Shark, Turtle, Bobblehead.

“In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans”

Kahlil Gibran 

We had spent the last few days enjoying the local flora and majestic beach and mountain vistas. Today was the day we wanted to see indigenous fauna. It was time to don the snorkels and get up close and personal with the creatures of the deep. First stop was Shark's Cove although no-one has a clue why its called that as the water in the tide pools is not very deep.

 

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” 

Ryunosuke Satoro

Next stop Laniakea or Turtle Beach in search of the Honu, Hawaii's only indigenous reptile, the Green sea turtle. These creatures existed alongside the dinosaurs and well before Hawaii erupted into creation.  According to local folklore, Honu was created from a drawing on a rock.  This legend holds that because the turtle was part of the earth, the creature must return to land to lay eggs. The turtles of Laniakea use their flippers to drag themselves ashore to bask in the warm sun, they are not there to lay eggs but to feed on the prolific seaweed in the area. They seemed ambivalent to the tourist hordes encircling them while snapping pictures. Native Hawaiians honor the Honu as an ancestral spirit guide, a symbol of wisdom, longevity, peace, humility and good luck. The only longevity I could see being respected were the long lines of traffic crawling along the road which runs parallel to the sand.

"Hanau ka po ia honu kua nanaka"

Meaning "From the darkness of time came the sea turtle with its plated back" 

Kumulipo: A Hawaiian creation chant

The Turtle represents an ancient connection between land, primordial sea and man. The kids and I decided to snorkel up and try to take a closer look. There were so many turtles and they were so unaffected by humans it was difficult to always maintain a respectful distance. Especially so when wearing a fogged up mask underwater. The turtles are difficult to distinguish from the very rocks they are feeding upon. I suppose that put me between a Honu and a hard place.

“My eyes are an ocean in which my dreams are reflected.”

Of course, when the second turtle appeared in my viewfinder the camera made a weird flashing signal I'd never seen before and stopped working. I was forced to just float and enjoy the experience of these solemn stately creatures as they scraped at the seaweed on the coral. The abudance of large boulders and rocky coral shoreline protect the turtles from their main predators, tiger sharks. Just the thought of the word and I started to hear the Jaws music in amongst the underwater sounds.

“May your joys be as deep as the ocean, your sorrows as light as its foam.”

I paddled in every increasing concentric circles while simultaneously trying to keep my bikini under control, fix the camera, breathe through a semi-blocked snorkel and avoid bumping into turtles or tourists. Hauling myself ashore, I flopped onto the sand with far less grace than the reptiles that had pulled in ahead of me. We lay in the brilliant sunshine drying off and I drifted off into a dreamy state of wonder. Turtles can live around 80 years, these turtles of Laniakea have lived through unbelievable changes. Hatched in an era of Duke Kahanamoku they have seen the Pacific Clippers fly overhead, paddled along beaches patrolled by Eddie Aikau and have watched the numbers of tourists increase from around 20,000 in 1930 to over 7 million in 2012. It was amazing that these reptiles had endured the onslaught of man and were so comfortable existing right next to me. It was so easy to sight turtles here, either the ancient gods of the Honu were smiling down on me or my new plastic trinket of another Hawaiian native was bringing me luck. It seemed strange to think of the President anywhere else other than Washington DC.  Now I was even more curious to go to Honolulu and experience Waikiki.

“You can’t really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii.“

Michelle Obama

Heavenly Sea

“We, the Hawaiian people, who are born from the union of Papahanaumoku and Wakea, earth mother and sky father, and who have lived in these islands for over 100 generations, will always have the moral right to the lands of Hawai'i now and forever, no matter what any court says.” 

 Lilikalā K. Kame'eleihiwa

The Gods had sent us north and west, now it was time for the GPS to send us south to Lanikai which means "heavenly sea".  It is ranked as one of the world's best beaches and more importantly recommended by my Hawaiian aficionado Loryn.

“The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach”

Henry Beston

Erupted from the earth, carved by the elements and clad by the forest flora, the mountains dictated the path of the road along the beach, then inland over a pass.  Driving through this magnificent vista of emerald ravines rising vertically from brilliant turquoise water, inspirited each passenger in our jeep.  I crouched lower to gaze upward and marvel at the natural dominance of these cravasse ravaged mountains.  

“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.” 

Anonymous

We drove around the tiny Lanikai coastal community and found parking along the street.  The beach was hidden by the houses and it was the fine white sand trailing out of the beach access that directed us towards our strand paradise.  It is with beach bum pride I can confess I have spent a lifetime of global pursuit of breathtaking beaches.  The picture perfect powdery fineness of Lanakai left me open mouthed and speechless.  It was difficult to determine which element gave it the ascendant spot in my list of all time favorites.  Perhaps it was the crystal clear aqua marine water?  Or was it the palm fringed backdrop of the green volcanic ridge?  However I think it was the twin islands that peaked my perfection.  Affectionally known as the "Two Mokes" they lent perspective to the grandeur of the cloud scattered azure heavens.  The bright orange outrigger anchored offshore provided the finishing detail for my Hawaiian heaven.

“Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

There was little else to do other than jump in and enjoy.  So we did for hours.  Smiling, swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing, true bliss.

"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile."

Paul Simon

"A daughter is a gift of love." 

Author Unknown

A happy day at the beach.  It was difficult to tell if it was the dry salt on my cheeks, or the never ending smile on my mouth that made my face ache so much as we dragged ourselves back through the alley and loaded into the Jeep. Perhaps a quick snack on the way home might revive our weariness?  The vast array of Asian delicacies on offer at all the convenience stores had me almost wanting to try.  Even though I am now part mermaid I just couldn't bring myself to eat cuttlefish, a creature with three hearts, green blood and the ability to see backwards.  They change color like a chameleon, have jet propulsion and squirt ink for defense.  In dumb blonde confession, I only knew of them as cuttlebone put in bird cages.

Fish, to taste right, must swim three times - in water, in butter, and in wine."

Polish Proverb

Legends and Mermaids

"Can miles truly separate us from friends?

If we want to be with someone we love, aren't we already there?"
Richard Bach

One of the rare benefits of growing older is sharing memories with special friends and getting to talk story about times gone by.  It was my absolute pleasure to hang out at the beach with Brian and Greg, who have moved through the decades of their lives continually sharing a passion for capturing the ocean and its inhabitants on film.  The joy the guys had in swimming in the clear blue water of Waimea Bay was surpassed only by their mischievous grins when they swapped cameras for a while.   

 "H2O:  two parts Heart and one part Obsession. " 

Author Unknown

The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories."

Mencius

The ingredients were all there, two professional cameramen, clear ocean water and the dreamy vision of a silhouette through the bubbles.  The beauty of the image was imprinted onto my memory and with a wry smile I knew I would get to relive the pictures capturing the moment for ever with their underwater cameras.  Waimea means "Red Water" in Hawaiian, but my eyes could only see blue sky and the aqua marine of the flat ocean.  These summertime conditions were clear and calm and it was hard to imagine the huge winter waves crashing onto the beaches with people stretched out under the warmth of the Hawaiian sun.

  

“I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.”

T. S. Eliot

Brian’s wonderful daughter Taya was a most patient mermaid as she performed over and over the graceful swoop of her tail while Greg and Brian dived below and swam alongside.  Everyone seemed so comfortable in the water and in all things Hawaiian.  For me to be taking amateur snaps of these seasoned photographers while they shot professional stills and video seemed so tongue in cheek, well it would have been if I hadn't have been biting down hard on a snorkel.  Clumsily trying to keep up and squinting behind my fogged mask, I was reminded of the steep learning curve this dumb blonde Sheila always seemed to be swimming against.  

“Not everything is a mermaid that dives into the water.”

Russian Proverb

But wait, the next mermaid was blonder and choking down far too much saltwater while floundering at the surface.  Swimming in a wetsuit tail is much more difficult than it looks.  There was no way my surface coughing and spluttering was going to lure any unsuspecting sailor onto the rocks.  The only sirens anyone was likely to hear would be the emergency vehicles called in to resuscitate me.

"The water is your friend.  You don't have to fight with water,
just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move."
Aleksandr Popov


As the afternoon wore on, Greg filmed the kids and I diving for shells. I was relieved he hadn't suggested shooting us leap from "da rock" several stories high.  Of course the kids effortlessly picked up the conch shell and brought it up to the camera. I managed to blow nose bubbles which emulated a manic manatee. Lolling around on the golden beach watching the light change, I started to marvel at the how this remote tiny place of Hawaii has produced such huge legends.  Some of these stories are of Gods and some of men and a few special tales are about both.

"I took off on a wave, went down the side, popped out the other end, and went, shit, I'm still alive!"

Greg Noll (on surfing Waimea Bay, Hawaii, for the 1st time) 

Eddie Aikau was a Hawaiian mortal who became a legend synonymous with Waimea, or perhaps it was Waimea that became legendary because of this man.   Eddie was the first lifesaver on the North Shore of Oahu responsible from Sunset Beach to Haleiwa.  Not one life was lost at Waimea while he served as lifeguard.  He would rescue people in such huge waves when no-one else dared, and that was perhaps how the saying "Eddie Would Go" began.  Interested in perpetuating his Hawaiian heritage, Eddie was selected to join the 2500 mile ancient Polynesian voyage between the Hawaiian and Tahitian Islands in a traditional double hull canoe.  The canoe sprang a leak and capsized in stormy weather and in an attempt to reach land and save the crew, Eddie paddled towards Lanai on his surfboard.  The US Coast Guard picked up the crew and a huge search and rescue was launched for Eddie, but he was never seen again.  Perhaps such big hearted protectorship eventually demands the ultimate self sacrifice, or maybe it was simply Eddie's path of Aloha from man to immortality.  The Quiksilver Big Wave invitational tournament in Memory of Eddie Aikau only takes place when open ocean swells breaking there reach at least 20ft, which means a wave face of at least 30ft - when "Eddie Would Go".

"Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. 

Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real."

Deepak Chopra

The Hawaiian Islands gifted surfing to the world.  As the sun slipped behind the horizon I gained a glimmer of understanding as to why so many gods, legends, mortals and indeed mermaids have an intrinsic connection with these tiny islands of greatness.   

Ain't nobody here but us chickens

“Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life” 

Epictetus

Finally, 28 hours after departure, we made it to  Kapuuolai, our North Shore, Oahu, cottage.  I was trying to be Zen about the journey but in the darkness my arrival felt far too desolate. There was nobody around, excepting some darn noisy chickens.  I had a feeling that Mr. Rooster here was going to have something to say come daybreak.  If this truly was the Hill of Tranquility then our sandy garden path had to lead down to the Sea of Serenity, right?  Between the jet lag and "Mr. I'm Lucky to Still be Alive Rooster", we woke early enough to see the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean.

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun." Unknown.

Being on the windward side of the Island meant we were definitely off the beaten track, so much so the "unfrequented" theme seemed to have adorned the front porch and decorated itself on the inside of our dwelling.  An optimistic real estate agent would call it 'secluded and rustic', what did I care?  I was too busy looking for a spoon to stir the sachet of instant coffee we had recieved courtesy of Hawaiian Air.  Swigging down the black liquid, I raised my chipped mug and toasted the four travelers left stranded back in San Diego and silently thanked them for our plane seats.

"On the beach, you can live in bliss."

Dennis Wilson 

Breathing in the humid salt air, I relished the warm breeze rustling the lush green oasis surrounding us.  The sound of birdsong mixed with the churn of ocean coasters. We were deep in nature so I cast a suspicious eye into the undergrowth scrutinizing for evidence of any other unwelcome hillbilly inhabitants.  This was no time for suspicion and pessimism, we were in balmy paradise, it was time to get native and eat some shave ice.

"It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!"

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

We drove just a few miles along the road and we were able to suck up the shave ice tradition, which was brought over to the islands by the Japanese sugar plantation immigrants. Dating back to over a thousand years ago, the Japanese used swords to finely shave ice into this custom dessert. You can't call it a sno' cone because not only will you receive an ear full from the kids, but sno' cones are crushed ice. Very important differences, as the shavings absorb the syrup flavors and that list of flavors appear to be as long as the lines out of the famous Matsumoto Store in Haleiwa.

"Ice-cream is exquisite" 

Voltaire.

Our first day by the warm ocean waters and what do we do?  Head to a chlorine infested Water Park for a a day of fun in the sun with our friends the Bielmann family.  Greg and Brain's friendship goes way back to the seventies, although not quite as far back as the 1770's when Captain Cook made his first appearance.  The Hawaiians thought those first Europeans were Gods when they arrived in Hawaii.  Brian and Greg first went there for the huge winter surf and to capture legendary surfing gods on film. But today was a day for the guys to focus on family, not photos, and it was a perfect high adrenalin ride into our Hawaiian adventure.

"Life is like an ice-cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time." 

Charles M. Schulz

Mixing the shave ice tastes all together is just like the Hawaii people, a big mix of every flavor of people from Hawaiian to Asian to European to Hispanic to African.  These volcanic islands erupted into being and then life arrived via the water the wind or the wildlife.  If you peel back that last layer of a century or two, a Polynesian place lies beneath.  Without all the mainland tourists and their seaside resort bubbles, Oahu has a unique residential mix.

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” 

Jim Valvano

Jet lag and chickens are the world's most natural of alarm clocks. Our plan was to splash out on Father's Day at Keiki beach. Greg calls the area the seven mile miracle with at least ten world class surf spots along a few miles of coast.  Of course the HD video camera was dragged along like a third child.

"Beginners worry about gear, professionals worry about skill and masters worry about light" Unknown. 

"When you teach your son, you teach your son's son."

The Talmud

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

Theodore Hesburgh

With the warm waters caressing me and my hair fanning out around me, how could I know that I actually looked like the creature from the seaweed lagoon?

"Hold on to the center and make up your mind to rejoice in this paradise called life." 

Lao Tzu 

Paradise has a backdrop of Palms, Cassarina firs, Plumerias and Kukai trees fringing golden sands that roll down to the turquoise aqua of the ocean. To show children these places makes it utopia.

"I went into a French restaraunt and asked the waiter, 'Have you got frog's legs?' 

He said, 'Yes,' so I said, 'Well hop into the kitchen and get me a cheese sandwich."

Tommy Cooper

Time for a bite to eat, every intrepid explorer needs sustenance.  Captain Cook called the Hawaiian archipelago chain the Sandwich Islands after his sponsor Lord Sandwich.  The name didn't last long and neither did Cook, he was killed by the locals on his third trip here. I was grateful to just scarf down a fish taco and drive west from Haleiwa to the empty beaches of Mokuleia.  The road degraded down to a bumpy 4x4wd track as it neared the headland.

"Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason" 

Jerry Seinfeld.

The infamous Aloha spirit is definitely floating around in the breezy gusts blowing in from the Pacific.  Unfortunately our new GPS (Ghastly Painful Sheila) doesn't seemed to have cottoned onto the fact.  Luckily the voice of technology hasn't completely abandoned us and told us to pull over and ask for directions, but its terrible pronunciation of the Hawaiian names has been sacrilegious to the Gods of this land. 

"The road to positivity is strewn with the abandoned vehicles of the faint-hearted" 

Peter McWilliams

The golden beaches and the emerald ridged mountains were proving as diverse as the five lane freeways and bumpy dirt tracks.  Oahu was not at all what the kids and I expected it was turning out to be so much more.