Kona withdrawls

Still having withdrawls.  I had forgotten how much I love the Big Island.  It is still my favorite, yet I have not been to Maui or Kaua'i (I should really go!).  It was so great to be back after so many years and I have to say it is still generally the same place I fell in love with the first time I went.

Here are a few places to check out if you are ever on the Big Island or in Kona.

#1 - The King Kam - The King Kamehameha Hotel is right at the site of where King Kamehameha resided when he prospered on the Big Island.  This hotel is all about Big Island history and royalty.  The bay in which The King Kam sits on offers a gorgeous white sand beach, the picturesque view of the Ahu'ena Heiau, the historic temple reconstructed by King Kamehameha himself.  In the lobby they offer 20 paintings depicting the history of King Kamehameha, his predecessors and of the island, all painted by a local artist, along with tons of photographs, artifacts and a mural.

#2 - Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park - The City of Refuge - This is considered a sacred site as it was a place of sanctuary, where you could be saved.  It was also Royal grounds in which chiefs came to visit and the many ki'i house the bones of these chiefs, that infuse the area with their mana, or spirit. Another great historical and spiritual site.

#3 - Waipi'o Valley - Hike down into this gorgeous valley and check out the waterfall, the black sand beach, the dense forest and river that make up this lush valley deep set in high sea cliffs.  The hike back up is brutal, but if you have 4 wheel drive and a car that can make the climb and the trek through large mud puddles, that is a plus.  Well worth the hike though, if you are on foot.  The hike starts at the top of the southern lookout point, which also has great views.

#4 - Mauna Kea - Also, a sacred place, as are all the peaks in Hawai'i.  Best known for being the highest peak in all of the state of Hawai'i.  It is home to The Mauna Kea Observatories.  Lots of stars to see and the drive is pretty awesome.

#5 - South Point - Down here you are at the most Southern point in the USA. There are giant sea cliffs that drop off into the ocean.  Lots of fishing and jumping off of rocks happening here! There is also a green sand beach in which you can hike the 3 miles to or catch a ride with a few of the locals that take tourists to and from the beach for a small fee (it is worth it).  The drive through this area is gorgeous! Lots of farm land and lots of untamed land that is rough, rugged and beautiful.

Here are some photos of our trip.  Enjoy!

30 feet up at South Point

Green Sand Beach, South Point

Honaunau

Jimi on beach in front of the King Kam

Kona, Big Island, Hawai'i

Jumping off South Point

Kona Sunset

Waipi'o Valley

Waipi'o Lookout

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SanO Sundays

Our favorite thing about paddling is riding waves.  Hands down.  One of the best places to ride waves in a canoe in Orange County, Ca is San Onofre State Beach.  This kind of surfing is what you see everyone on those canoes in Waikiki doing, catching waves from way outside and being able to ride them all the way into shore.  For me this is the best of both worlds...surfing and paddling, can't get any better than that, in my opinion.

Photo Credit: Kel Thompson

My love for the ocean started when I was really young.  I wanted to be a lifeguard at the age of three, swim lessons were my favorite and I started swimming on my own just after I turned three.  My sister and I were in the water 24/7 in the summer with Jr. Guards, swim team, the beach, and our neighborhood pool.  I started surfing in Jr. high every summer and started paddling my sophomore year of high school, so now I was on the water almost every day of the week year round.  My senior year of high school I started surfing 3 times a week and paddling 6 days a week and that lasted through the first couple of years of college.  Once I started art school at CSULB surfing dropped off for me, but paddling and my love for the ocean still hold true.

Photo Credit: Molly Bishop

I have never understood the surfer attitude that is given off when you are not someone who is there everyday or is just there to have fun, like the idea that this is their beach and why are you here, even though I had been coming to the same exact spot to go to the beach every summer since before I can remember.  We still get the same attitude now as paddlers, or stand up paddlers, from surfers, even though a lot of us surf and have the same love of the waves and ocean that surfers do.

Photo Credit: Molly Bishop

Paddling was an easy choice for me because of the community, the history, the culture and the boat.  Believe it or not I feel so much more comfortable in a boat, then on a board!  There is always someone to paddle with and there are always dozens of people who are willing to go surf SanO with you in a canoe.  We were able to muster up three surf canoes, 3 standup boards, a surf ski and a dozen surf boards on a trailer made for fun.  We had people from all different clubs down there taking rides together and sharing some of the most gorgeous day!  SanO days maybe only happen 2 -3 times a year for us but they are always well worth the wait and no one can get us down on days like that.

Photo Credit: Molly Bishop

It is whoever is having the most fun right?  Its all about the people you meet, the experiences you find and the days you will never forget...that is what paddling is all about. xo  

Photo Credit: Maddie Dierkes of Mad Dream Design

SanO From Where I Stand (Photo Credit: Maddie Dierkes)

Fetch at Dog Patch (Photo Credit: Maddie Dierkes)

Ready for SanO (Photo Credit: Maddie Dierkes)

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