Hawaiians here, when finding out we live in Kailua...ask, have you seen the Weeping Mountains?
We have always answered no...until yesterday! The mountain range on the eastern (windward) side of Oahu are the Ko'olau Range....they are very green, very jagged, and very steep. When a heavy rain takes place the Mountain peaks shed water down their face, and trickles of runoff rain turn into steams ...which turn into torrents of water spilling off the sides of the mountain. The mountains weep...it is quite a spectacle. Yesterday Kathy and I hiked to the Waihe'e Falls...a moderate hike to a modest waterfall not far from home...good exercise on a rainy day, we thought. We donned ponchos, grabbed an umbrella and off we went. Soon you could hear the sounds of the nearby streams getting louder and louder. We looked up and sure enough, the mountains were weeping. By the time we arrived at the Falls (about an hours hike) it was an impressive display...no Niagra mind you, but spectacular and beautiful.
Another fun experience recently was the invitation to go paddling with an OLD MASTER and some new friends. Kathy met a couple at church who are part of a canoe club of older paddlers....they are called appropriately enough
The Fossils. Their coach and mentor is Uncle Stu an older Hawaiian Man who is the local icon of ocean canoe paddling. These are six person canoes with a pontoon. They are paddled with each person paddling on the opposite side in perfect unison and they
move!
We said a prayer on the beach and off we went through the surf and out onto the aqua green ocean. First impression... super smooth...like silk gliding through the water. After a short time the pacer yells HIT...you then finish your stroke then take one more, then, switch to the opposite side...all in perfect unison...no loss of momentum. Well, that's the way it is supposed to be...as rookies we were herky jerky for a while...later we seemed to find the rhythm. Once out a way we turned and Uncle Stu looked for the perfect wave...then on command we paddled like crazy and rode the wave. It was like flying...must be what surfers feel...awesome. We did that a few times..saw a curious sea turtle come up near the boat and finally hit the beach where we began. Fun and different. Boy are we lucky!
Enjoy the pictures...Spring has sprung...Go Sox...
this is the year !
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| Clouds and Mist and the Weeping begins |
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| Kathy on the trail...you can see three steams behind her |
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| What a fashion statement...no wonder the mountains are weeping! |
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| SPECTACULAR!!! |
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| These trees drop down vertical braches which then go into the ground forming part of the root system |
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| Always flowers along the trails |
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| Typical six person canoe...not us by the way |
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| Now triple the size...add the sail and imagine going 2300 miles...that is how the Polynesians got here in 300 AD ! |
