We visited the beach for sunrise (always a fan favorite)
And I took her to my favorite Botanical Garden, Ho’omoluhia. I have plenty of pictures from that scenery, so I’ll add a few personal ones.
And that night we went to my favorite Luau on island, Nutridge. Always a pleasure joining them for the night! They are my favorite because the scenery is unbeat, the food is authentic and really good, the drinks are really good, and their max capacity is something like 70 people. There’s a great overlook of Waikiki on your drive up.
Paddling is a sore subject with me… I bought my paddle board with great intentions, but getting it down to the ocean is difficult and finding calm waters is also difficult. This picture makes the water look calm, but in reality it was not easy to paddle. I bought a cart after much internet research, and it was a big fail. I’ve thought about investing in another… but it’s $130. If it works, it’s a useful buy and will help me use it more often… big if. Still contemplating it. For this excursion, we carried them using shoulder straps and it was ok but a huge effort for what it was worth.
ANYWAY. We did manage to paddle all the way to flat island. That first picture will give you some perspective- Lanikai is the pale beach at the end of the land point, and also my beloved mokes. It only took about 15 minutes. The water is super clear and it is outlined by a rocky perimeter which made it hard to explore but we walked a little bit.
Glad I’m conquering all sorts of fears and tackling these fun activities!
I’ve been wanting to knock out this hike but haven’t been procrastinating because on AllTrails it’s only a half mile loop… in fact when I proposed it to Jess I said maybe we can do a couple loops of it.
Well, turns out this is another sleeper hike and there’s a whole extension to it with a pretty great climb! There also isn’t a lot of parking, but we found a couple spots. This is the entrance, and some of the plants have identification plaque along the way.
After about 200 ft of climbing (you drive up a pretty big hill to get there) there’s a really great view and a bench to sit (this is looking out toward MCBH).
This is looking out toward Kailua and my beloved Mokes, plus Waimanalo to the right.
Then, the path continues up and up… like scrambling up… (this next section pictured had ropes to help) and you get pretty much the same views but also a view back toward the H3. It actually wasn’t that bad of a section, it was pretty grippy, but I wouldn’t do it after much rain and sat on my butt a couple spots to get down.
You can barely see the H3 coming around the bend. I’d like to revisit in the morning when the sun is on those mountains, but this shot with the rays is pretty neat. Needless to say, it took about an hour with stoppage to enjoy, and we didn’t even go all the way (we stopped at the top, but it looks like it goes down the other side and dead ends). I think it was 500ft elevation all things considered. Not bad for a Friday afternoon jaunt.
Elysha and Dan were married in August, when I made a “quick” trip home for their wedding. They finally made it out here for their honeymoon. We started with takeout breakfast from our favorite place, Over Easy. Then we went and did the Pillbox Hike. I will say that I am way more comfortable, maybe even confident? With this hike now.
The LOVED this hike. Short and sweet, great rewarding views, a little bit of history.
They were happy to hit the beach for a bit after this. We went for a dip and just relaxed and talked in our chairs and on the towel with a couple beers. We saw turtles! Elysha loves them so I’m glad we did. They are off to Maui to finish their honeymoon today, but it was so nice to see them.
Backtracking a bit…On Thursday when they arrived I went to the airport to surprise them with a Lei greeting. I had enough information to track down which flight they were (airline and layover and date). But I wasn’t 100% sure… so I went to the airport and sat at the baggage claim I thought they’d be going to. I contemplated looking for their luggage and tried… but a lot of the bag tags were not easily read and I thought it might look sketchy. So I waited… and waited… and waited… and they weren’t coming… so I texted her a vague “are you here yet?” message and she replied she was waiting in the line to verify they didn’t have to quarantine… I didn’t even think they’d be in it! So they were pretty late getting their bag. Since the busy-ness of the baggage claim died down, I decided I’d try to find the luggage again. I found Elysha’s and held it hostage until they came. I think the stewardess thought I was trying to steal luggage. When they eventually came out they were so surprised! I also gave them a couple Hawaii brewed beers and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Elysha tried to keep the lei until the next day, but the refrigerator was so cold it froze it on accident, oops!
The next day we went to dinner at 604 (not my favorite… it was an hour and fifteen minute wait, and I didn’t think the food or drinks were great). After that we went and they got a tour of the sub from Brian, at 8:00pm once he was done all his work. The timing ended up working out ok. So I was able to see them almost every day they were here! It was really awesome and made me feel a little homesick (although they live in Virginia now, so it’s not like I’d see them much anyway). It was just nice to see an old friend. They are off to Maui to finish up!
Backstory- Jess and I have been picking up trash on Lanikai about once a week. One week we encountered a family there who started a conversation with us and has a whole sifter to use to sift out microplastics, so we bonded over the beach cleanup. Anyway, turns out they have a sailboat and have offered to take us out on it. (Also turns out, Pat is a retired firefighter).
The mokes have been sitting there tempting me every morning… so many people will kayak or stand up paddle board out there, but it’s a little far beyond my risk tolerance. Let me tell you… the sailboat method was the best.
The day we went there was little to no wind, and it was the most leisurely, relaxing sail I’ve ever had. It was beautiful to see Lanikai from the ocean, and we were sailing next to turtles. I didn’t know what to expect, so these are only phone photos (I didn’t risk my big camera). I actually wasn’t even sure I was going to go, because I was nervous about the whole thing, but I took a risk and Pat was really kind and assuring.
The waves actually come in around both sides of the island to crash together in front of a beach. It looks a little daunting, but the boat was so stable and we did fine. We did spend a good 5 minutes watching all the kayaking tourists tip over, and I definitively decided I will not take a kayak out there.
Then we hiked around the back side and got to what is called the queens bath. It’s about 6ft deep. We jumped in! And just beyond is a smaller pool. You have to be careful where you put your hands, there are a lot of sea urchins in all the crevices!
Apparently the thing to do is relax and watch the waves break, sometimes they’ll break over the queens bath wall.
We didn’t spend too long here, but we could’ve. We made our way back through the washing machine waves (which ended up pouring down on us because they crashed!)
Jess attempted to learn some of the sailing things but I had no interest so I just sat along for the ride. This couple is very nice. He worked in LA as a firefighter and they are renting a small place out here and property managing for a house right on the beach. It’s great when great people meet great people! Afterward we hung at the beach with more of their friends, who turned out to be Air Force. They really want a tour of a sub… so in turn we get a tour of their… plane? Ha. But they fly the really huge ones. So that’s cool! Brian had to work all day. It seems par for the course… I wish I could go more into details but I can’t. Maybe one day.
The short way to Lanikai Pillbox is right outside my door and takes all of 25 minutes, but includes a couple sections of rock scrambling. A friend, Jess, is past her due date and wanted to go for a hike to try to move things along. I was nervous about her doing the steep fast way, and have been wanting to do the back way, so we went for it.
To get to the back way, I can actually park on the other side of my complex and walk. (This comes in handy later).
The views from the back are incredible… dare I say better than the short way.
You’re set further back from the ocean, so you can see the bay a bit better. You also climb higher (maybe?) at some points… essentially we went over three-ish peaks to get to the ocean. You can see we’re kinda starting that section after doing a decent amount of climbing to get there in the first place.
You also get a really great view of Bellows and Waimanalo
And view after beautiful view of the mokes along the way.
If these pictures seem blurrier than normal… it’s because my lens stopped talking to my camera. I didn’t know that’s what was happening until I troubleshooted at home. I switched between manually focusing and trying to get the camera to do it. Oh well, good excuse to do it again. Here we are finally coming up to the first pillbox.
That took an hour to get there (It felt like two if I’m being honest), so we decided that we should go the “short” way home. It was actually the perfect amount of wet… it wasn’t super dry and slippery and it wasn’t muddy and slick. I’m really glad we picked that way. Then we walked through my complex back to the other side to get my car.
It’s kinda hard to get on the top of the pillbox… and by that I mean it’s hard for anyone scared of heights… but Jess did it so I figured out a way. It is actually kinda hard logistically to get up, takes a couple big steps. Anyway! This was my first time to the second pillbox and first time on it… lots of firsts for me this hike!
This is on our way back down.
And of course I had to get a selfie with the fantastic new signs on completion.
10/10 recommend doing the hike this way… if you have the in and can get into the fabulous community somehow. The views of the mokes just keep getting better and better… it feels more like a hike… you hit both pillboxes, it’s so much quieter (we saw two people until we got to the pillbox).
People of good enough health can’t come to Hawaii and not do the pillbox hike… so we did the Pillbox hike! I think I was a bit more nervous this time because of my recent fall and I didn’t have my pack mule (aka Brian) there to help. I definitely was a bit more careful this time, or last time the path was different and easier? I remember making fun of the ropes the first time thinking they were completely unnecessary, then using them a lot this time. Anyway, the views didn’t disappoint!
For lunch we got Banan, her first Acai bowl so far, and I was super proud I remembered reusable bowls.
Later that day we went and got massages (we were late due to Lanikai construction backup) and then to MCBH. I showed her secret beach and we went to another submariner’s house for dinner (She has base housing on MCBH.) She has the cutest 3 month old, Maeve. Not pictured to protect privacy, per usual. It was nice meeting her.
I have been neglecting sunrise posts on here, sorry! You can always find them on my instagram account, @lanikai_Sunrise_96734, or visit this web page on this blog. This lady was trying to get her dog more comfortable in the water and was carrying him in only for him to swim straight back to shore.
I also found a new washed up creature. Squid Ink pasta anyone?
There was a lot of commotion around the pillbox, turns out 100s of army soldiers were dropped off and did an exercise up it. God bless them doing that in that heat with those packs on. Phew! I just missed the tail end of them, so I’m bummed I didn’t get better framing or pictures. But these turned out ok.
You could see the other Hawaiian islands really well to the right of the second Mokulua island
I had to run some errands today out in town (actually I really wanted to check out a store, my only errand was to pick up an onion for a salad). The store is called twin islands, and if you don’t know why you haven’t been paying attention.
It’s mostly clothing with a few knick knacky type things. I bought another rash guard shirt (something to protect me from the sun) and a bumper sticker that is the symbol you see at the top of the store entrance. Everyone who is anyone has one.
Then I treated myself to Kono’s. Atmosphere was pretty cool.
But… I bought the basic BBQ pork plate (Kailua pork, BBQ sauce, white rice, mixed lettuce greens with fruit dressing) and thought it was just ok. I keep picking “local favorite” plates and should probably try meals that I actually know I’ll like. Just trying to be open to new possibilities! I’d go back and try something different and ask if they sell the dressing. Not super impressed. My friend warned me it’s hard to be super impressed by food here and I’m wondering if she’s right. The drink was guava limeade. It wasn’t mixed well, so at first I was like “Where’s the limeade?” and then about halfway through I was like “where’s the guava?”
After eating, I went back out again to buy some gifts at a local kids store. One is for someone’s kid on the boat who turned 5 today and is coming to our family readiness group meeting tonight. And a couple others are for the Captain’s wife’s kids (2 months, 4 and 5). She just had a baby, two months prior to her husband leaving, so she has her hands full. I bought a floor puzzle and a book of games. Hopefully it’ll help keep them busy!
I’m off to my first ever in-person FRG meeting. Going to meet all the wardroom wives. Wish me luck!
I’ve been meaning to try this place for a while, but their hours are odd and Brian says it’s not a dinner place. I finally treated myself for lunch to get me out of the apartment for a bit.
They make bowls with soft serve fruit. I chose to get the “Locals Only” in a bowl. I should’ve changed to Acai flavor because banana can overwhelm me… next time.
It was really quiet and the service was quick. Overall I thought the bowl was good, not great, but I’d go back. It wasn’t overly sweet even with the honey. The mac nut honey butter, however, was DELICIOUS and I will go back to buy a jar.
I think it a nice treat, good but not great. Could’ve been my mistake in flavor choice. I’ll definitely also bring my own bowl next time. Love that restaurants are doing this.
