Monday’s adventure was to see the Green Sand Beach near Ka Lea, the southern most point of the United States. It was about an hour and a half drive from our cottage going up past the Volcano National Park. Once we got past the Volcano the landscape got much dryer. To our right was the gradually sloping base of the Mauna Loa, it’s top still in the clouds. We wanted to get some sandwiches for our hike and saw there might be a place. Just before that there was a listing on the GPS for a coffee plantation that was right on the road. We pulled over and it was a mom and pop operation with a few acres of coffee and a self serve tasting center. We walked up to the house where you could buy some beans. The owner was excited to see us. She said she was packing some shipments to be sent out by mail. She told us there were some more acres of coffee up the slope of the mountain. Her husband had worked the old sugar cane plantation and after it had closed some of the workers got pieces of the land. The roasted beans were in a big bag she said came from the roaster in Kona. We wondered if maybe it was from Costco, but no worries. As we walked back to the car her family was harvesting some of the coffee nearby.
At Punaluu State Park there is a black sand beach right off the highway known as a resting place for sea turtles. We stopped to see and there were many tourists there. Dennis took a picture for a nice family. People seemed to be pretty good about not hassling the turtles. Bob thought it was funny there was a snack shop right on the beach. People have got to make a living.
In the town of Naalehu we stopped at the Hana Hou Restaurant to get some sandwiches to go. The listing said they made a great Macadamia Nut Cream pie, and we had a piece for dessert before we headed back on the road. It was great!
A short drive from there was the parking lot for our hike to the Green Sand Beach. About 2.5 miles each way along the brilliant blue water, the hike was easy, but a little hot and windy. Some locals were giving rides in four wheel drive trucks or jeeps to tourists that didn’t want to walk in. It didn’t take too long to get to the beach and we sat behind some rocks to avoid the wind and had a nice lunch.
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As I said before, you both have a way to do the unusual. I could make out the observatories in the mountains on the road to you cottage. Looks like it was a much clearer day……We got some rain yesterday and it was a little on the cool side today but we just returned from golf in Livermore. Gotta keep using the post office so they will stay in business. Love you both!
Wow, Everything looks like so much fun, and so beautiful too. Put the dang computer away and get in the water!!
We are taking lots of time for the water too! Today was Champagne Pond, a thermally heated lagoon. Very nice.
This trip looks so nice. What great pictures. Is the sand really green? Have fun you two and love ya. You know Dennis has to visit post offices. It is cool and overcast today but I did use the hot tub which was wonderful. Have to go play ball with Ginger now.