Keaweula Bay--Mile Marker 11 Kawaihae

Good times. Friday evening we 4-wheeled down to Keaweula Bay for a couple nights of camping and fishing. At least this is the name I decided upon after looking at my detailed map. Not even the most intrepid would stumble upon this place. A definite locals sort of place. Not only was I in plenty of company but in honest-to-goodness excellent company! Extremely generous group. In all, there were ten of us adults, three kids (here's two of the boys below), and two dogs.

We fished, we kayaked, snorkeled, slept in the open (5 feet from the ocean) under the moon-lit sky, enjoyed large bonfires, and ate like kings and queens. Last night was a feast of oysters, opihi (see below), steak, Korean chicken, ribs, and corn on the cob. All cooked over the open fire. Here's a picture I took of the opihi.
Not bad tasting but said to be more of an 'acquired taste.' They are generally eaten raw, but sometimes are grilled in the shell and flavored with butter and garlic. Supposedly, the Hawaiian opihi are a standard at festive meals and they are steeped in history and even legend.








Sorry to say it, but this guy was not with us. I thought I'd cop a picture off the internet just to show what it was we were going for.
If there was one fish to be classified as Hawaii's top game fish, many say it would go to the ulua. Not only prized for their exceptionally fight, but also for their table appeal, the ulua is one of Hawaii's most sought after fish. Ulua grow so large that there exists a hundred-pound club. Ulua, or Giant Trevally as they are known in English, are generally found off the rocky coasts in relatively deep water. They tend to like the waters where the jagged lava meets the ocean, where it drops suddenly off into really deep water. A special method of fishing, slide-baiting was developed by anglers pursuing the fish from the often inhospitable shorelines. We slid-baited our hooks with large chunks of squid, or whole squids that are often called a "taco." Slide-baiting includes setting your line out (one friend, Andy, was swimming the lines way out and anchoring them), then the bait is slid down the main line. If a ulua strikes, it breaks the anchored line loose. Typically the uluas hit at night and fisherman hang bells from their rods and sometimes sleep on the rocks right next to their rod. We had the bells were not that determined to rest on the rocks.

One Week Into School

All mighty fine here. One week of classes under the belt. Very smooth beginning to the year and excellent kids. No surprise! This weekend I joined another teacher and took our boarding students down to the city (Kona) where we did some shopping (Costco, Wal-Mart, and Ross). Then today, we spent the afternoon at the beach. It was a lot of fun watching the kids have so much fun boogie boarding, throwing the football and just playing in the waves.
This morning during an amazing walk, I picked up a bagful of fallen macadamia nuts. I took off their skins and then cracked them with a hammer when I got home. Ate a few raw and threw the rest in the oven to roast. Woah! Yummy. Between picking avocados and cracking mac nuts, I ought to stay pretty busy. Maybe fatten up a bit too :)

The Elements

This past week has been rather eventful. First a 5+ on the Richter Scale earthquake (Earth). Followed by a hurricane/typhoon (Wind and Water). Then today, the following forced closures just 3 miles up the road (Fire). Hints of much larger catastrophes to come?


Updated at 7:53 p.m., Thursday, August 16, 2007
Evacuated residents from Big Isle brushfire return home

Kamuela View Estates residents forced to evacuate due to a Big Island brushfire in the South Kohala District today were cleared to return home about four hours later.

Troy Kindred, Big Island Civil Defense administrator, said residents in 40 houses on Mahua Street were evacuated at 3:40 p.m. due to the smoke hazard caused by what he described as a "runaway" brushfire on the ocean side of Kohala Mountain Road or Highway 250 near the 4-mile marker that started at 2:11 p.m.

Firefighters had cut fire breaks and smokey conditions had improved enough by 7:30 p.m. to allow residents to return home. A shelter had been set up at Waimea Community Center.

The fire had moved to within a quarter-mile of homes during the day but caused no property damage, said Kindred.

The Hawai'i County Fire Department suspects the brushfire may have been caused by down power lines.

By 5 p.m. today, the fire fueled by winds of 15-18 miles per hour moving northeast from Kohala Mountain Road toward Kawaihae Road, had burned about 160 acres, according to fire officials.

Seventeen county, eight military and eight volunteer firefighters were involved in the firefight today. Equipment being used included three helicopters and three bulldozers.

Interesting Times Here in Hawaii--In the World for that Matter!

Breaking news...the article below is secondary to the hurricane supposed to hit tomorrow. School canceled tomorrow and it's the second day back. Reminds me a bit of Ecuador and the volcanos.

Associated Press
Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake Shakes Hawaii
Associated Press 08.14.07, 2:55 AM ET HILO, Hawaii




An earthquake on Monday jolted the Big Island of Hawaii, which is already under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning.

The magnitude 5.3 temblor struck at 7:38 p.m. local time, about 25 miles south of Hilo, according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Geological Survey.

There were no reports of injuries, structural damage, or a tsunami, although the quake did cause a small landslide, according to Tom Brown, a spokesman for Hawaii County Civil Defense.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Earlier Monday, the weather service placed the Big Island under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning, as Hurricane Flossie approached. A flash flood watch was also issued for the island through Wednesday.

The Big Island is largely rural, with about 150,000 people, and most live in the west or northeast, not the southern portion expected to be hit hardest by the hurricane. Other islands are expected to get much less of the storm's wind and rain.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Pololu, Turtles, and Star Gazing

I've been here for a little over a week and today marks the fourth consecutive day heading down the hill to the beach. I'm going to be a little less wordy and more informative. Yeah, right! This weekend, a friend took a few of us to a place called "Pololu." This means, "long spear," in Hawaiian. It is a valley, a series of erosional valleys, forming th eEast coast of the Kohala mountains on the island. Road dead ends and there is a phenemonal look out. We hiked down to the black sand beach and body surfed waves that had some serious force behind them. I can't imagine when the surf is up. Well maybe I can! I don't think I'll find myself toying around in such waves.
After this hike, (note: eating guava all the way), we drove a bit south. Here we took a hike and did some of the best snorkeling I've ever done. Visibility was hundreds of feet. Saw tons of fish. Closed up the excellent day with a little homemade Kona coffee ice cream.

Here's another view of "long spear."

Then Sunday, went back to a different beach and swam with the turtles. Surprisingly the numbers were high. Really rather fascinating to see them swim so effortlessly. Reminded me of a magic carpet.



Other noteworthy bits to mention include a special moment this weekend. The peek of the Perseid meteor shower is expected expected to display the greatest number of meteors Sunday morning (August 12), late Sunday night and Monday morning (August 13) before dawn. Below is a blurb I found which really makes it sound like something not to miss. I'm looking forward to it as the skies here are like none other I've seen. They say the Big Island has the clearest skies in the world. I've seen some stunning night skies before but out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean like this, and just a stones throw from the desolate summit of Mauna Kea (a 13,796 foot volcano), we're sure to see an amazing show this weekend. The air is extraordinarily thin, dry and clear, and there's little to no light pollution. Trivia: All the street lights on the island are dulled down to yellow, so as to protect the observatories.

A Perseid Meteor amidst the Northern Lights.

Okay, here's the info. about the event. Hope you'll enjoy the info. but moreover, the weekend staring into the Heavens.

The legendary Perseid meteor shower will peak in the next few days. The moon is new on Sunday, or between the Earth and sun. This new moon will leave the night sky dark all this weekend for the Perseid meteors. These meteors are named for the constellation Perseus the Hero. If you trace the paths of the meteors backwards, they seem to stream from this constellation. You don’t need to identify Perseus to enjoy the meteor shower. The Perseids are an especially rich and dependable meteor shower. They shoot all across the sky – often leaving persistent trains – and occasionally lighting things up with bright fireballs. To watch the show, find a dark, open sky. Get away from city lights, and give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adapt to the dark. The Perseid shower favors northern hemisphere skywatchers. Again, the best time to watch: Sunday morning, late Sunday night and Monday morning before dawn. At its peak, the Perseids typically produce 60 or more meteors per hour. (Yowzers!)

Here’s the razor-thin waning crescent moon, as it will appear in the east before dawn Friday morning. This waning moon is a welcome sight! It means the moon will be out of the way for this weekend’s peak of the 2007 Perseid meteor shower. While the best time will likely be on Sunday and Monday mornings, try Saturday and even Friday before dawn as well. At dawn, the radiant point for the Perseids – in tbe constellation Perseus – is high overhead. Thus the meteors will be raining down from the top of the sky, appearing on all sides of you. The best observing strategy is to find a dark location away from all lights but with a good view of the sky. Then lie on a cot or chaise lounge and look up! Between midnight and dawn typically is the best time to observe meteors because at that time the Earth has turned into the direction it is moving through space. There are many things you can see with binoculars – but if you plan to see meteors, put the binoculars away! They greatly restrict your view of the sky and thus cut down on the number of meteors you will notice streaking across the night sky.

Realistically, don’t expect a literal “shower.” A meteor every few minutes is good.

Hawaii Arrival

So, this is Waimea! I've been here a few days and absolutely am enthralled. During a bike ride this afternoon I was passing through the countryside with rolling hils and all the cows, having a conversation aloud with me, myself, and Matt. One bit was about how amazing it is, from Hungary to Hawaii. Inexplicable really! I am so thankful!

I think the words that are best suited, at least considering the beautiful surround, are "expansive" and "dramatic." We're situated here at 2,500 feet, in a sort of hamlet nestled against the hills/mountains. One mile east of town it's misty but still warm, so even though you get damp you are more refreshed than uncomfortable. Head less than a mile west of town and it's desert. High desert though, much like the paramo in the mountains of Ecuador, but also barren much like the dry altiplano of Peru and Bolivia. Wide open space. Looming large is the nearly 14,000' peak of Mauna Kea. Its grand presence also reminds me of Ecuador's majestic volcanoes and how they just jet out and up.

As for school...let's just say, I am impressed! The people I have met so far are exceptional. Obviously there is an easy going-ness but also people seem weathered in a positive way and both wise and professional. I've felt the exceptional "Aloha Welcome." I consider myself moved in already, and can honestly say this feels like "home."

For entertainment's sake and seeing that at this point I haven't passed along my blog address to anyone, so comments aren't possible (YET!), I want to paste a little blurb I received from good friends back in Georgia. Kristen and Rolando are rather keen on my following the Piercy way of "all or nothing" and jumping right in, rather than slowly testing the waters. I guess it could be the Jeff Piercy motto of, "if one works, but two is better, gimme' 30!" (ie. pancakes breakfasts, "Donut Time, donut time..." or even bolstering/securing decking with 200,000 nails or even better yet, screws!) Well, here's the email I received pointing at such humor.

"We heard from Adri last night that you arrived safely & did an “extreme Matt” by unpacking everything, going to the beach & getting a Costco membership all in one day. Don’t forget to buy two cases of toilet paper and 5 cases of bananas! We thought for sure that you would have gone directly off the highway for a fruit harvest – perhaps today!"

She did hear right, "extreme Matt" did have a pretty full first day. Alright, so in a wrap, that's it. All is mighty fine as I move tomorrow into what is officially our first "formal" day of orientation. It looks to be tough seeing that the afternoon is going to be spent at a beach BBQ. If someone's gotta do it, I volunteer!

Leaping Into Something New--The Big Island

I just came across this brief write-up about the Big Island. It included a few photos too that I thought some might be interested in seeing. So, this is where Adriana and I will be living. Sounds like paradise. You're all welcome to visit! Here goes:

While its official name is in fact Hawaii, the state's largest and southernmost isle is more commonly known as the Big Island (to avoid confusion with the name of the state it occupies). And, at nearly twice the size of all the other islands combined, the Big Island deserves its name indeed. This remote island packs a lot into its large expanse as well: snow-capped mountains (yes, there is snow in Hawaii!), lush rainforests, the world's most-active volcano, arid deserts, bustling towns, and fascinating beaches, including the world's only green-sand beach, South Point. Indeed, if there's one place that really showcases the full gamut of Hawaii's offerings, this eponymous island may well be it. While not quite the gushing, fiery liquid of your imagination, the lava at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is impressive nonetheless; the eruption viewing area is best visited after nightfall, when, with the help of binoculars, you'll be able to spot lava flowing into the ocean about 4.5 miles away. The lush landscapes and tropical flora you expect of Hawaii is found in Waipio Valley, or Valley of the Kings, the home of King Kamehameha I, who conquered the islands and united them in 1810; exploring its vast beauty is best done by horseback or four-wheel drive. In contrast, the snow-capped mountain peaks of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano at the island's center that ranks as the world's tallest sea mountain—it's taller, even, than Everest—makes for prime stargazing thanks to the high altitude, clear air, and utter darkness.

Quality time in Austin

With the transition from Georgia to Hawaii, it seemed the perfect fit to spend nearly a month here in Austin. Adriana and I drove the nearly 1000 mile trip at the start of the month, stopping for a surprise night in New Orleans. The whole fam' damily met up here at Danny's wonderful house and spent an excellent weekend up at his new ranch. Pretty full weekend with fishing, riding the four wheeler, eating watermelon and of course, seed spitting. I took Adriana down to Houston for her flight back to Ecuador where she would spend a couple long-awaited weeks with her lovely family. Carrie and her kids stayed a few more days after the ranch, here in Austin, enjoying the "poolside life."
Now, it's just Danny, Melissa, the three boys, and I for a few more weeks. Absolutely wonderful as I have time to do all the little preparatory work that comes along with our move and a new job. CPR/First Aid training next weekend, selling our car, curriculum planning, and much 1 on 1, 1 on 2, and 1 on 3 time to be enjoyed with T.J., Grant, and baby Turner. Truly a special time!

Okay, day one. Going to give this blogging a go as I'm most interested in beginning to share photos.

For the time being, I'm just sitting here at the table of our home in Dahlonega after having successfully pulling my first all nighter. Purposeful though. I worked through the night packing last odds and ends (how they seem to tail on) for the upcoming move to HAWAII. Heading to the post office in a few short hours with a good buddy of mine, Rolando. Should be a sight to see. Twenty-one boxes is what we will bring. And these are pretty large boxes! A few oversized, another couple exceeding the 70 lb. limit and probably a dozen more that are what I would call "substantial."