Today we spent a few hours walking around the lighthouse with binoculars watching for whales. As noted in an earlier post, this is where the Humpback Whales come to give birth between Dec-Mar. We didn't see whales but we sure enjoyed the birds and the ocean. Here is a bit of info: Each year, thousands of seabirds use Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge for nesting, feeding, or resting. It is considered one of the best places on the main Hawaiian islands to view Laysan albatrosses, red-footed boobies, brown boobies, red-tailed tropicbirds, wedge-tailed shearwaters, and great frigatebirds. Seabirds nest atop sheer sea cliffs, shearwaters nest along a walking path, and nene (the native Hawaiian goose) are easily seen walking about. A spectacular viewing site from the point gives visitors a chance to see whales and dolphins miles out into the Pacific Ocean. The point itself is the remnant of the former Kilauea volcanic vent that last erupted about 500,000 years ago. Today, only a small U-shaped portion remains, including a spectacular 568-foot ocean bluff. The U.S. government bought the Point in 1909 and completed a lighthouse in 1913. Surrounded by a landscape void of native vegetation and used for cattle, the lighthouse served for 68 years as a navigational aid for trans-Pacific shipping through the Hawaiian archipelago. In 1976 it was replaced by an automatic beacon. By 1979 the lighthouse and the original buildings were designated National Historic Landmarks..
This is the Nene...a Hawaiian goose...quite pretty actually
Looking Northeast from the lighthouse shows the interesting coastline cliffs...look in the grassy area and you'll see all of the white dots...birds actually
What do you do on a beautiful warm afternoon surrounded by the ocean? Watch the waves, of course! We were particularly enthralled with this point that is being pounded continually by the ocean and the alcove that is being formed. This is a progression of a wave...
Now there's some force...and this is with the tide out
This is just off the Northern tip in front of the lighthouse...it's a separate rocky point where birds hang out and right around this area is where you can see the whales and dolphins
Watching the waves on the upper right side of this rocky point
We thought it looked like whipped cream! Amazing how you can get lost in just watching this.
To the Northwest of the lighthouse is this! Everything is shrouded in mist...same time, same place, different direction. This is what has been so cool about being here this time of year.
Finally was able to catch a decent pic of a Laysan Albatross...they were soaring all around us but catching a picture...ahh thank goodness for digital. They are amazing to watch and have a 7-8 foot wing span
Look at this picture closely...he's actually preening in mid-flight! If I were a bird, I would be very happy living here ;-) They get incredible loft with these cliffs.
And this was the end to our day! Simply beautiful. Aloha!
Today we spent a few hours walking around the lighthouse with binoculars watching for whales. As noted in an earlier post, this is where the Humpback Whales come to give birth between Dec-Mar. We didn't see whales but we sure enjoyed the birds and the ocean. Here is a bit of info: Each year, thousands of seabirds use Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge for nesting, feeding, or resting. It is considered one of the best places on the main Hawaiian islands to view Laysan albatrosses, red-footed boobies, brown boobies, red-tailed tropicbirds, wedge-tailed shearwaters, and great frigatebirds. Seabirds nest atop sheer sea cliffs, shearwaters nest along a walking path, and nene (the native Hawaiian goose) are easily seen walking about. A spectacular viewing site from the point gives visitors a chance to see whales and dolphins miles out into the Pacific Ocean. The point itself is the remnant of the former Kilauea volcanic vent that last erupted about 500,000 years ago. Today, only a small U-shaped portion remains, including a spectacular 568-foot ocean bluff. The U.S. government bought the Point in 1909 and completed a lighthouse in 1913. Surrounded by a landscape void of native vegetation and used for cattle, the lighthouse served for 68 years as a navigational aid for trans-Pacific shipping through the Hawaiian archipelago. In 1976 it was replaced by an automatic beacon. By 1979 the lighthouse and the original buildings were designated National Historic Landmarks..
This is the Nene...a Hawaiian goose...quite pretty actually
Looking Northeast from the lighthouse shows the interesting coastline cliffs...look in the grassy area and you'll see all of the white dots...birds actually
What do you do on a beautiful warm afternoon surrounded by the ocean? Watch the waves, of course! We were particularly enthralled with this point that is being pounded continually by the ocean and the alcove that is being formed. This is a progression of a wave...
Now there's some force...and this is with the tide out
This is just off the Northern tip in front of the lighthouse...it's a separate rocky point where birds hang out and right around this area is where you can see the whales and dolphins
Watching the waves on the upper right side of this rocky point
We thought it looked like whipped cream! Amazing how you can get lost in just watching this.
To the Northwest of the lighthouse is this! Everything is shrouded in mist...same time, same place, different direction. This is what has been so cool about being here this time of year.
Finally was able to catch a decent pic of a Laysan Albatross...they were soaring all around us but catching a picture...ahh thank goodness for digital. They are amazing to watch and have a 7-8 foot wing span 
Look at this picture closely...he's actually preening in mid-flight! If I were a bird, I would be very happy living here ;-) They get incredible loft with these cliffs.
And this was the end to our day! Simply beautiful. Aloha!
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