Lighthouses of Hawaii

We went on our anniversary trip to Hawaii in May of 2002. I thought that I'd share some of my photos and adventures with you. I'll add more on a continuous basis, so stop back. Most of the lighthouses are located in appropriate places as "Aids to Navigation", so as you'll see many were a trip to find.

Day 1
Arrived in Oahu from LA just before noon. Picked up our rental car and headed to Waikiki Beach. Checked into our oceanview hotel and marveled at the view from the lanai of the beach and Diamond Head. Walked down to the beach to put our toes in the 84 degree blue/green ocean, and then headed to climb Diamond Head Crater.

Diamond Head, Oahu This one was right there! I actually was not looking for it, and pulled over to the side of the road for my first cliff oceanview, turned to my right and there it was!

Day 2
Up early for a trip to Pearl Harbor. Unbelievable experience as you take a boat our to battleship row to get to the USS Arizona Memorial. Then headed to Kapolei to find Barber's Point via H1. H1 ends and your on a 2 lane road. First traffic light intersection has a sign that points you to Barbers Point Harbor. The lighthouse is not there. Continue straight on the road you're on and you go through residential and commercial areas. When you get to the end of the road make a right. You'll continue about two miles past junk yards and a beach park. Keep going. The lighthouse is adjacent to Germaine's Luau but there are no signs to indicate your near either the LH or Luau.
Barbers Point, Oahu This light is on the a volcanic rock beach surrounded by palm trees and a construction site.

After, we headed to the North Shore to the surfing beaches Waimea Bay, Sunset,etc and had lunch at a 60s surf hamburger shop 'Kua Aina' with some locals. Passed by the Dole pineapple plantation and many military bases. Ate dinner at a hotel on the beach that night while being entertained by a former Miss Hawaii.

Bob, Looks like you had a great trip, sure take some good pictures. I was stationed there with the USCG back in 74-75 looks like things havent changed though im sure they have. Happy Anniversary.

Bob,
I'll be following your posts closely to see where you went. I'm heading to Hawaii next spring for a meeting in Honolulu and expect to have some spare lighthousing time...not alot but a day or 2. I'm seriously thinking about tacking on an extra week's vacation and staying longer to visit in more leisure.
John

Day 3
Today is a snorkeling day, and a trip to one of the most beautiful bays in the world - Hanauma Bay. WOW! You walk down a paved road on the side of a cliff to a beautiful golden Beach, then right into an aquarium full of fish in the bay. There is a shuttle down to the bay for 50cents/ up the cliff is a $1. I walked both ways but sent MaryAnn up by shuttle with the equipment. Lunch at Duke's Canoe Club (right on the beach at the Outrigger Waikiki!) Then back to find Makapuu Point Lighthouse.

Makapuu Point, Oahu This light is on the side of a cliff which you can get to by climbing a long winding maintenance road. I opted to just take photos from the highway.

Day 5 Flew from Oahu to Hawaii. Checked into condo on golf course in Waikoloa. Discovered Roys Restaurant where we would eat for the next 4 nights.
Day 6 Trip to Hawaii Volcano National Park. Spent the day viewing from different sides of the crater. Stopped at Kalae, the southern most point in the USA.
Day 7 Snorkeling in the morning right of the beach. I sat down in two feet of water to put on my fins and was immediatedly surrounded by a school of fish. Then off to Cape Kumukahi Lighthouse. After driving to the other side of the island, we started to drive through local farms and fields toward the ocean. No signs, seat of the pants lighthousing. Eventually found a park where the locals were picnicing, and surfing on the backwash of the waves. Waves would crash against the rock wall of the inlet, and create a wave in the opposite direction. Pretty cool. I talked to someone at a plate lunch wagon who told me "go back to the 4 way intersection and turn right. So we did, and after serveral miles there it was.

Cape Kumukahi, Hawaii The base of this lighthouse is surround by lava. It looks like the lava flow came right up to the fence and stopped!

On the way back through Hilo, I spotted a lighthouse on the harbor at a drawbridge during a rain storm. There was no where to stop in the traffic and I'm still kicking myself that I didn't make a u-turn and go back. It was a small mini tower but had a door to enter the cement structure. - A reason to go back, like I need one!

Cut the size of the pictures, so they should load a little quicker? They're still big.
Make some extra time Doc, this is a trip of a lifetime! Ron, I can imagine how much has changed but I'll bet you can still find some 1975 places.
Carol did 4 in 17 days which allowed us to do everything we wanted to.
Mary Ann and I are ready to go back NOW!

Congratulations Bob & MaryAnn on your anniversary and thank you for sharing these great pictures with us. Someday MJ and I would like to make it out to Hawaii to do some lighthousing. I didn't realize there were so many out there.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

Bringing it to the top for Tammy.

I just came home from Hawaii a week ago and agree with Bob on eating at Duke's in the Outrigger Hotel on Waikiki and at any Roy's.

I ate 2 nights in a row at Duke's just so I could eat outside and watch the beautiful sunset over Waikiki Beach.

While I was on Kauai, we were guests of the PGA and attended the Grand Slam Champions' dinner on Tuesday night before the final round of the Grand Slam. The dinner was prepared outside at 4 different stations by 4 of Hawaii's best chef's. One station was from Roy's and the owner/head chef Roy Yamaguchi prepared food for us. It was DELICIOUS!

Bob,

Thanks so much for posting a reply to your message from August so that I would see it. My Internet use in the summer was infrequent, and I missed it originally.

Seeing your photos is getting me excited about the trip. Did you use a zoom lens for the photo of Diamond Head, or can you get that close to it? Can you recall how long it took to get to Barbers Point? I hadn't thought much about going there until I saw your photo.

We'll definitely have to go snorkeling in Hanauma Bay. Since you and Lorie both mentioned Dukes, we'll be sure to eat there.

Thanks again,

Tammy

Great photos !! I really enjoy seeing such good pictures of the lights we don't often see. Sounds like you had a great trip all around, congratulations on your anniversary.

Hi Tammy,
You can walk right up to the fence at Diamond Head, it's on the main road. Barber's Point is about 1/2 hour from Pearl Harbor and worth the trip. The area is 1950's Hawaii.

Mike, it was a fabulous trip and hardly a day goes by when MaryAnn and I don't talk about going back ASAP!
Bob

Brought to the top for Dennis.

Can someone PLEASE tell me why Harbour Lights chose to create a GLOW of Kilauea instead of Diamond Head??? I like the original 1994 DH sculpture, but think of the improvements they could make on an open-edition. Ack!

Kilauea has a public park and gift shop while Diamond Head is still a private gated coast guard operation.

Bob,

Thanks. I was going to do a search because I knew you had posted about your trip.

I just figured I'd put it out to the crowd and get different views.

I'm printing out the approriate posts.


Dennis