Hawaii: Trip overview 3 '08

The  Kailua - Kona Coast is our favorite place to vacation in Hawaii.  We always pack a lot of activities into these trips, so I thought I would give you the highlights in this post and let you read the specifics in some of the other more details posts which will follow.

The sunny Kona District stretches for about 60 miles from Kona International Airport to beyond Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island’s lava-lined western coast. Along this expansive area, you’ll find everything from coffee farms to historic Hawaiian landmarks.

The sleepy little village of Kona is always quiet and laid back.

But that doesn't mean there isn't  a lot to see and do here.  In fact you can visit the royal Hawaiian Hulihee Palace ( the last residence of King Kamehameha I), the  Mokuaikaua Church, and the the Ahuena Heiau., all within a few short blocks of one another

Of course the Island offers other  more modern attactions

The Keauhou farmers market is two blocks from our condo

Like a  the Kona and Keauhou Farmers Markets  which are two of  the best on the island.

We always make a visit to the farmers market one of our first stops after signing into the condo.

Nothing tastes as sweet as just picked fresh Hawaiian papaya or pineapple

and the fresh  caught fish and baked goods are outstanding.

CC at The Keauhou Hotel

And of course dining is always a pleasure on the Big Island

CCs favorite is The Keauhou Hotel  which has a great little indoor out door restaurant perched over a lagoon where you can watch the reef fish swim below you.

Bruce prefers  dining at the small local eateries, especially there is  a  Hula dancer performance

One of our favorite things to do together is visit the Volcano National Park

Kilauea  Volcano in the distance

We always do a lot of hiking. Mt. Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and is constantly changing the landscape so there is always something new  to see.

CC with an active caldera crater in the background

This trip we concentrated most our our hiking to trails in the rain forest near the Volcano House where we were able to see a lot of native Hawaiian birds. 

( There will be more on our bird sightings in a later post)

We spent an afternoon visiting our wedding garden by the sea where we were renewed our vows .

(More in a later Post)

Bruce took a couple of scuba dives (more in another post)

and golfed (more in another post)

CC's acrylic still life of a Pineapple ( before we ate it)

 While CC painted  ( more to follow)

BJ with artist M Fieldson

 and we both did a lot of  Art Gallery Hopping ( see follow-on posts)

New Year’s Resolution. 2 '08

Bruce and I have been faithful to our New Year’s Resolution.  We have not only been following our health plan’s eating regime, but exercising regularly as well.  The results in five short weeks have been remarkable.  Bruce has lost close to twenty five pounds and two pant sizes, and I have lost fifteen and we won’t even talk about how many pant sizes (the photos might give it away).  Both of us look and feel a lot better.  We can’t wait to show off our new fitness in Hawaii.  But seeing is believing, so I’ve included a few photos that demonstrate our progress.  The next report will be when we return from Hawaii in March.

McClellanville 2 '08

After the hike Jim, Becky, Bruce, and I went to the nearby fishing village of McClellanville to get some lunch.  The town has a large fishing fleet and arguably the best seafood in the state. (It certainly has the freshest seafood we have ever had.)  Unfortunately, Hurricane Hugo came ashore right atop of the town, and nearly wiped the once thriving town off the map. There are whole streets no, without a single building on them.   Hurricane or no, there is a certain beauty about the area can’t be found elsewhere.  Many of the survivors decided to stay put as evidenced by all the little local shops.  I plan on coming back to paint the uniquely southern town.

Palmetto - Awendah Trail hike 2 '08

Guide and Group meeting for Awendah Trail Hike

Today we had an action adventure. 

Becky Sullivan

 We went with our good friends, Jim and Becky Sullivan, for a short hike along the Palmetto trail. 

Jim Sullivan

 The Palmetto Trail leads east west between the low country marshes at the coast, to the mountains on the Western side of the State. We joined up with about twenty other nature lovers for a docent led hike along the eastern most section of the trail ( also known as the Awendah Section).   It was a short walk (only four miles) but very pleasant.  There were plenty of birds to watch, and lots of beautiful views of the marsh and inter-coastal waterways.  

Guide dog, Casey

 Our guide was very informative about local flora and history, and his dog, Casey, made sure that no one got lost.  Later this year we hope to walk other sections of this trail

Hawaii: Gallery Hopping 3 '08

One of our favorite things to do in Hawaii is go Art  Gallery hopping. That's easy to do on the Big Island, as there are a lot of fine galleries representing both off island and local artists.

Volcano Art Gallery Volcano NP HI

The Volcano Art gallery in the Volcano National Park represents the best of what the Hawaiian Islands have to offer

We attended a reception there where we met glass artist

Marian Fieldson

BJ and Mariion

and bought several of her beautiful  glass plates

Each is unique and cast in lava molds

I love their organic form

And she doesn't skimp on her color... red glass is becoming very rare..

A Red Glass Plate by Fieldson

On the opposite side of the Island we visited all of the little galleries in Hawi which offer  fine art crafts from the local area.

A gallery in Hawi

One of many studio galleries in Honolua

And of course we had to visit the artist colony of Honolua  which is the home of one of my favorite regional artist: Darrel Hill

Darrel Hill Studio

Exploring the Southern Coastline Jan 26-29 '08

Rving at HPSP

Bruce and I took our first RV trip of 2008.  January has been a bit coldish here in Pawley’s Island, so Sat the 26th we decided to drive Southward in search of warmer temperatures.   Our first stop was in Walterboro South Carolina, which hosts the South Carolina Artisan Center.   

South Carolina Artisan Center

 The center has some of the finest examples of arts and crafts that we have seen to date.  We would have lingered longer in the area, but President Bill Clinton was in town to make a campaign speech for Hillary.   Needless to say, that generated an enormous amount of extra traffic.  So we decided to push on.

Beaufort Harbor

Continuing South along the coast we arrived in Beaufort County about 3 pm.  The nearest RV stop was Hunte Island State Park. 

Our RV was parked right next to the Beach

  As it turns out, it is also one of the best places we have ever camped.  We spent to next day exploring the island and the surrounding natural areas. The Island is a semi-tropical forest which borders the Atlantic Ocean.    

Shrimp boats at Lady's Lisland

  There are miles and miles of estuary on the leeward side.

Hunte Isle SP  nature trail through the estuary

 The park itself has miles of white sandy beaches, with the skeletal remains of  a maritime forest that is being swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean called a Boneyard

Boneyard Tree roots

 Which afforded me endless opportunities for reference photos.

BJ on beach

BJ

and boasts a real lighthouse which you can climb to the top of.      It seems to be a little known jewel as there were very few visitors (at least in January) to either the beach or the lighthouse. 

BJ inside lighthouse

Views from atop the lighthouse

On Monday we visited the nearby surrounding communities. Beaufort County is composed of sixty-five islands.  Hilton Head is its most famous.  Frankly we were not impressed.  HH Island is now completely developed with most of the property locked in gated communities. Access to their famed beaches was hard to find.  Like most planned communities, at first blush it seemed attractive, but soon began to feel artificial and shallow.  We won’t go there again.

One of many of Beaufort mansion

The town of Beaufort on the other hand, was beautiful.  Beaufort's history spans back to the time of Spanish explorers. From museums to churches to a house used as a headquarters for the Union Army during the Civil War to the first school for freed slaves in South Carolina following that war. The streets are lined with ancient oaks, and elegant ante-bellum mansions.  The main street historic district has at least a dozen good art galleries not to mention good eateries right on the Inter Coast waters.   We plan on returning to see the town in spring when the marshes green up, and the azaleas are in bloom. 

KAT

Kat came with us on this trip.  As soon as we arrived, she insisted on scouting the Hunte SP campground out  ( on a leash)  But once she discovered there were feral cats in the area,  she was content to snooze in the RV or look out the window.

Sidewheeler Restaurant in Conway Destroyed 1 '08

Sidewheeler Restaurant AKA Old Naval Warehouse

We heard on the radio today that the  historical Sidewheeler Restaurant in Conway burned down last night.   We’ve sampled several of their hearty, Low-country classics like fried yams ’n’ okra and their grilled fish caught just outside in the Waccamaw  River.  Our meals were served in a historic dining room with a beautiful view of the river.  It’s a pity.  It was such a beautiful historical building.  I had planned on painting it.  Now there is nothing left except our photos and memories.

Pawley’s Island Souper Bowl. 1 '08

CC's Souper Bowl

On Saturday, January 12 we attended the Pawley’s Island Souper Bowl.  Where else could we have had the opportunity to taste soups from some of the most popular restaurants in South Carolina. The fundraising event was sponsored by Habitat for Humanity to help deserving low income women in Georgetown County get into their own homes. Over 40 gourmet soups were donated by the finest restaurants in Georgetown County.  The restaurants definitely put their best dishes out at this event. The choices ranged from the low country favorite, she crab soup, to the exotic Roasted Red Pepper with Goat Cheese Cream and fresh basil, to Lobster Bisque.

BJ's Souper Bowl

Local artists from elementary school through to professional artists made and donated bowls and cups for the event.  You purchase a ticket, get to choose (and keep your cup/bowl) then sample as many of the soups as your stomach can hold (the soup is served in a Styrofoam bowl.)  It was a great way  to spend a cold Saturday evening after Christmas and New Year's  when we were "turkeyed" out while helping our local community.   If Habitat for Humanity sponsors a Souper Bowl in your area, we would definitely encourage you to attend. But here’s a little hint.  Go early if you want to be seated at a table. These are sell-out events.