Sunday Photo: Swimming Honu

Swimming Honu
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort, Ka'anapali

As I mentioned yesterday, we're headed back to the Sheraton for the fourth year in a row, come February. Although there was the thought of using my aunt's timeshare or even looking for somewhere else to stay, we would have missed out on our almost daily greetings from the honu (sea turtles) near Black Rock.

You see, we save up and splurge on the ocean front rooms at the Sheraton Maui Resort, and not only do you get views like this one from your own private lanai, you get to see the sea turtles that swim near Black Rock in Ka'anapali.  There will also be the occasional snorkeller swimming nearby as well (and the ones that decide to where their white T-shirt in the water, we call those albino sea turtles) since the area is often regarded as one of the better snorkeling areas in West Maui.  And while we aren't water sport people ourselves, we have the next best thing from the vantage point on our lanai.

Almost everytime we're out on our balcony, whether it's first thing in the morning, coming back from breakfast, or stopping back to our room after time at the pool, we'd take a moment to see one of these fun creatures poke his head out of the water.  In some cases, we've seen two and even three turtles all nearby in the same place, and they'll even stay near the surface for a good minute or two before diving down back out of sight.

Now, since we're not sea people like I mentioned, I had to use my 300mm telephoto lens to get this close up.  Even then, this photo is cropped to get a better view.  The only time we've gotten super close is at the Maui Ocean Center and their Turtle Lagoon exhibit.  As you can see, they look a little less friendly up close.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

New and Improved Ka'anapali Dreamin' Photo Gallery

I'm happy to announce the new and improved Ka'anapali Dreamin' Photo Gallery.



Some of the new improvements include a better layout with more details on the individual sets, a simpler browse page to view thumbnails and previews of photos in a set, and a new photo details page that includes a full description and maps of where the photo was taken (if available).

There are still more features I'm looking to add at some point, but these new updates were such a big improvement over the previous photo pages that I just had to share them. And don't forget, all of these photos are posted on Flickr, so just click a photo on the details page and you can view and add comments for all of your favorites.

I'm going to be spending a little bit of time this week going through these photos myself and geotagging the ones without maps and trying to update as many titles as I can. But don't let you from diving in yourself and letting me know what you think of these changes. If you don't remember what it previously looked like, it's probably for the best. ;)

Mahalo, and enjoy.
Kris.

Sunday Photo: Footsteps in the Sand

Footsteps in the Sand
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Maluaka Beach, South Maui
Buy This Photo

We're going back to Maluaka Beach this week with this simple little snapshot of footprints in the sand. As I mentioned last time, there weren't too many people enjoying this stretch of sand when we were there. That allowed me to set up this little shot of my footsteps in the sand just before they were washed out by the waves. Sure, there are beaches all over the world and there isn't necessarily anything "Maui" about this photo, but I and anyone else that have visited the beaches on Maui understand.

I actually stumbled onto this photo when looking for a new photo for my Facebook profile. A few other past Sunday Photos that have made it into the final round of consideration include the Grumpy Honu and, of course, a Maui Sunset. If you're on Facebook and want to talk story, be sure to look us up or send us a note. :)

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Big Beach

Big Beach
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Big Beach in Makena State Park
Buy This Photo

There's always enough room on the golden sands of Big Beach in Makena State Park, located near almost the very end of South Maui. According to some guides, this beach is a whopping 2/3 mile long from end to end, and while I was taking photos, it took me a good 20 minutes to walk it just one way!

It truly is a lovely beach, especially if you're looking to get away from the crowds of the high-end resort areas or downtown Lahaina. No matter what you're looking to do, whether it's throwing around the frisbee, playing volleyball, body-boarding, you name it, you'll be able to enjoy it until your heart's content without worrying about tripping over someone else or getting in somebody's way.

Big Beach is kind of a drive if you're staying in Kapalua or Ka'anapali, so you should plan for spending a good part of your day in South Maui. Which isn't that big of a concern because you have Wailea and Kihei nearby, so your shopping and dining needs will be well met. There are also concerns and advisories about thefts and break-ins occurring in the different parking lots at Makena State Park, so it requires you to be a little bit smarter about what you're bringing with you and don't leave anything in the car that is valuable to you or someone else.

You can follow these tips from our friends at Go Visit Hawaii and you should be okay.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Maluaka Beach

Maluaka Beach
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Continuing on with our showcase of Maui beaches, we head further down South of Kihei to the northern part of Makena in a little secluded spot known as Maluaka Beach. Now, by secluded I mean it's not on a main roadway or across of tons of shops like Kama'ole or Ka'anapali. Nor is it nestled near large and glitzy resorts like Kapalua or Napili. Maluaka is a little off the normal route and calls the Maui Prince Hotel it's only large-scale neighbor.

You'll find this one in a few of the guide books and on a handful of websites that cover Maui beaches, but otherwise you don't normally hear many people talking about Maluaka Beach unless they've stayed at the Maui Prince Hotel. As mentioned, it's located in South Maui, but it's not that crowded when compared to Big Beach or the resorts in Wailea nearby. It still has a nice view of Molokini off in the distance, and Cindy and my mom caught a glimpse of a whale breach just off shore when we were there in April. I, unfortunately was off taking photos and missed it, but I give them the benefit of the doubt. They're good people. :)

You'll probably read elsewhere that this beach is one that is referred to as a "turtle town", something that attracts snorkelers and scuba divers which we did see in the hour or so that we stayed there. Being small and quiet, there were also a few families out in the water together, which is always fun to see.

If you're on your way to Wailea or Big Beach, try to squeeze in sometime to check out Maluaka Beach for yourself. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as we did.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Kama'ole Beach I

Kama'ole Beach I
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Kama'ole Beach I in Kihei
Buy This Photo

Who's up for a little beach hopping? I'm starting a beach theme for the next few Sundays and the first in that series is the above photo of Kama'ole Beach I taken this past April. Although it was a partly cloudy day for a good amount of the time we spent there that day, one of the things I like about this photo is the details in the water right at the bottom. I just love walking along the shoreline and snapping photos, but when you can look down and the water is so crystal clear as it washes over your feet, it's pretty neat.

Kama'ole Beach I was the first stop on our beach hopping day during our '08 Trip, and it was a great way to start the day. For us, coming from the Lahaina/Ka'anapali area, it is a little bit of a drive, so to get the most out of your trip down to South Maui, be sure to make a day out of it and plan to stay awhile. Kama'ole Beach I is actually the northern most of a series of 3 beaches that share the Kama'ole name. Beaches II and III each offer something a little different, and are more popular with the local residents than Beach I. Still, with a view of Molokini, parking nearby (that fills up fast), lifeguard, restrooms and showers and a mini mall across the street for a quick snack, you pretty much have everything you need for a day in the sun.

What I thought was neat about this particular beach in the chain of 3 was that there were a few hours along the north end right up against the sand, with only a small line of bushes separating them. The one below, for example, looks like it would be a blast to live in, having full sized windows and stunning views of the ocean. The sunsets alone will probably make you weep with joy. I can only imagine, though, that buying a house like that comes with a pretty hefty price tag. Oh well.



Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Molokai from Maui

Molokai from Maui
Taken by Kris Nelson on June 4, 2006
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka'anapali
Buy This Photo

As mentioned in the comments from the previous Sunday Photo, this photo was also taken from our time at the Sheraton, and to my amazement, I haven't featured it yet in our Sunday Photo series. Of all the photos from our trips to Maui, this has to be one of my favorites. You can read more about the details at my photography site.

This shot was also one from of my first days with a DSLR camera, and I just remember being so overwhelmed with all the options. I am living proof, however, that a little luck and a beautiful canvas can still lead to magical things. Now, two years and a few thousand photos later, this is still the desktop wallpaper on my primary computer at home and I even have a 20" x 30" version of this hanging on the wall in my home office.

Even though I see this photo everyday, this scenic view at the Sheraton is still one of the first spots we go to every year. It really has that "welcome back" feel for us. I hope you enjoy it.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Maui Vista

Maui Vista
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 19, 2008
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka'anapali
Buy This Photo

It's been raining nonstop here in Chicago for the last 48 hours and I really need to see the sun again. For our Sunday Photo this week, I chose one of the many shots I enjoy taking from our lanai at the Sheraton. This one has just about everything but the sand.

In the distance, you have the island of Lanai with it's fluffy white clouds overhead. Aside from that, the bluest of blue skies. Next, one of the few palm trees that greet us every morning on the oceanfront lawn at the Sheraton, standing tall and dancing in the gentle ocean breeze to get my attention. Last, but not least, a quiet reef area behind Black Rock that, for late on a Saturday morning, is currently absent of the regular snorkelers that often frequent these waters.

This photo makes me miss the island, yet it also makes me feel fortunate that all of our hard work throughout the year gives us the opportunity to enjoy such a paradise, even if only two weeks at a time. Some sources will argue that paying extra for an ocean front room isn't worth the money, but we feel differently. We know it's a big splurge and we could save a ton of money by getting a room in the different part of the resort and just walking a few steps to see the ocean, but for daily views like this one from your own private balcony whenever you step outside, I'm okay paying extra for the time being.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Warm and Golden Maui Sunset

Golden Maui Sunset
Taken by Kris Nelson on June 6, 2006
Location: Offshore near Kahekili Beach in West Maui
Buy This Photo

By my estimates, it's time for another sunset photo in our weekly series. Checking the posts here filed under the sunset category, it looks like it's about every month or so. I was just writing about sunsets the other day on my newest photography site, so I was sort of in that type of mood this weekend.

In any case, this shot was taken from the Teralani on our first sunset cruise back in 2006, which nowadays seems like ages ago. The orange sky at this time of day and under these conditions leaves a warm and inviting impression on you and it makes you feel so alive and ready to do it all again tomorrow. While some of my favorite sunsets are the ones that drop right down to the ocean at the horizon and leaves a sparkling reflection in the water, this one is a keeper, too. Here, the sun is escaping behinds clouds as they hover above the island of Moloka'i, and catching it at halfway through the event gives it just enough definition around the edges to come out perfect.

Mahalo, and have a great week.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Black Rock Torches

Black Rock Torches
Taken by Kris Nelson on Sept. 17, 2007
Location: Black Rock at Ka'anapali Beach in West Maui
Buy This Photo

It's Labor Day Weekend, and if you're having a BBQ and spending some time outside tonight, you might have a few tiki torches nearby. Well, if not, here's one that's about 4,000 miles away.

This shot is a close-up of one of the torches that is lit atop Black Rock as part of the nightly cliff dive ceremony at the Sheraton Maui Resort. Obviously there isn't much to this photo, but for West Maui fans, it means a little something extra.

Mahalo, and enjoy the holiday weekend everyone.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Sailboat at Ka'anapali Beach

Sailboat at Ka'anapali Beach
Taken by Kris Nelson on Sept. 17, 2007
Location: Ka'anapali Beach in front of the Westin Maui
Buy This Photo

While a good amount of ocean tours operate out of Lahaina or Ma'alaea Harbor, a few of the come right to you! This photo is a shot of the sailboat Gemini approaching the beach in Ka'anapali just in front of the Westin Maui Resort. For those staying in Ka'anapali, having these vessels come right to your door is a big plus rather than having to drive to the harbor, finding and paying for parking, and then waiting for your boat to exit out into the ocean (which can be an event in itself).

The Teralani is another boat you'll see often, and one that we did back in 2006. It was great because we were able to hang out at Whalers Village a while after check-in for the tour and after the cruise was over, we went back for ice cream at Ha'agan Dazs. :)

Only the smaller ships are able to pick up passengers along the beach, so those tours are usually limited to cocktail cruises and snorkel or scuba adventures. The bigger whale watch tours and dinner cruises all have larger ships and those are out of the harbors mentioned above.

Have a favorite tour company of your own, or have experiences with any of the ones mentioned here? Share your stories with us.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.


Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Announcing Maui Wall Candy

Maui Wall Candy is now online!

Over the last few weeks, I have mentioned that I was working on an online photo store for my favorite Maui photos from our trips to the Valley Isle. Today, the site has been officially launched and open to the public.

While you can read the full announcement details at my web development blog here, I wanted to give a summary for my readers at Ka'anapali Dreamin' because I know you all love Maui just as much as we do.

The aim of Maui Wall Candy is to Share the Aloha of Maui and give people a way to incorporate Maui into their own surroundings. These photos are available in both print and digital formats, which offers more flexibility than just hanging a photo on a wall. I listed a few photo ideas on the site, but there are many more possibilities.

I have done some due diligence to make sure prices of these photos are very affordable. While I will never claim to be anywhere close to a professional photographer like Ron Dahlquist (one of my favorite Hawaii photographers), I do receive a fair share of compliments for some of my shots. One of the benefits of not being a photographer for a living means I don't need to charge and arm and a leg to put food on the table, which means my photos can reach a larger audience of Maui fans.

Currently, there are about 50+ photos available at Maui Wall Candy, broken out in a few galleries to start. I still have a lot more photos to go through and upload, so I added a Coming Soon page to let visitors know what I'm working on. So, if you've seen something here in the Sunday Photos series or elsewhere on Ka'anapali Dreamin' that isn't available yet, odds are it will be soon.

There is also a Recent Photos Feed that you can subscribe to so you can see when new photos are added.

So please stop on by the Maui Wall Candy site and have a look around. I really hope you like what you see, and hope you see something you like. :)

Mahalo Nui Loa,
Kris.

Sunday Photo: Cool Drinks in Lahaina

Cool Drinks in Lahaina
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Boy, to say that I've been busy these last few weeks would be a big understatement. I thought posting this little photo would help take the edge off.

This was taken at BJ's Chicago Pizzeria in Lahaina. One of our favorite activities when going out to eat on vacation in Maui is trying different tropical drinks. Not only do they help you enjoy your time on the island, they usually look pretty neat, too.

With this photo, I decided to play around with Photoshop a little bit and bring out the colors of the drinks themselves by graying out everything else. It's a technique I was playing around with last year and something I featured in a previous post for Black Rock.

Now, back to the busy part. I've been working tirelessly on getting photos uploaded to my new photo store. There are still a lot of photos to process and upload, but I should be ready for a formal announcement sometime this week. However, since I feel it's ready enough for a sneak peak, I thought I'd give a first notice here for my readers at Ka'anapali Dreamin'.

So, if you like what you see here in the Sunday Photos series and are looking for some beautiful images of Maui to decorate your home, workspace or to give the gift of Maui to a loved one, be the first to check out Maui Wall Candy. Be sure to look for a formal announcement this week as well and checking back regularly as I process and upload a long list of photos I'm looking to share with all of you.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Beach at Whalers Village

Beach at Whalers Village
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Not the sharpest photo in my collection, but this shot of the beach at Whalers Village (taken from aboard the Teralani) is nice view of a common pastime of shoppers at Whalers after dinner: sitting along the beach after sunset. In the background, there is Leilani's on the right, the Rusty Harpoon farther back in the center, and Hula Grill on the left. Those familiar with the area will know exactly of where this is. :)

We've been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about Whalers Village, and Maui in general, as we're starting to get closer to our next trip. We even picked the dates, the last two weeks of February!!! That's only 6 months (and a long Chicago winter away). Kidding aside, here it is nearly the middle of August and we can't believe summer is almost over. Wow.

Also, I've been pretty busy the last week or so working on our new photo store, offering our favorite photos from Maui in a wide range of sizes and all at very affordable prices. We're pretty excited about it and will be sharing more information in the next week or so. Stay tuned.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: A Stroll Down Front Street

A Stroll Down Front Street
Originally uploaded by webnelly

On an island with so much to do, sometimes you just want to take it easy and just enjoy the beautiful weather outside. This week's photo was taken in Lahaina doing just, that. A nice stroll down Front Street near the harbor after a late lunch with a gorgeous blue sky overhead and just a gentle breeze off the water.

There are quite a few spots along Front Street in Lahaina that you can stop and just look out into the water, this being only one of them. The photo was taken just southwest of Cheeseburger in Paradise to give those familiar with the area a point of reference. We're not ones to say any particular spot is better to watch the boats than another, but we do end up here now and again after lunch or just walking downtown throughout the day.

And, if you happen to see the ship below just outside the harbor, fear not that someone might be in trouble. The sailboat has actually been there for many years now, and only silly people like us, who after seeing it for the first time from our oceanside table at Cheeseburger in Paradise asked our waiter if that boat was in danger of sinking. :)



Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Black Rock, colorized

Black Rock, colorized
Originally uploaded by webnelly

This shot was taken at the base of Black Rock in Ka'anapali, Maui about 30 minutes prior to sunset. I colored it up a little bit by isolating the green and the sand in the foreground and a few highlighted spots near the boat.

We were at Black Rock for the nightly Cliff Dive Ceremony there, and spotted a ship nearby that was there for the same reason. On some nights, there are keiki (kids) jumping from the rocks as late as five minutes prior to the ceremony, so what you're seeing here is the last few jumps before the ceremony started. You'll see a lot of photos (including mine) that have the normal view of Black Rock from the beach with it's familiar shape (an example), but if you visit the beach, you can walk all the way up to the base of the cliff and you get a completely different perspective of the cliff itself and where he's jumping from.

Even better, if you're out for a late night stroll after an ono dinner along the beach, why not walk all the way over to the base of the cliff while the torches are still lit. You'll be memorized by the flames of the torches that line Black Rock as they dance in the water and the waves below. If you turn around, you can see the nighttime glow of Ka'anapali along the beach as well, as shown here.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Inside the Lava Tube

Inside the Lava Tube
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Okay, so the first thing you think of when you see this photo isn't really Maui. It's not a shot you'd find on a postcard or on the front cover of a travel guide at the bookstore, but it's still a neat shot.

This was taken from inside the lava tube at Waianapanapa State Park along the Road to Hana. Lava tubes were formed hundreds of years ago by flowing rivers of lava that ran down from the volcanoes, which also was the foundation for many of the black sand beaches as well. They pretty much like caves with two ends forming a tunnel, and were used in the days of the ancient Hawaiians as a safe haven for women and children during battle.

What was neat about this lava tube was that you could easily walk in from one end (although the clearance was about 3 feet) and on the other end was the ocean, with waves crashing in through that opening just like it was on the black sand outside. It was rather windy when we were there this past trip, and the waves were crashing pretty hard. So you could hear the loud sound the waves were making as they slammed into the nearby rocks, and then you would feel the water rushing into the opening of the lava tube (it was pretty cold). Finally, as the water descended back into the ocean, it would run across the small rocks at the base of the tube opening and would make an eerie hissing sound, almost like a sizzling sound.

I loved it so much after taking these photos that I ran back up the rocky stair climb to fetch my video camera from my wife, who was watching with mom from above. After returning to the lava tube, I shot video for about 5 minutes walking into and through the lava tube, seeing other people inside, others climbing on the rocks and one of the holes in the upper area, and also capturing the waves and that sizzle the water was making as the waves left the entrance.

I haven't had much luck encoding and posting that video online so far, but once I do, I'll add a link from this post.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Maui Sunset '06

Maui Sunset '06
Originally uploaded by webnelly

You can never really have too many sunset photos from Maui. This one was actually one for the first ones we took back in 2006. It was taken from the lanai in our room at the Sheraton looking right out onto the ocean, with nothing but a small palm tree off to the lower right in our view.

Not many people will argue that the sunsets anywhere on Maui are absolutely spectacular, but we tend to believe that Ka'anapali and Lahaina sunsets are second to none. But at the end of the day, seeing the sunset anywhere in Hawaii is just as magical.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Docked in Lahaina Harbor

Docked in Lahaina Harbor
Originally uploaded by webnelly

This photo is from a couple of years back when we first visited Maui. It was taken aboard a water taxi, the Spirit of Lahaina I believe, that was taking us out to the Maui Princess for our Dinner Cruise. It was also our first time at Lahaina Harbor and seeing all the slots and different boats lined up there offering many different activities. Very photo-worthy.

Since then, we've been back quite a few times for other dinner cruises, sunset cocktail cruises, and even a whale watch. While we were in Lahaina last time, there was also a cruise ship "docked." Now, obviously a large cruise ship would certainly not fit in such a small harbor, so that big boat is anchored quite a ways off shore and a water taxi takes it's voyagers to and from the harbor.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Hawaiian Stitch

Hawaiian Stitch
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Mostly off topic here, but a few friends and coworkers of mine got together this past Saturday and met up at Gameworks out here in Schaumburg. It's just one of those big bar and arcade type places that have something like 200 different video games with prizes and stuff like that.

Anyway, I pulled this guy out of one of those claw machines and just had to post a photo of him. Looks like he's ready for a luau, doesn't he? :)

Sunday Photo: Hammock on the Beach

Hammock on the Beach
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Ah, a lazy afternoon sending your cares away in hammock along the beach. How's that for a thought on Sunday?

This very inviting hammock was setup just off the Ka'anapali Beachwalk in Ka'anapali on Maui, down near the Hyatt if I recall. The beach itself is just on the other side of those bushes, and if you look in the water between the trees there, you'll see a group of students from a nearby surf school going out for the first time. The island in the background, of course, it Lanai.

Sunday Photo: Ka'anapali Beach

Ka'anapali Beach
Originally uploaded by webnelly

This is actually one of the first photos we took from our first trip to Maui back in 2006. It's still one of our favorites to this date. And if you think it looks familiar, it's the photo currently used in the header of our website and blog. :)

While the truth is there is really so much you can do on Ka'anapali Beach, this picture truly captures one of our favorite pastimes, just relaxing on the beach and enjoying a gorgeous day on Maui. That's the island of Lanai out in the distance, topped with the only clouds in the sky (aside from Molokai off to the right out of frame).

Sure, you could probably find days like this on other islands, back on the mainland, or even other parts of the world. For us, its just what we equate to being on Maui, and there's really nothing that can compare, nor is there really a compelling reason for us to look elsewhere for such magnificent beauty and magical memories of the happiest days of our lives.

Sunday Photo: Sun Behind Black Rock

Sun behind Black Rock
Originally uploaded by webnelly

It's been said before, both here and many other places on the web, that the sunsets on Maui are some of the most beautiful in the world. The ones on West Maui, from our favorite Ka'anapali area especially, are often considered the best of the islands.

Here, after watching the nightly cliff dive ceremony at Black Rock, I went to work capturing the sun's descent as it drifted slowly behind Black Rock on it's way to the horizon.

Sunday Photo: Grumpy Honu

Grumpy Honu
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Honu, is the Hawaiian name for Sea Turtle. These are green sea turtles that are part of the Turtle Lagoon exhibit at the Maui Ocean Center. They always seem to be grumpy (hence the name of the photo) whenever we see them in photos or even near Black Rock when we see them poke their head above water for air. I think one of the reasons we get a kick out of these guys is because of the Comcast commercials they had here in Chicago a few years ago with The Slowskys.

Unfortunately, we don't scuba dive and don't get the opportunity to go down under the water and watch these guys swim close up. There are tons of photos on Flickr that people have taken doing just that. Here's one of my favorites. Maybe someday we'll break down, learn to snorkel first and then take the plunge.

Photos, Photos and More Photos

Boy, it has only been a week since we've returned from Maui and it's starting to feel like forever since we last walked along Ka'anapali Beach. Bummer.

I have been fairly busy this week, though, uploading tons of our latest photos to Flickr. In fact, I have posted so many photos from this last trip, it's not that easy to tell by looking at our Flickr collection or our Photo Gallery which photos are new and which ones are older. So to help, here's a little summary of what's new this week.

New Sets


Big Beach @ Makena State Park


Ka'anapali Beach


Kahekili Beach


Kama'ole Beach Park I


Malu'aka Beach


Road to Hana '08


Whale Watching


Existing Sets with New Photos


Lahaina Town



Ka'anapali Sunset Luau


Maui Ocean Center


Sheraton Maui Resort


Phew, that's quite a bit of work, eh? I still have a few more sets of photos to go through and upload, including the ones from our whale watch with the Pacific Whale Foundation and ones from the black sand and red sand beaches we saw along the Road to Hana.

As if that's not enough, I still have quite a few videos to go through and upload to YouTube as well. And I still have all the new beaches, restaurants and tours that we had this trip to update on the website as well. There's also the Road to Hana Photo Tour I need to work on with our photos and GPS logs, and I came up with yet another idea for a photo journal using our Flickr photos and the Flickr API to create an area of our site to browse photos taken by each day of each of our trips.

By the time I finish with everything, I'm going to need a vacation. I wonder where I'll go.

Let me know what you think of the new pics, and if you're on Flickr, don't be shy.

Mahalo.

Road to Hana '08 Photos Added

New Flickr Set added - Road to Hana '08


Wailua Falls
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Catching up on photos from our last trip, I uploaded the new set of photos from our Road to Hana tour, all geotagged with the GPS data from the tour. Right now, you can use the Map feature on Flickr when viewing each photo to see where it was taken, but going forward, I will be putting together a photo tour like I did for the Ka'anapali Beachwalk here.

For now, there are still a lot of photos in the set, which I will likely end up trimming down some more. There are almost no titles or descriptions yet, and many will still need to be edited and cleaned up. It will probably take days if not weeks, but I will slowly be making progress.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Mahalo.

Beach Hopping in South Maui

Boy, today was quite a long day, so forgive me for not going in way too much detail right now. Bear in mind, though, that I will be adding each of these to our Beaches section in the coming weeks.

The day started off about 11am heading down to South Maui for the first time this trip. First on our list today was Kama'ole Beach Park I.



Kama'ole is actually made up of 3 different beach parks in Kihei, and we started off with the first one. Of the three beaches we visited today, the sun and clouds cooperated the most. It was a pretty nice beach, and there was plenty of room for us to spread out. The facilities were pretty nice, too, as there was showers, restrooms and a lifeguard. Parking was a little tight, though, luckily we pulled in just a