Hawaii Christmas 2004

Hawaii Christmas 2004

At first page

Next page

1-32 (of 118 found)

PC185766 Right after the end of the Fall 2004 semester, Kate and I went on a two week trip to Hawai'i over the Christmas holiday. It was my second trip to Hawai'i outside of being stationed there while in the Navy, but this was Kate's first time to the islands. We arrived in Honolulu on the island of Oahu around 6:30 AM. After picking up the rental car, we started to drive to Pearl Harbor since we had time before checking into the hotel. We did a little bit of shopping at the mall and at the flea market at Aloha Stadium. While walking around the stadium, I snapped a photo of Kate in front of the south entrance to the stadium. Mele Kalikimaka can be seen in the background.

PC185766

PC185770 After the shopping we went to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. On my last visit to the memorial in 1997, the battleship USS Missouri was not yet located in the harbor. This was my first time seeing the ship in all its history. In this photo, the USS Missouri (which was where the surrender documents to end World War II were signed) is next to the USS Arizona Memorial (whose demise was part of the openning shots of World War II for the U.S. in the Pacific).

PC185770

PC185771 A close up view of the USS Missouri (BB-63).

PC185771

PC185772 Kate took a photo of me in between the ship and the memorial.

PC185772

PC185785 While we were out on the memorial we saw the USS Lake Erie (CG-70) coming into port.

PC185785

PC185802 After leaving the USS Arizona Memorial, Kate and I took the shuttle from the USS Bowfin Museum over to the USS Missouri. Kate is seen here walking up the gang plank to board the ship for a self guided tour.

PC185802

PC185804 Once aboard, we first went to the forecastle of the ship. I liked taking this photo of Kate with the two turrets of six 16-inch guns aimed forward.

PC185804

PC185805 This photo is similar to the previous photo, except the one gang plank with the USS Missouri name on it is in the photo.

PC185805

PC185826 This is the gold plated plaque with information of the ships location and date of the surrender document signing. The plaque is embedded into the deck. It is located near the quarterdeck of the ship.

PC185826

PC185829 At the quarterdeck of the ship, I took this photo of the bow turrets aiming forward with the USS Arizona Memorial in the background.

PC185829

PC185838Reexposure From a couple of the higher decks on the bridge structure on the USS Missouri, one can see Diamond Head crater in the distance. This is a totally zoomed in photo of it. It was a very nice day!

PC185838Reexposure

PC185841 From the port side of the command bridge deck, I took another photo of the guns and the USS Arizona Memorial.

PC185841

PC185850 The USS Arizona Memorial as seen from the end of the pier that the USS Missouri is located.

PC185850

PC185852 A look back at the port bow of the USS Missouri.

PC185852

PC195858 The next day, Kate and I went on an early walk down the main drag of Waikiki from where our hotel was. Next to the beach, there are several nice fountain areas. I had Kate pose in front of this one, and she gave me a little shaka. We then headed out of Waikiki for the day and headed to the North Shore of Oahu.

PC195858

PC195863 This was where Kate wanted to be while on the vacation - the beach.

PC195863

PC195882Reexposure At this time in Hawai'i, the waves at the North Shore were coming in at heights of around 20-40 feet. I had fun taking some photos of the surfers. I wouldn't be caught surfing, but for those who can, it looks fun.

PC195882Reexposure

PC195887Reexposure I got a photo of this dude just before he bought the farm, so to speak.

PC195887Reexposure

PC195894Reexposure This is what the breakers looked like moast of the time we were on Oahu. Awesome, but pretty nasty.

PC195894Reexposure

PC195909Reexposure One of the larger waves about to break.

PC195909Reexposure

PC195923 This dude had a good ride as a small pipe formed behind him.

PC195923

PC195932Reexposure This was one of the better shots I got of someone in a pipe, or at least just coming out of one.

PC195932Reexposure

PC195935Reexposure The last shot of the breakers on the North Shore that day. Look at the bottom of the photo. The tan color material making up part of the water is sand being picked up in the current.

PC195935Reexposure

PC195976 After leaving the North Shore, Kate and I drove east around the northeastern part of the island's coast. Once we got near Kaneohe and Kailua, we drove up the Pali Highway. Once at the top of the Pali, we went to Nu'uanu Pali State Park. I had never really been to this State Park while I was stationed in Hawai'i, though I drove by it many times, so I wanted to see it when I took Kate to Hawai'i. Here, Kate is posing behind the sign.

PC195976

PC195977to82Palilookout This is a panoramic of the Pali Lookout as it is called. The view looks to the north and east at Kaneohe and Kailua. Great view. For historical purposes, this is the location of the Battle of Nu'uanu Pali that took place in the late 1700's. King Kamehameha arrived in Oahu to unit the islands. According to the park information signs, this battle was called Kaleleka'anae (or the leaping of the 'anae fish) because some of the warriors were forced off of the cliffs to fall to their deaths. About 400 warriors died in the battle.

PC195977to82Palilookout

PC195980 Another look at Kaneohe and Ulupa'u Crater in the distance from the Pali lookout.

PC195980

PC195986 A photo of Kate from the lookout.

PC195986

PC195988 The early start of the sunset from the Pali Lookout before leaving for the hotel.

PC195988

PC205993 The next day, Kate and I began by heading to Punchbowl crater. This is where the National Cemetary of the Pacific is located. Service men and women that died in various Pacfic battles are buried here. After paying our respects to the fallen heros, we left to meet up with a friend (Shirley McCarthy) that still works at the command I worked at while I was stationed here in the Navy. We all had lunch and got a tour of the command to see what changes had been made since I worked there 7 years earlier. After the tour, Kate and I headed to Diamond Head Crater to hike to the old coastal gun battery locations. Part way up the trail, I took a photo with Kate and the crater floor in the background.

PC205993

PC206001to09Diamondhead1 Once we reach the summit region of the southern rim of the crater I took about a 270 degree panoramic photo of the view. The left side of the panoramic is just south of Waikiki, and goes to the west, then to the north on the right side of the panoramic. The entire crater is in the photo.

PC206001to09Diamondhead1

PC206017 Kate at the summit with Waikiki in the background.

PC206017

PC216088 The next day, Kate and I headed to the middle of the island to see the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Here is Kate in front of the Plantations visitor's center.

PC216088

Page 1 of 4

Next page

valid CSS!