December 2

The previous day, the northern tip of the island; today, the southern tip.

Last full day in the 50th state. Roy-san took the Super, then me, for a little drive through the neighborhood this morning in his 2000 Miata (only a little over 40,000 miles on it). The temp was 69 degrees, the COLDEST since we’ve been here. Roy has never experienced colder than the 60’s since he’s lived here. In fact, the high temperature range for an entire year in Hawaii is 7 degrees – coldest month high temp is 80, hottest month high temp is 87. Can you say “Groundhog Day”?

[The Sheraton where we attended the luau two nights ago.]

[Kailua – Kona, Roy’s hometown with a cruise ship “in port.”]

[On the far right center is a white water reservoir, about where Roy lives.]

[Roy’s mountain, Hualalai, top and bottom.]

[Kailua-Kona and the cruise ship.]

[We’re heading south now, past lava fields and construction.  Apparently I mentioned more than once that “flagmen” became “flaggers” during my era at the Department of Labor.]

[In the distance is South Point.]

[But we actually overshot South Point and headed north a bit (toward Volcanoes National Park) to see Black Sand Beach.]

[And here we are . . . ]

[The plants grow in the direction so designated by the prevailing winds.]

[OK, I got lunch!]

[Forbidding skies but never got to us.]

[The Super and Roy venture out onto the beach . . . I don’t like sand in my shoes.]

[Look, I found sea turtles on the beach!]

[And I’m taking movies of them!]

[OK, and now back to South Point, the southern most point in the United States.]

[But people do dive off the platform, and apparently return climbing up through this hole in the cliff.  On this day, I believe it was considered too windy for any diving.]

[Don’t fall in, Roy!]

[The ubiquitous rain, hanging around in the background.]

[Guess which way the wind blows?]

[Now we’re at the neighboring green sand beach.]

[It’s a short hike down from parking somewhere along the road in.]

[See the green sand?]

[We didn’t find any green sand pellets, but Roy found a crab shell.]

[But people do it . . . as we hiked out below, rescue vehicles came in as far as they could go as a four-wheeler had apparently tipped over somewhere along the beach road.]

[And while the Super and Roy lead me out, some shots by the Super of this place . . . ]

[More “wind growth” as we head back out!]

[Did you hear about this on the news?]

[And then Roy led us off the beaten path a bit to St. Benedict’s “Painted Church.”]

[Cute little place . . . except for this wall depiction of Hell, apparently a place one wouldn’t want to go?]

[And here’s St. Benedict.]

[OK, first it was the assemblage of power lines again . . . ]

[But then it was also the product, about which I have no clue?]

[Back “home” to the backyard and sunsets.]

[A couple of backyard shots by the Super to end the day.]

I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places.  ~ Henny Youngman

Up next:  Aloha!