Long Day

Follow Me

Coastal Calm

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Where the Day Breaks

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Twin Islands

The Mokulua Islands, or the "Mokes", are located off the windward coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Many people think when you look at the two islands together, they look like a woman with her head tilted back with her knees sticking out of the water. They really are an impressive sight.

I took these three photographs on different days and during different months. It's hard to believe but the colors in the images are as they were on those days, I didn't tinker with any of them. It is amazing to see how the same subject can look so different. To see the details, you can click on them to make them larger.






Moku lua means "two islands" in Hawaiian but the frequently photographed pair are more commonly referred to as the "twin islands." The larger island on the left is Moku Nui and the smaller, Moku Iki. The Mokes are about a mile and a half away if you launch a kayak or jump on a surfboard from the gorgeous Lanikai beach in Kailua. I got to Moku Nui by kayak. What I remember the most about it was if you walked around to the open ocean side, the water was incredibly powerful. The surf would hit the rocks and water would go flying high into the air. It was intriguing and yet frightening at the same time because I remember thinking I could get sucked out into the ocean at any time.

If you want to see my other images from Hawaii, click here or here.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is one of Australia's most popular places to visit and is perhaps the country's most famous of its many beaches. If you're relying on public transportation, as I was, it takes a little while for you to get there but once you're there, Bondi is a beautiful sight. Some of the interest I think comes from actually being at such an iconic place but the water is wonderful and it's a nice change of pace compared to some parts of Sydney.

Bondi gets criticized for being too touristy. When I went, it was closer to sunset, and most of the people there were local. Bondi wasn't as crowded as Manly Beach but the color of the water was not as striking either. The surf on one end is really powerful and too dangerous for a swim which I didn't know until I visited. The street that runs parallel to it is lined with housing, shops, bars and restaurants. If you're relying on public transportation to get there, make sure you carve out time to get there and back because it took me about 45 minutes, each way, on the bus.

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For more information about Bondi Beach, click here. If you're interested in my other post about Australia, then click here.

Ocean Approaching

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Natural New Zealand

Abel Tasman is on New Zealand's South Island and is the country's smallest national park. It is named after Dutch explorer and merchant Abel Tasman who in 1642 became the first European to visit Aotearoa - New Zealand. What is interesting about the park is that you can hike and camp its more than 55,000 acres and you'll always end up on the glorious golden beaches and in the gorgeous turquoise water. It's perfect for the traveler who likes to be outdoors and exploring. You can hop on a boat that will take you past a small outcropping where seals spend their time and if you're lucky, you might catch sight of a dolphin. Click on any of the photos below to enlarge them.





To learn more about Abel Tasman National Park, click here. For my previous post about the park, click here.

This last picture I shot on the ferry that runs between New Zealand's two main islands. This is a look back at the South Island as we set out on the Cook Strait, headed for the North Island. I just thought the way the light hit the land looked amazing and I wanted to capture the excitement I felt as we hit the open water. Later, the ride became so choppy that majority of people on the ferry ended up throwing up. The distance is only about 12 miles but the ride itself takes about three hours. In this case, it was a very long three hours.

Baja Sunset

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Which Way to the Water

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California Coast

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Office Daydream

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Bright Beach

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Boogie On

Sneaking a Peek

Three's a Crowd

Man vs. Nature, Round 2

I took this photo because I thought it was odd and intruging at the same time. There were all these kids playing in the water seemingly oblivious to these forboding, polluting smoke stacks hovering over them. The juxtaposition was amusing if not a little worrisome. The scene reminded me of something out of the Simpsons TV show. I thought a fish with three eyes was going to come shooting out of the water. Click here to see a bigger version of the picture, the details are fascinating.

Elephant Legs

Cast Away

Into the White Light

In Pacific Palisades, there is an underground pedestrian tunnel so you don't have to defy death to cross Highway 1. That's where I snapped this photograph. The tunnel doesn't smell all that great but as you approach the end of it, the sun comes pouring through and then it just opens up onto the beach and the Pacific Ocean. It's actually quite impressive the first time you walk through it.

Just as we were about to approach the end of the tunnel, we saw a guy and a girl hanging out near the sand while smoking a questionable substance. The girl exhaled just in time to warn us about Pterodactyls loose on the beach. Apparently, she didn't get the memo that they are extinct. Or maybe she just scored some really good stuff.