it posed more of a risk for surfers than typical beach goers using Ala Moana Beach.

A little over a week ago, a 10-12 foot Tiger-shark was spotted off Kaimana Beach, near that Natatorium at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki.  And, last Wednesday, there was an unconfirmed report of a shark sighting off Waikiki Beach.

Two weeks ago, a 8-9 foot Tiger-shark was seen swimming near Kalama Beach, near Kailua, on the windward side of the island.

This would be a good time to review some of the…

Common-Sense Tips to Avoiding Shark Attacks.

• Avoid swimming/surfing at dawn and dusk…low light conditions often precede shark attacks.
• Avoid swimming/surfing alone.
• Don’t go swimming with bleeding wounds or open cuts, for obvious reasons.
• Don’t wear shiny jewelry, as it attracts sharks attention.
• Avoid murky water, many shark attacks are investigatory bites from sharks trying to identify their potential quarry.
• Avoid  areas where streams/rivers enter the ocean, especially after heavy rains. (Often murky water conditions.)

While the odds of a shark attack remain low, following these tips can help you lower the odds even more.

Since January, there have been several shark sightings and beach closures around the state.

• January 12:  A 15-foot Great-White shark spotted off of Yokohama Bay on Oahu’s northshore
• January 25: Life guards close the beach after spotting an 11-foot Tiger shark at Kamaole Beach Park III, on Maui.
• February 14: Life guards close Makena Beach after spotting a 10-12 foot shark just 30-45′ from shore.
• April 3: Officials close Ke’e and Haena Beaches, Kauai, after a shark was spotted in the area.
• April 4: Officials close a 2-mile stretch of beach on Oahu’s north shore after a surfer suffered a shark bite to his foot, at a popular area known as “Leftovers”, which is also one of the “shark-iest” beaches in the US.  (Jupiter, FL was #1, Leftovers was #2)

So, while the number of shark sightings seem to be frequent, there really is no cause for alarm.  Part of what causes this increase in shark sightings is the fact that we have more people looking for them.  At any rate, heed the precautions listed above and enjoy a day at the beach!

Spam Jam’s 10th Anniversary

SPAM is a registered tradename of the Hormel Company.

Saturday, April 28th, 2012, is the day for the 10th Annual SPAM Jam Festival in Waikiki!  Come celebrate Hawaii’s love affair with this canned pork product!  Hawaii has the highest per capita consumption of SPAM anywhere…best estimates put it close to 7 Million cans of SPAM annually!  (The population of Hawaii, just over 1.3 Million men, women and children.)

To give you some idea of what a staple SPAM is, when the tsunami warnings went out in 2011 in anticipation of the tsunami waves generated by the Japan earthquakes, Hawaii did not ration gasoline sales as they often do in advance of hurricane warnings on the eastern seaboard, but they did restrict SPAM sales in many stores to one case!  (Man can’t live on rice alone, but SPAM and rice and you’re good to go!)

Speaking of which, you don’t have to go very far anywhere on these beautiful islands to find the ever popular SPAM-musubi, which can be found at 7-11’s, gas stations, grocery stores…and even near the check out counters at Wal-Mart.  This year’s attendance at SPAM Jam Festival 2012 is anticipated to reach as many as 20,000 as the festival once again, takes over Waikiki.  Even Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s main drag, will be closed to host this popular annual event.

*This is not part of the SPAM Jam Festival, but I just had to include this here while on the subject of SPAM Musubi!

Only in Hawaii…SPAM Musubi Eating Contest at Rice Fest 2011

SPAM  Musubi (Serves 4)

You can make this island favorite in a variety of ways, as simple as SPAM from the can on plain rice, to fried SPAM in a sauce with fried rice, or whatever suits your fancy. The following is the recipe from SPAM Jam Festival’s website:

Ingredients:

• 1 can SPAM Classic (12-ounce)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Oil
• 3 cups cooked white sushi rice
• 1 package hoshi nori (Japanese dried seaweed)

Directions:

• Slice SPAM Classic lengthwise into 8 equal pieces. In a shallow dish, combine garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
• Place SPAM slices in the mixture and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Remove and pat dry.
• In a skillet, heat the oil and brown the marinated SPAM slices.
• Moisten hands and mold rice into 8 thick blocks with the same outside dimensions as SPAM slices.  (This is assuming you have not yet purchased your clear, acrylic SPAM-musubi mold.)
• Cut nori into 8-1/2 inch strips.  (Or up to 4″ wide, as I prefer mine.)
• Place SPAM slices on rice blocks and wrap individual nori strips around each middle.
• Moisten one end slightly to fasten together and serve.
• The remaining marinate may be used as a dip.

Spam Musubi Rice Press

SPAM Treats For Every Taste

From food trucks to 5-star restaurants will be serving up their version of SPAM treats, including:

• Aqua Cafe  Loaded Potato Skins with SPAM, Ono Mac & Cheese with SPAM, and a SPAM Bento
• Atlantis Seafood and Steak  SPAM Mahi Carbonara
• Blue Water Shrimp Truck  To be advised
• Cheeseburger Beachwalk  SPAM Babies
• Cooking Fresh4U Food Truck  To be advised
• Doraku Sushi  SPAM Musubi & SPAM Tataki
• Duke’s/Hula Grill  SPAM Fried Rice, SPAM Loco Moco with Shiitake Mushroom Cream Gravy, SPAM Fried Rice Loco Moco, and SPAM Kanak Attack (SPAM Fried Rice with SPAM Katsu Loco Moco)
• Gordon Biersch  Island Spicy SPAM Wrap; Soutwest SPAM Quesadilla; Dynamite SPAM & Shrimp; Sicilian SPAM & Basil Foccacia Pizza; Chinatown SPAM Wonton;  Hawaiian SPAM Caesar Salad; Ono-Asian (spicy) SPAM Fried Rice; SPAM Devil-icious (deviled) Eggs; Local Kine SPAM Hash Cake w/Asian BBQ
• Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber  SPAM® Nachos; SPAM® Stuffed Mushroom Caps; SPAM Quesadillas; Great American SPAM® Championship –  Hormel’s Grand Prize Winning Recipe (Entered by Jason Munson; Puyallup Fair, Washington) Mini Maple SPAM® Doughnuts
• Okonomiyaki Chibo Restaurant  SPAM Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancake); SPAM Yakisoba
• OnoPops  To be advised.
• P.F. Chang’s  SPAM Lettuce Wraps and SPAM Lo Mein
• Queen’s Surf Cafe  To be advised
• Seafood Village  SPAM Siu Mai, SPAM Manapua, SPAM Jam Plate, and SPAM Spring Roll

Where else but Hawaii would you find recipes for dishes like:

SPAM Katsu (from K’s Restaurant)

Ingredients:

• 1 can of SPAM Classic
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbs flour
• 1 cup panko or breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of oil

Directions:

• Cut SPAM Classic into 7  pieces
• Lightly coat SPAM Classic with flour
• Next, beat egg in a bowl
• Lightly coat SPAM Classic with beaten egg
• Lightly coat SPAM Classic with panko
• Use skillet and pour 1 cup of oil
• Heat oil for deep frying and once oil is hot
• Fry SPAM Classic until they are golden brown

 

SPAM Jam is a non-profit organization the collects donations for the Hawaii Foodbank.

Booths also will be set up with volunteers collecting donations of SPAM for the Hawaii Foodbank.

Since 2004, more than 10,000 pounds of SPAM has been donated to the Hawaii Foodbank thanks to the Waikiki SPAM Jam Festival.

Enjoy this video from SPAM Jam 2008!

So, mark your calendar and prepare to join in on the fun while providing support for a good cause,

SPAM Jam 2012, Saturday, April 28th, from 4:00 pm till 10:00 pm!

Farmers Markets

Farmers Markets have, for the most part, replaced the old road-side stands that once dotted the country sides.  Oh, I’m not saying that you can’t still find road-side stands, but farmers markets have made it so much more convenient and do not require us to burn up $10 in gas to pick up a few dollars worth of fresh fruits and vegetables.

There was a time when not only did we patronize road-side stands to find freshly picked fruits and vegetables, but to save a few dollars in the process.  Today, more and more health conscious consumers seek out Farmers Markets for not just freshness, but for organically grown produce.  You don’t always save a lot over the big box grocery stores, but its nice to get fruits and vegetables that were just picked from the garden within hours.

Today’s Farmers Markets have spawned Open Markets, which in addition to the usual fruits and vegetables, may include a variety of crafts and prepared foods.  In recent years, some of these markets have become “events”, with vendors and visitors growing in numbers and as such, the selection of what’s available likewise expanding.

Farmers Markets Bring the Country to the City

There are even Farmers Markets springing up in unlikely locations, like on the top of the Royal Hawaiian Center, which started up recently, or the City Hall People’s Open Market on the parking lot deck.  Even the Ala Moana Shopping Center is the site for a Saturday Farmers Market.  No longer a need to take a ride out to the country side as they bring the country to you.

There are dozens of Farmers Markets that set up island-wide, every day of the week.  Sometimes, its only twice-a-month, sometimes its two or three times a week, but most are held weekly, since many of the same vendors set up at multiple locations.   Many of these locations were started up and are managed by the parks and recreations department.

Some Farmers Markets Can Be Fleeting!

Some locations operate all day or half-a-day, but many for only an hour, like these:

• Ewa Beach Community Park
• Halawa District Park
• Hawaii Kai Park-n-Ride
• Kailua District Park
• Kaneohe District Park
• Makiki District Park
• Manoa Valley District Park
• Old Stadium Park
• Palolo Valley District Park
• Queen Kapiolani Park
• Wahiawa District Park
• Waiau District Park
• Waikele Community Park
• Waimanalo Beach Park and
• Waipahu District Park

There are even a few that operate for only 45 minutes!  They include the aforementioned City Hall People’s Open Market, as well as:

• Kalihi Valley District Park
• Mililani District Park
• Mother Waldron Park
• Pokai Bay Beach Park and
• Salt Lake Municipal Lot.

More info on specific days and times can be found at www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/programs/pom.

Ono Food, Not Just Produce

While some of these markets are fairly new, some have been around for years and have loyal customers.  One of the most well known and attended is the Saturday Farmers Market at Kapiolani Community College, known as much for its great food as for the produce.

A relatively newcomer to this emphasis on food is the Kailua Thursday Night Farmers Market, which has become a very popular destination for many of Oahu’s food-truck vendors.  If you haven’t frequented the many food trucks found in and around Honolulu lately, it may surprise you to see that the menus have expanded way beyond the typical shoyu chicken, teriyaki steak, or chicken katsu, that until a few years ago, defined food-truck fare.

More Farmers Markets

If no website is given for a particular market, info can be found at www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/programs/pom.

• Banyan Court Mall, 800 North King St.
• Benjamin Parker Elementary School, Kaneohe
• Country Market & Craft Fair, Waimanalo Homestead Community College, no website (Call Paul Richards 808-225-4002)
• Davies Pacific Center, 841 Bishop St., no contact info given, held on 2nd and 4th Tues
• Ewa Beach Elementary School Farmers Market, 91-740 Papipi Rd., Sundays, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
• First Insurance Center, 1100 Ward Ave., no contact info given, held on 1st and 3rd Wed
• Fort Street near Wilcox Park (in front of Macy’s)
• Haleiwa Farmers Market, Kam Hwy & Joseph P. Leong By-pass
• Hawaii Kai Farmers Market, Kaiser High School
• Hawaii Kai Towne Center, Kalanianaole Hwy at Keahole St., no website given, 808-396-0766
• Honolulu Farmers’ Market, Neal S. Blaisdell Center (Ward & Kapiolani)
• International Marketplace, Waikiki
• Kahaluu Farmers Market, Windward Baptist Church, Kamehameha Hwy.
• Kailua Elementary School , Saturday evenings, 4:00-8:00 pm
• Kakaako Makai Community Cultural Marketplace, 1 blk makai or Ala Moana Blvd & Ward Ave.
• Kalihi Farmers Market, Kapalama Elementary School
• Kapolei People’s Open Market, Kapolei Community Park
• Kaumualii Street People’s Open Market, Kalihi St.
• King’s Village Shopping Center, 131 Kaiulani Ave.
• Mahiku Farmers Market (aka International Marketplace)
• Mahiku Farmers Market, Momilani Community Center, Pearl City
• Makeke Kapolei, Kapolei High School, no website, call 808-697-3599
• Makiki Local Grown Farmers Market at St. Clemmons Church, 1515 Wilder Ave.
• Manoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodlawn Dr., no website, call 808-847-0494/cell 808-554-4667
• Merchant Street Market, 841 Bishop St.
• The Millilani Sunday Farmers Market at Millilani High School, Millilani
• North Shore Country Market, Sunset Beach Elementary School, Haleiwa
• Nuuanu Farmers Market, Honolulu Central Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2313 Nuuanu Ave.  (Opens late March), no website, Carol Rose: rose46@yahoo.com
• Queens Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl St., no website, 1st Wed
• Restaurant Row Farmers Market, 500 Ala Moana Blvd
• Royal Kunia Park-n-Ride, Waipahu
• Waialua Farmers Market, Waialua Sugar Mill, no website, email: info@sugarmillhawaii.com
• Waianae Farmers Market, Waianae High School, Cafeteria lanai
• Waikiki Farmers Market, Waikiki Community Center, no website, 808-923-1802
• Ward Center, parking lot across from Ward 16 Theatres
• Windward Mall, Kamehameha Hwy, Kailua

Yes, there are a lot of Farmers Markets held on Oahu everyday of the week.  So, if you haven’t yet discovered this great resource, you should check them out.

 

 

What is the Honolulu Transit Project?

For anyone not familiar, the Honolulu Rail Transit Project is a 20-mile, 40-feet high, 30-feet wide, elevated rail line with 21 stations.  The project will eventually connect West O‘ahu with downtown Honolulu and Ala Moana Center via Honolulu International Airport in a time of 42 minutes.  Future extensions could serve other parts of West O‘ahu and other communities of Salt Lake, UH Mānoa, and Waikīkī.

This has been a highly controversial, 40-year old project that is now scheduled to start the ground-breaking phase.  Opponents of this project cite aesthetic concerns, cost-to-benefit concerns, and on-going operational deficits as their major points.  However, nothing short of a court-order will stop construction, which is now slated to begin this March and scheduled to be completed in 2018.

What are the benefits?

By 2030, about 116,300 trips per weekday are expected on rail transit. It will take about 40,000 vehicles off our roads each weekday by the year 2030. This reduction in the number of cars and trucks on our congested streets will deliver benefits and improve travel times for everyone – train riders, bus passengers, and vehicle drivers.

Features:

• Modern steel-wheel-on-steel-rail technology powered by a third rail
• Elevated, grade-separated
• Vehicle maintenance and storage facility near Leeward Community College
• Four new bus transit centers located at UH West O‘ahu, West Loch, Pearl Highlands, and Aloha Stadium
• Four new park-and-ride lots at East Kapolei, UH West O‘ahu, Pearl Highlands, and Aloha Stadium with a total of 4,100 parking spaces
• Traction power substations
• A dedicated access ramp from the H-2 Freeway to the Pearl Highlands station’s park-and-ride and bus transit center

The main points made by proponents of the rail system is that Honolulu must address its growing traffic problem.  People often overlook the fact that while Hawaii’s image is all about beaches and tropical surroundings, Honolulu (and the island of Oahu) has an ever growing population of 950,000+, as of the 2010 US Census, the 11th largest city in the US.

While a concern voiced often by opponents is that a raised rail system will be a blight to the landscape, I think its important to remember where these elevated rails will be located.  It mainly runs thru commercial districts and over existing heavily traveled corridors that are not exactly post card photo-op locations.   So, the real question is, will the reduction in car traffic offset the unsightliness of the raised railway?

What’s interesting is that there are sections of multi-level highways that can also be seen in and around the rail system corridor and noone seems to have a problem with these!  I think it might be interesting to see if the elevated rails are any more obtrusive than these elevated highways.  Progress is rarely, if ever, a straight line of just improvements and benefits with no drawbacks.

Another argument being thrown around is the cost of building it.  A comparison made is that the Honolulu Rail System will cost twice what the Washington D.C. Metro system cost.  And, while this is undoubtedly true, we should remember that virtually everything costs more  in Hawaii!  So, is this higher cost really a shocker to anyone?   If any comparison is to be made to the Washington Metro system, it should be that one of the nice things about it is that large portions of it run underground and therefore out-of-sight.  Trying to do this in Hawaii, however, would really increase the cost to astronomical heights, if it were even practical to do so.

Environmentalists are usually opponents of any building projects, however, the reduction in car and bus traffic that will result from people using the rails rather than the roads makes it difficult for them to strongly oppose this particular project.  Of course, there is one group who says that the railway lights will distract birds in migration patterns and disrupt Hawaiian historical sites.  These are the same birds that have learned to navigate in spite of the thousands of car headlights that use the roadways that cover the same route that the trains will be built over.  And, any disruption of Hawaiian historical sites has already been done with the building of these same roadways.

Share Your Thoughts

So, while I can’t say that I am a 100% supporter of the Honolulu Transit Project, after weighing the pros and cons, and the fact that this particular train seems to be leaving the planning depot and moving toward reality, I think the people of Honolulu should now focus their efforts on getting people to utilize this system when available.  I do wonder, however, why they are using a three-rail system rather than a mono-rail that just seems to have a more modern appearance.  I imagine there is a cost factor involved, but can’t honestly say.

Having lived in the D.C. area for a couple of years, I can tell you that I happily took advantage of the Metro System…and I love driving!  The tradeoff was not having to fight traffic and avoiding the frustration of finding a parking place, but simply enjoying what D.C. had to offer.  I think that Honolulu offers the same compactness that D.C. does to make a rail system work.  I even took the Metro whenever I had to get to the airport…parking rates at the metro parking lots was much lower than parking rates at the airport and I also saved on the gas needed to drive there and once again, avoid the stress of heavy traffic.

So, while an elevated train may be somewhat unsightly to tourists, as well as residents, we should keep in mind that sitting in heavy traffic is not exactly anyone’s vision of a tropical paradise, either.  It has been said by virtually everyone that the true beauty of Hawaii reaches beyond its beaches and lush tropical vistas, but the welcoming nature of the people.  As long as the Spirit of Aloha remains strong, people will continue to visit Hawaii and leave with happy memories of their experience, not memories of the unsightliness of the Honolulu transit rail system.

Comments?

 

Waikiki Beach Closures Will Affect Beach Access Until March

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources is overseeing the beach reclamation project that began January 9th.  The projected completion date is mid-to-late March, weather permitting.  This is the first time that a “reclamation” effort is being undertaken by dredging sand from offshore and putting it back on the beaches of Waikiki.  For the past 60+ years, sand has been brought in from Papohaku Beach on Molokai.

This effort is necessary periodically to restore the sandy beach area which erodes over time by waves and current.  This recycling of sand is a much more efficient approach, and lessens any environmental impact associated with relocating sand from Molokai to Waikiki.

The project involves recovery of up to 24,000 cubic yards of sand from recovery areas located 1,500 to 3,000 feet offshore of the project area in a water depth of about 10 feet to 20 feet.  They will also be removing two deteriorated groin structures as part of this project.  The end result should widen the beach by 10-30 feet along a 1700′ stretch of shoreline.

However, if you are planning on staying in Waikiki between now and the completion of this project in March, you will experience some inconvenience in having temporary sections of  beach closures.

The following Waikiki Beach closures are scheduled:

• The east Kuhio Beach Park swim basin and beaches — starting Tuesday, January 10th.  The area is set to reopen on March 31.

• The beach adjacent to the west Kuhio Beach Park swim basin will be closed for two or three days while the deteriorated groins are being removed — starting Tuesday, Jan. 10th.

• The area around the active sand placement operation will be closed on a daily basis.  The rolling beach closures will be about 200 feet wide and will migrate from west to east from the Royal Hawaiian groin to the west Kuhio Beach Park swim basin.

Waikiki, the quintessential Hawaiian landmark!

The economic value of Waikiki Beach to Hawaii‘s visitor industry and the economic success of Waikiki as a visitor destination are extremely significant. The estimated socio-economic loss to the state would be quite high if Waikiki Beach is not maintained and is allowed to erode away – a $2 billion loss in overall visitor expenditures, a $150 million loss in tax revenue, and a job loss of 6,350 people.

For information about the Department of Land and Natural Resources Waikiki Beach reclamation project, click here. For daily project updates, click here.

 

Hiking in Paradise

While most people planning a trip to Hawaii have visions of beaches and palm trees, for the outdoor-oriented individuals, Hawaii also offers a surprising number of hiking opportunities.  Trails and challenges run the gamut from short paths to scenic views of waterfalls or seascapes to challenging hikes that include a change of altitude of several thousand feet.  You will find hiking in Hawaii can include desert-like weather conditions to alpine-cold and everything in between.  So, if you are planning on doing some hiking in paradise, make sure you come properly prepared.

Hiking Kauai

At once the oldest island with the most beaches per coastal mile of the major islands, Kauai also offers the most hiking trails of all the islands.  The top two topographical attractions that invite hiking to get the most out of them are Waimea Canyon and the NaPali Seacliffs on the northwest coastline.  I have found a great blog that offers you information on many of the hundreds of hiking trails available for every level of fitness, at Kauai.com.

Hiking Oahu

While people tend to think of Honolulu and Waikiki when they think about Oahu, there are also dozens of trails that invite the outdoor activists to take.  Many of these trails are surprisingly accessible to those who are staying in Waikiki  with only a few hours to spare.  A good site to check out these trails is oahuhiking.com.

Of course, the one “hike” that many are familiar with is the climb to the top of Diamond Head with its awaiting panoramic view of Waikiki and Honolulu beyond.  Just a couple of miles from the edge of hotel row, the stairways involved in making this ascent make this a more challenging hike than you might expect.

Hiking Maui

As you might expect, many of the most popular hiking trails on Maui are centered on Haleakala Crater, but there are also a number of other trails that range from half of a mile to 7 miles long.

Of course, you can also contact the Haleakala National Park to get information about overnight camping at cabins within the park.  Trails within the park run 8.3 to 10 miles and require proper dress and shoes for the rocky terrain and elevation, with nighttime temperatures easily dipping near or below the 40F/7C mark.

Hiking Lanai and Molokai

The most challenging hike on Lanai is the Munro Trail, which is not promoted as a hike, but for 4-wheel drive drives.  The advantage of hiking versus driving the trail is that you are less concerned about the driving conditions.  The muddy road can be very slick after rains and can make driving, even in a 4-wheel drive vehicle, tricky and not recommended.  But, you can still hike it.   A much shorter (15-20 minutes), and easier, hike with a beautiful pay-off, head southeast from Hulopoe Bay to the cliffs overlooking Puu Pehe, or Sweetheart Rock.

And, in between these two extremes are a number of additional trails that offer a variety of challenges and rewards.  I brief review of a few of these trails are covered by the vacation gals at their website.

Molokai

Among the several trails that will challenge even experienced hikers is a hike down the 3000′ high seacliffs along the northern coast, east of Kaunakakai.   Molokai does not offer the numbers or variety of hiking venues the other islands do, but there are a couple of notable hikes.  Unfortunately, some of them require you to join a paid outing to gain access.  This is an issue that is becoming more and more common in Hawaii due to mishaps or mis-use by a handful of visitors.

Hiking Hawaii  (The Big Island)

 

Not surprisingly, some of the most notable trails on the Big Island are located within the boundaries of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  However, as you might also expect, there are numerous trails that cover a wide range of terrain on this large and sparsely populated island.  You can go from short walks to view beautiful waterfalls, relatively short seashore hikes to a green sand beach, or overnight camping near the 10,000′ level of Mauna Loa (reservations required thru the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park).

Also on the Big Island is the only National Trail in Hawaii, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail on the Big Island of Hawaii.  This 175-mile trail runs from near the northern tip of the island, along the coast of Kona, around Ka Lae (South Point) and then back up along the coast till it reaches the border of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  Fortunately, similar to the Appalachian Trail of the Smoky Mountains, you can experience this hike in sections and not attempt to traverse the entire length.

Hiking From Easy to Difficult

So, there you have it, hiking opportunities for every fitness and experience levels.  It may involve walking paved walkways such as you will find at Iao Needle, Maui or Akaka Falls, Big Island.  Or, it may involve more strenuous backpacking and overnight camping such as you might experience on the Kalaulau Trail on Kauai, Haleakala Crater on Maui, or the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

Some hikes will require you to make reservations in advance, while others insist you register on a first-come, first-serve priority basis the day of your hike.  Some hiking will involve paying, whether as part of an organized group or as a state park fee, while most are free trails accessible to all.  Whatever venue you choose to satisfy your desire to hit the trail, I’m pretty sure hiking in Hawaii will not disappoint you.

Top Hiking Trails

Hawaii Magazine recently published a list of their readers’ Top 5 Hiking trails in Hawaii.   If you’re interested in re-visiting your memories of Hawaii, a one-year subscription is just $20.  You can even get an electronic magazine subscription for just $10/yr.!

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