Oahu (3): Wai'anae coast  

After a couple of days in Waikiki, we moved to a less visited part of the island -- the Wai'anae coast. It was fun in the center of it all, but it was time for a more secluded beach. Our condo sat right on Papaoneone beach, a stretch of almost deserted sand on the west side of Oahu. Every morning we woke up to the sound of waves, and the same soothing melody serenaded us to sleep each night (how I miss that sound!).

The west end of the island sees very few tourists -- Matthew estimated that there were zero Japanese tourists present. It is a poorer section of the island, where real islanders live. Many of the houses near our condo looked somewhat shabby, though they have great beach access. There are a great number of lovely beaches, on some of which the homeless congregate -- we saw a few tent cities on some beaches along the highway. Well, I guess if I were a homeless person, the beaches here would seem an ideal place to live too. But the place didn't feel particularly rough or dangerous, just a world apart from Waikiki.

This is the leeward side of Oahu, drier and less windy (although even here there is a constant refreshing breeze). The water is very blue, and the mountains looming behind green and mysterious -- I was very surprised to see these towering cliffs, as no one seemed to mention them much in the guidebooks, all they talk about are the pali on the windward side. The Wai'anae range, actually taller (more than 4000 ft high) though not quite as sculpted as the Ko'olau in the east, is very spectacular too.

However, the snorkeling here was still not as good as we had hoped -- the water looked clear and pretty from above but the underwater clarity was disappointing. Some turtles regularly hang out at our beach, and one day we stumbled on an enormous one (possibly the biggest I've ever seen) while snorkeling. As visibility was not great, and my mask also tended to fog up, I only saw the turtle as it was almost upon me -- quite a pleasant surprise, I must say.

One of our aspirations coming to the island was to swim with some dolphins. There are a good number of spinner dolphins near the Hawaiian coast. On the Big Island we only had a glimpse of their fins while kayaking; and we did not see any on Maui at all. But on Kaua'i we had seen a very large pod while cruising the Na Pali coast. It was an incredible experience to watch them swim along the boat and frolic and do their acrobatic spinning. To us humans, they seemed such fun-loving, intelligent, and joyful creatures. We had booked a boat tour with Wild Side Specialty Tours, in hopes of a dolphin encounter, and hopefully swim with them if conditions are right.

On the morning of our boat trip the weather was especially calm. The water seemed even bluer than usual. Sailing out of Wai'anae harbor, our spirits were high. The boat's crew were manned (or womanned, in this case) by two marine biologists. We started out towards the open sea, hoping to spot some pilot whales. The ocean floor quickly drops down thousands of feet. The boat ride was invigorating. Standing at the bow getting sprayed by the waves, we saw some flying fishes and an occasional sea bird, but there was not a whale or dolphin in sight. We enjoyed the view of the Wai'anae coast, the green mountains looking gorgeous in the morning sun, the water the richest shades of blue.

We dropped anchor by Yokohama Bay and snorkeled a bit -- the water here was a lot clearer this day due to the calm sea and we saw a number of reef fish and coral. Then we got called out of the water -- the captain had received news of some dolphin sighting just around the corner. However, as our boat approached there was no sign of them. So we headed south, following another tip.

After much maneuvering, just as we were almost resigned to the fate of no dolphin sightings, our skipper Kara suddenly exclaimed (with some relief):"I think we finally found some dolphins!" They were sure tricky to find today! She had to point them out to me even though they were not very far. This was a pod of around 25 dolphins, with a little baby dolphin tagging along. Upon closer inspection, we realized that they were engaged in a pretty intensive mating session -- the whole group was swimming slowly in circles, playing with each other. Occasionally one would jump out of the water and show off his/her acrobatic spin.

Clearly this was not the right time to swim with them -- Captain Tori related some interesting anecdotes from her past dolphin swim experiences. Instead, we contended ourselves with watching and photographing them (they didn't seem to mind). They came very close to the boat, sometimes swimming right underneath my feet -- I could feel the spray of water from their blow holes. They are such fascinating creatures, and so little is known about them. Tori and Kara must have seen dolphins thousands of times, yet they seem just as excited as the rest of us and they made some new observations about this pod.

Finally we left them, still at their mating game. We were a little disappointed, for not having the chance to get in the water with them, but we were largely content. This is the wild ocean after all, and not an aquarium. There is actually some controversy about these swim-with-dolphin tours. Some are worried about the effects that over-eager humans may have on these wild creatures. From what we'd seen Wild Specialty tours runs a pretty responsible tour -- they wouldn't chase the dolphins down and force swimmers on them.

The morning of our departure, we had our breakfast on the lanai as usual, our encounter with the dolphins still fresh on our minds. "Maybe we'll see some here" Matthew pondered. And sure enough as we looked down, we spotted a pod right in our bay, not more than 30 yards from the beach! We could hardly contain our excitement. Matthew suggested that I go down right away while he remain as a lookout. But I didn't even have my contact lenses on, let alone my bathing suit. So Matthew (who's all ready to go) went first. He was down there in a flash. As he swam toward the dolphins they didn't seem to be bothered but continued their circular swim. Encouraged by this, I tried to get myself ready as quick as I could and went down to the beach. There I met a fellow dolphin-quester, and we both swam out hoping that the dolphins were still around. Alas, they were moving out of the bay, and the earlier swimmers (Matthew plus two other lucky people) were already returning.

Excited, Matthew recounted his experience with the dolphins: how he tried to keep a respectful distance so as not to disturb them, how fortunately they swam close to him so he could get a better look, and how cool it was to hear their clicking sounds underwater... I was very jealous. Well, someday maybe I'll be luckier. For now it was time to leave. We stopped by picturesque Pokai bay on our way to the airport... and somehow we missed the flight (well, we were slow at leaving, but the traffic around Honolulu was not to be underestimated), which earned us another half day on the island. Another sunset. Still there was so much we have not seen, so we will definitely be back.

View all Wai'anae photos here.

posted by gz 10:15 上午 留言/

Oahu (2) Windward coast  

Growing up in Beijing, I had conflicted feelings when it came to wind. As my daily commute to school was on a bike, I came to hate the strong, dry, northerly winds that blew constantly, with a liberal amount of sand. On the other hand, it could be really cozy lazing at home with a good book on a windy winter day, watching the branches of the poplars swing wildly in the howling wind. Also, wind seemed to be always a romantic element in the novels -- something that enhances a tragic atmosphere -- and romantic appeal figures quite a bit to teenage girls.

Wind was off my radar in southern Ontario, where I spent the next 10 years. But it started blowing again as we moved to the Bay Area. The old emotions came back too -- though it's no longer a dry, sandy wind, it was still strong, and it sucks the heat out of you (especially near the water). Being a more practical adult, I found it mostly annoying. Sure it's still very cozy to laze indoors on a particularly windy day, but I am more than willing to sacrifice that for some calm air when I'm outdoors hiking, biking, etc (not that I really do it that often).

But I know one locale on earth when my feelings towards the wind is overwhelmingly positive, and that is the Hawaiian islands. I guess what I want to say is that the trade winds are my kind of winds. On a tropical island, it's warm enough to be pleasant but cools the temperature perfectly, AND it blows away the mosquitoes. What more can I ask?

For some reason I didn't notice the winds much on Hawai'i and Kaua'i. But winds on Maui really caught my attention. And on Oahu this time it seemed to be blowing at all hours (on Maui it's mostly in the afternoons), windward side or leeward side. It was actually very pleasant.

OK, now that I got that tirade about wind off my chest, I can talk about the windward coast of Oahu. In my impression, the leeward coasts usually have better beaches. But Oahu's windward coast disproved this assumption -- it has some of the most gorgeous beaches I've ever seen, and they're actually good for swimming, snorkeling even. Actually, beautiful beaches are a prominent feature of the island of Oahu. Most people think only of Waikiki when it comes to Oahu beaches, but really there is soooo much more. Waikiki is justly famous for what it is, but it is actually one of the very few crowded beaches on the island. The majority of beaches here are quite secluded and mostly deserted -- a very pleasant surprise.

The wind does mean a choppier ocean though. One of our grand schemes -- kayaking to the sandbar on Kaneohe bay -- was thwarted due to wind (and it didn't help that it was raining on and off on that day too).

One thing that makes the windward beaches so picturesque is the number of little offshore islands here -- more than anywhere else in the state. There's something quintessentially tropical about the scene: coconut-palm lined soft white sand, water the color of aquamarine, and little isles beckoning just in the distance. Not to mention the sheer green cliffs soaring in the backdrop.

And when it comes to sheer green cliffs, Oahu has an abundance of them. When we went to Kaua'i, we were awed by the sight of the towering fluted cliffs of the Na Pali coast. We didn't expect to see so much of it on Oahu. Though not quite as grand as Na Pali, the pali (meaning cliffs in Hawaiian) on Oahu are still some of the most breath-taking sights I have seen. And while Na Pali is very remote and only accessible through boating, hiking, and helicopters, the pali on Oahu could be viewed (almost unceremoniously) all along the east coast. Driving on the highway, it was always startling to raise my head and see these incredible cliffs right in front of you. It's a bit like driving in the Canadian Rockies. And later on we found that they even have cliffs on the leeward side of the island too.

 

One of the most touristy things we did in all of the islands was a visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center, which is, strangely, run by the Mormon church. The performers and workers are students from all over the pacific and their work here funds their education. Their dances and cultural performances (like how to make coconut cream, the history of Hawaiian instruments, etc.) are pretty entertaining. We were most impressed by the Samoans -- they seem to have a good sense of humor and their fire dance is pretty cool. Their luau was kind of like a polynesian version of Oktoberfest (sans alcohol), but the Kailua pig (freshly out of the imu) was delicious.

The north shore is a surfer's mecca. In winter surfing season the population is said to double, and even now at the tail end of summer the traffic by the beaches seemed to grind to a halt -- there were people with surfboards everywhere. It is famed to be the best place to surf on the planet -- for the ones who know how to do it (Matthew dreams of returning here as one). For now though, the north shore had some of the best snorkeling sites on the island. At Shark Point we saw an abundance of fish and some coral. The snorkeling still couldn't compare with the big island and Maui though. Maybe it's better in the height of summer.

View all Waikiki photos here.

posted by gz 10:52 上午 留言/

Oahu (1) The City: Waikiki, Honolulu & beyond  

We arrived in Honolulu just after dark. Driving towards Waikiki on a multi-lane highway, we were awed by the sight of the big city -- it was completely different from the other Hawaiian islands we had visited before. We were expecting this, but still somehow surprised -- it was, after all, a speck of an island in the middle of Pacific, thousands of miles away from the nearest continent. The freeway, traffic, and high-rises reminded me simultaneously of Toronto and Beijing (because of the density of the high-rises). Thankfully, unlike either of those cities, the air was fresh, moist, and pleasantly warm. We were in paradise, albeit a metropolitan version of it.

It was almost bed-time for us based on our Californian clocks, but how could we go to sleep without walking the beach of Waikiki? The night was young, and plenty was happening on the streets and at the beach: tourists, vendors, street performers were all out and about... The beautiful people with their tan; the newly-arrived mainlanders with Leis around their necks; brides emerging in long white gowns from long, white limos; the fat Americans, the skinny Japanese (of which there were a LOT)... The occasional homeless were already asleep on their benches by the beach; in beach parks people were playing cards, chess, and we even spotted a go game (although Matthew felt too shy to watch). There were shops after shops displaying beach wear, island goods, etc. etc, many displaying prominent signs in Japanese. You could really shop till you drop here! (I'd like to say that I exercised great restraint, but really there was so much to do that I simply did not have the time to do much shopping at all). With all this going on, everyone seemed laid-back and relaxed -- after all this was what most of them came here to do. And the beach, partly illuminated by the street lights, was singing a lulling, rhythmic wave song, the sand soft and inviting.

That first impression of Waikiki persisted. A busy tourist Mecca with a somewhat laid-back atmosphere. In the day light though, one other aspect displayed fully on the beach -- surfing is king here. The beach is lined with numerous surf-stands, anybody with $35 could get a surfing lesson and hopefully ride a wave or two (given that someone as uncoordinated as I managed it, I imagine 99.9% of the world's population could too). This is the perfect spot to try it, with reliable, long waves that are gentle enough for the beginner. And the back drop -- lovely blue water, a beautiful beach, the imposing shape of Diamond Head crater just beyond -- can hardly be topped.

 

In the next couple of days we did all the touristy things around Waikiki: got up early in the morning to climb Diamond Head (nice work out and a beautiful view); had a sumptuous brunch at Dukes by the beach; strolled the sand and swam in the water; snorkeled Hanauma Bay (somewhat disappointing -- water not very clear); and of course, took a surfing lesson -- Matthew loved it so much he spent some extra time surfing by himself afterwards, while I, the uncoordinated one, had no strength left after one hour on the board and was thankful to rest a little (needless to say I was sore all over afterwards). Another tourist must-do was a visit to Pearl Harbor, which makes a somber contrast to the fun-in-the-sun routine. This is where history started a new turn...

Aside from being a tourist Mecca, Honolulu is a real city where people live and work and call home (lucky, huh?). It is actually the most ethnically diverse city in the U.S., with people of all sorts of origins or mixed ancestry. People here are of all shades and colors, and there are a lot of them (quite different from the other islands). A big city with a multi-cultural population is usually good news on the cuisine front. And Honolulu has a notable Asian population -- they even have a Chinatown. We noted with excitement the variety of food sold here in the supermarkets. Since we were staying at a couple of condos we did quite a bit of grocery shopping, from Chinatown to Costco. We were especially impressed by the Costco here -- they have such a wide selection! From island staples like Poke (which we took an immediate liking to) to Macadamia nuts to Kona coffee to tropical juices ... to Foccacia bread to Mango salsa to 4 kinds of fresh mushrooms to dried shrimp to tofu to long beans... Needless to say we bought way more grocery than we needed (but almost managed to finish anyhow, as two true pigs). And we gorged on tropical fruits.

With all the groceries we hardly went out to restaurants. But we did splurge on our anniversary. Alan Wong's was rated by Gourmet magazine as #8 of the top 50 American restaurants in 2006. Located in a nondescript building in downtown Honolulu, it's the food that counts here -- multi-cultural as the city, with creations like the "soup and sandwich", a combo of three colors of purée of Big Island tomatoes, served chilled, and a foie gras and kalua pig sandwich. I had a feast of the 5 course tasting menu, while Matthew tried Big Island Abalone and Macadamia Nut-Coconut Crusted Lamb Chops (the lamb was really good, even a non-lamb eater like me could tell). Good service too.

On our last day in Oahu, we missed our flight at noon (due to general tardiness plus bad traffic). So we got an extra afternoon/evening to roam around the city -- Oahu has a pretty good bus system. Lounging around Magic Island (a beach park near Waikiki), we watched hordes of surfers hovering in the water near the canal, waiting their next wave; from time to time, little sailboats, canoes, and paddle boarders would headed out into the sea; in the park, there were couples taking wedding photos, families arriving with kids to play on the beach, and joggers galore. This is such a colorful, lively, yet relaxing city. I love just about all of it (except the traffic)! As we watched the sun set in Waikiki, we both were looking forward to our next visit to the island.

View all Waikiki photos here.

posted by gz 4:38 下午 留言/