Another trip to another beach. Well, isn't that what Hawaii is all about?
http://www.threebestbeaches.com/uspac/hawaii/2008/12/hanauma-bay-nature-preserve-oahu-hawaii.html
This one is a specially created nature reserve (or Preserve, as it's called) and you do have to pay to get to it. From high up on the cliff the curved beach is magnificent. Apparently the bay was created from the crater of an ancient volcano that collapsed. Judging by the size of the bay that volcano was enormous.
Before being allowed onto the beach we had to watch a film about the nature there and how to protect it. Then we climbed down the path to the beach and found ourselves a nice spot amongst the crowds. A small café provided refreshments throughout the day and we had a lovely time in the warm, shallow, wave-free waters looking at all the pretty fish and doing a spot of snorkelling.
Once we had enough of the sand, we climbed back up the cliff and sat in the picnic area at the top of the cliff for a while with a drink. Suddenly a movement in a nearby hedge caught my eye. It was a mongoose! Then another one. Soon a whole band of them were darting in and out of the hedges. They appeared to be gathering nesting material rather than pinching scraps from the picnickers.
They kept me entertained for longer than the fish and I had to be dragged away in order to head back to the house.
