I went to visit The Bunker this morning to see if there was any new art. Sadly not. Instead though, the view towards the West Maui Mountains took my breath away. The air was so clear and with that the Mountains were in sharp relief, etched against the deep blue colour of the sky.
In addition to the clear air, another swell has arrived on the North Shore. Not as large as the waves from a couple of weeks ago, but impressive nonetheless.
I thought that the Trade Winds had returned, but with aircraft still landing over the ocean, it means that we are still experiencing Kona winds, southwest winds.
The usual landing pattern in Trade Winds is to approach over the island, north to south. This video taken a couple of days ago shows a Hawaiian Airlines flight coming in over the ocean, north to south, due to the Kona winds.
The windless days and nights that cast a spell over the island have now left us and the Trade winds have returned, keeping our days cooler…thankfully. However, we took advantage of the lack of wind and sat around our fire pit a couple of nights ago.
For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society, while this video doesn’t show it clearly, the ocean was a dark blue today and glassy calm. And the these big waves broke out of that stillness. Beautiful.
I can remember being there when this photograph was taken, though I don’t know exactly where there was or who took the photo? I wasn’t even aware of it being taken. I was given a copy much later by a friend who I was traveling with and who took the picture.
There is an entrance around the back of the Bunker that lets one peer inside. It is possible to go inside, but that involves climbing over a railing, and for now I decided to make do with looking in.
A VOGgy (Volcanic fog) sunset. The magic in the air from earlier this morning has stayed with us. Having said that, being upcountry I would imagine it being a lot thicker and more uncomfortable to be in.
🧙♂️ There’s a magic in the air this morning. There is not a breath of wind. The air is cool, with the rising sun making little difference as it sits behind whispy, mist like clouds. All is still. A distant hum of a lawn mower accompanies the bird song. Nothing else. Just the magic.
A monk seal sleeping at Ho’okipa this evening, while surfers slip pass her/him. We’d gone there to have a picnic at sunset. It was a beautiful evening with not a breath of wind.
There was a volunteer on hand to make sure that people kept their distance from the seal. She was there until after sunset.
Last night I was happy to find this photograph of the Bunker from a few years back. Yet another capture of this small building to fill in its changing faces.
While I have known others to do so and have read about others’ processes for finding theirs, I have never had a word that can inform me and be a beacon as I move through a year. The idea of having a word has sparked a curiosity in me, but finding that word has never come naturally to me, and I have not given myself time to the processes that people have used in finding their word and have kindly shared with me.
I think simply because I do not see many whales breaching on the north shore, I was surprised but happy to see just that while sitting on a north shore beach early yesterday afternoon. Just looking up at the right moment, we saw the whale. A couple next to us, deep in conversation, missed it. A sweet start to the year.
With 2024 drawing to a close, only 7 more hours left here in Hawaii, I thought that I would review the first year, first month actually of The Bunker project. Only a couple of new murals have been added since I started this project at the beginning of December, so most of this first batch of paintings are Bunker murals that I just happened to have captured over recent years.
Yesterday evening a group of us went up to Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area for sunset and a picnic. The views were spectacular, looking across the Valley Isle to the West Maui Mountains, with Lana’i in the distance.