Hapuna Beach

I have some history with Hapuna Beach. I went there in 1974 and I was there with my first wife and baby son when we lived in Hilo. However, what I remember about then was that it was the best snorkeling place I ever found on the big Island of Hawaii when I lived there then. And along with the Queen's Bath (now covered over with Lava) and Kalapana (now built up with hotel or condos) these were the coolest experiences I had personally on Hawaii. However, now Hapuna beach has a hotel there but you still have beach access. We wound up going to Beach 69 and thinking it was Hapuna Beach because that is what the signs said. However, my friend who is very gregarious asked locals about it and they told him it was actually further down the road. So, after body surfing at Beach 69 and searching for a good snorkling site (it was too choppy and murky today). However, we were told it was the best boogie boarding at Hapuna Beach in 5 years today.

The last time I was there in 1974 I stepped on a scorpion (one of the little ones that really do the damage (the big ones usually don't lay you up like the little ones do). Anyway, I could barely walk for several days. Luckily, I think it must have been my left leg or else I likely couldn't have driven a car home to Hilo which was then about 1/2 days drive. However, now it is only 1 1/2 hours over the saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa mountains.

Scorpions don't go into the salt water that I know of but lived under the trees there then in 1974. I don't know about them today 40 years later. So, maybe wear some sandals or crocs under the trees until you get into the water there just to be sure. Because not being able to really walk with one leg for several days was really a pain then I remember. Your whole leg can go numb or likely if one got you in the neck or face you might die. So, that is something to think about also. Whatever gets stung you cannot use for several days.

However, today was a really wonderful experience to be on the beach in about 81 degrees with about 80 degree water temperatures too Fahrenheit.

Kona side of the Island sort of reminds me a lot of Los Angeles or San Diego Beaches in early Spring or summer without all the smog or people, unless there is VOG Volcanic smoke and fog which was blowing towards Maui I believe from the volcanic actions to the far south of us but the wind wasn't getting us we only saw the Vog out to sea in the sunset which made it all orange. So, the Vog actually could have been blowing towards maui, Molokai, Oahu or Kauai or even further north. Not Sure.

I have been on Maui many times when the Vog from the Big Island blows in and the particulates can grate your throat and nose but it is too far away for any vapors to get that far. Since the volcanoes now on the Big Island are going mostly year around lately this can sometimes be a problem especially on northern Hawaii or Maui or the other islands when the wind is blowing in that direction.

I think the best way to look at VOG is that the island of Hawaii gets bigger every year as it grows out into the ocean more and more from the south of the island I believe. Not only is it the biggest island now it is going to keep getting even bigger from the volcanic actions there mostly now all the time.