Punalu'u Sea Turtles...

I always love sea turtles.  I found a few hanging out on Punalu'u's black sand beach.  It's rare for them to hang out on the shore for the purpose of just resting, and they are only known to regularly do this in a few beaches around the world.  I've been blessed to see them a few times since one spot they frequent is on Oahu, but I was lucky this day that they also happened to be chillin' on the black sand beach.

The gentle giants didn't seem to have a care in the world.

The little guy on the right seems to be camera shy as he (or she?) hides behind the flipper of the adult.

Saw this fella come right out of the water.

He was keeping his eye on me as he decided where he'd like to go.  I kept my distance.

For how graceful they are in the water, they are the exact opposite on land.  ...Pre-push...

...post push.

Yawn.

Mahalo for visiting.  Much Aloha to you.

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach...

The Big Island (Hawai'i Island) has several different types of sand.  It's most famous for a couple of high quality black sand beaches.  In order for black sand to develop there needs to be the sea and volcanic rock, so the islands of Hawai'i are perfect.  Obviously, the black sand is created by erosion of the black volcanic rock where lava has previously run into the Pacific Ocean.  The Punalu'u County Beach Park is always ranked as the number 1 black sand beach in the world and that's where I am for this post.  Enjoy the pictures...

The black sand beach was a lot bigger until active lava flowed down to the beach area a few years ago.  The recent lava rock is pictured above.

The black sand was very fine and not nearly as not to walk on as one might think.

There was a creek that flowed into the river at the Punalu'u Beach Park.

When the pool at the end of the creek where it meets the black sand dunes.

Just a post on a bridge that caught my eye.

Mahalo for visiting!  See you again soon.