Kaena Point State Park

Continuing on up Farrington Highway the next sandy beach after Barking Sands is Kaena Point State Park, or Yokohama Beach or Yokes, as the locals call it. Here we’re at the very start of the Park, looking back south to Barking Sands Beach.  Then North up to Kaena Point.

This is as far as we can go on the west side of the island. Well, we can park and walk all the way around the point, but there’s no way to drive it. When we want to get to the North Shore we have to drive all the way to the south end of the island before taking another highway up to the north, which is about an hour drive. (It’d only be a few miles if this went all the way around). We hiked it a long time ago, but not yet this trip. The kids are rebelling against me with the hiking lately, so I’m patiently waiting for them to get re-inspired.

Now you see the reef.

 

Now you don’t.

 

 

 

This beach is another popular family spot, mostly locals, and usually on the weekends. It brings tourists out here that drive up the coast and back, but I rarely see any of them get out and enjoy it.

Maybe a quick snapshot, or two.

Our neighbors like to come out here, saying it’s their favorite spot for collecting shells, but we like it best for the tide pools…especially it’s creatures.

We looked this one up today and learned it’s a Ha’uke’uke or Helmet Urchin.

 

 

 

The reef is always crawling with crabs. Can you spot them in this picture?

Wherever there’s good reef, there’s usually someone fishing it.

 

The pools on this side of  the park are teeming with algae, seaweed, anemone, crabs, helmet urchin, spiky urchin, snails, and countless varieties of fish.

 

 

 

Farther north up the beach the reef is a lot higher and drier, but we spotted fish jumping from pool to pool, so that was pretty exciting.

 

This is the end of the road. Literally.

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*aaaand one vintage shot from Yokohama*

(note little Jonas’ “hang loose”)