Power Couple

There aren't words

Summer 2010 - Our Summer Monarch

Zach learned about butterflies at the end of school last year. We found a bunch of Monarch Butterfly caterpillars on a milkweed bush at church and brought one home to watch all the learning play out in real life.

Zach loved watching the little guy get big and make his cocoon. However, it became apparent after an extended chrysalis stage that another lesson was going to be taught - not everyone makes it.

We think he may have been baked in his little bug catcher. Maybe we'll try again next year.

Andy Look Out Behind You!

4th of July Weekend - Scuba Diving

Another great dive on the North Shore. This one at "Firehouse" - located between Three Tables and Shark's Cove.

We swam out about a hundred yards and dove some small canyons between old lava tubes. Bottom was about 35 ft the whole dive. It was like driving down a mountain road. Here Stef rigs the dive flag.

Cruising down the canyon

Moray eel poking out of an old lava tube

Many big schools of tangs

Peacock Wrasse

Can't beat the vis

Summertime!

26 Jun - 07 Aug: North Shore Swim Series

Suffering from some plantar fasciitis in my right foot and from a few too many cheeseburgers I decided to take up distance swimming.

The summer North Shore Swim Series, hosted by the Waikiki Swim Club, provided good motivation and looked like fun.

The first race was the 1.0 mile Raging Isle Sprint from Sunset to Pipeline. It may have been a sprint to some, but I was just hoping to complete it in a less than embarrassing fashion. Despite being shortest, it was probably the most difficult owing to some "uphill" current and a couple hundred yard swim they threw on to get us outside the swell to the start line.

The second race was the 1.2 mile Cholo's Waimea Bay Swim. I was fortunate to be joined by my brother during the 1.7 mile Jaco's Chun's to Waimea Bay. The 2.3 mile North Shore Challenge from Pipeline to Waimea Bay capped the season.

The Bruddahs at Waimea following the swim up from Chun's Reef

Overall, I met my stated aim of beating everyone I carpooled with and even some of those in the 12-14 year old female bracket (they are freakishly fast). The water was perfect and scenery unbeatable. Kim and the boys met me at Waimea after a couple of the races and family days at Waimea Bay are a true treat.

Some great pictures here and here.

04 Jul - Festivities

Picnics, BBQ, fireworks and outrigger canoe racing. Just another Hawaiian 4th of July.

Every 4th many of the outrigger canoe racing teams have big exhibition races in Waikiki. We decided to head to town to check it out and grab some lunch.

The teams were racing six man canoes. They would start at the beach, race seaward to a buoy and then repeat. With a big south swell the races can get pretty exciting as the canoes surf the swells and occasionally huli (flip over). Pretty calm this year though.

On the way back to our car at Ft Derussy Zach insisted on having his picture taken in front of this tree. No idea why. Since it was so important to him I figure it's worth publication.

Later in the afternoon we gathered down the street for a big neighborhood cookout and ended the evening watching the fireworks launched from Naval Base Pearl Harbor.