Capturing the Moment

  There are always new spots to explore, secret beaches to find, and solid surf spots to test out here on Oahu. My latest find was a real beauty. While thousands of tourists are climbing up the trail to the top of Diamond Head crater, just behind it locals are climbing down the cliff to a beautiful strip of sand fronted with some well formed, easy going waves.   There are a few breaks over the patches of reef which spreads out the crowd. And there is almost always a crowd. During the winter months this south shore break is great for beginners and intermediate surfers but I hear it can get pretty wild during those big summer south swells. From on top of the cliff it is easy to see the reef below the surfers.    The beach here winds down the beautiful coast, filled with palm trees, towards the million dollar estates of Kahala. Only a few people were strolling the beach. It is a steep trail to get down to the sand but well worth it for this little piece of se...

   Let's say you only have one more day on Maui... where would you go? I know my answer, Haleakala Volcano. At just over 10,000ft it is a view unlike any other on the island. It can be fierce winds and sub freezing temperatures. There can even be snow and ice. But the view is worth it. And now being the middle of summer it can be downright pleasant finding a comfortable spot and enjoying how the view changes through the different colors of dawn.   We found a spot right along the crater rim to usher in the sun. When we first arrived the stars were out with the constellation Orion visible above the horizon. You can even make it out in the picture above. Look for three bright stars in a line, that's his belt, and three more in a line jutting off diagonally from the belt, that's his sword. Science city where our Maui observatories and astronomers peer into the night sky was lit up with a pink sky at one point. There were so many changing colors it was hard to figure out ...