From Kailua, Hawai'i, Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Howzit?! It's Thursday!

Here's a Sunset desktop for you from Saturday Night June 27th, 2009. Press the little photo above to see the big picture!

Mahalo to Sandy Young, for helping out lst night and Mahalo to Laura Okawa, Dot & Dale Hunter, Sandy Young, Gary Rogers & Mac Moncrief who helped us keep the fires burning with donations in June!

New Moments of Zen are up in regular YouTube and HD!! I try once more to share with you some of my favorite places that you can enjoy any time you need a quick mini-vacation!
We begin with Alala Point, Another Moment of Zen for your Mini Vacation needs. Press the photo above and it will take you to it up on YouTube where, if you have a badass fat connection you can enjoy it in High Definition!

Mahalo to all those who helped keep IRH alive for many many years and to those who continue to help out! Due to economic conditions I guess, donations to the station dwindled to the point that we were unable to meet our monthly operating costs and after almost 15 years I have shut them down. For now this space is to be considered an experimental one where I will do what I can from time to time to share some of the incredible beauty that surrounds us. The photo above is part of a photograph taken up off the deck of the house that sits atop Alala Point overlooking Kailua Bay and Lanikai.

NEW - Now there are 22 360 degree treats for you! Below are picture links to 22 recent Flash Panoramas. Just like my photo slide shows, these require you to have the Flash Player on your computer. Go visit Adobe if you do not already have Flash.

Pressing the photos will open up a new launch page. When you click on the small photo on the launch page a panorama window will open up. Depending on your bandwidth they might take some time to load - be patient. If it takes more than a minute or two then close the windows and try again. Once the panorama loads it will look like a static picture. There are buttons lower left, with which you can zoom, stop & start rotation, view the panorama in full screen and zoom in & out.You can also grab the image with your mouse and spin left or right, stop it or manually move it around. Don't be afraid to try the different buttons. You can't break anything. Enjoy!
May 18th - an unusually clear afternoon and I made a trip to Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kane'ohe and shot two panoramas. This was the first. Press the photo below to see the spectacle!

April 16th, a visit to Kapiolani Park awaits you! Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

On Tax Day April 15th I was on my way down to Kahala Towers and took the long way through Waimanalo on purpose so I could stop and enjoy a couple of my favorite spots down Makapu'u. Press the photos below to enjoy the circular views.

Enjoy Makapu'u # 2 below/

A cloudy Saturday the 4th of April. I had an urge to go shoot some pictures. I rationalized that cloudy days actually allow us to see more detail some times. Anyhow I need the practice putting these together. Below is 360 #1 of Iolani Palace and grounds. I only had 3 quarters on me so I had 30 minutes to shoot what I needed. In total I shot 7 circles, 2 were repeats and I chose the best one. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Below is 360 #2 of Iolani Palace and grounds. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Below I moved over to the ewa lawn for our 360 #3 of the Palace & grounds. Here you'll see the Bandstand and a lot of nice shade. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

For 360 #4 on my visit to Iolani Palace & grounds I got a little closer to the bandstand. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

And lastly for view #5 I set up over near the Royal Barracks. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Next I drove down to Kaka'ako Waterfront Park where parking did not require quarters. Nice round hills down there. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Then it was off to Magic Island and Ala Moana Park. No quarters required there either. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Last 360 before my Costco run. Here I moved over to the other side of Magic Island for an immersive view of Ala Moana Beach Park. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Below is the first of two 360's photographed off our 2nd story roof on Sunday, March 29th, 2009. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Below is the 2nd of two 360's photographed off our 2nd story roof on Sunday, March 29th, 2009. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Saturday the 28th of March, 2009, I was going to do a Costco run but I wanted to take some more 360 degree panoramas on the way. It was pretty hazy but my first stop was halfway up the Pali townbound at the Scenic Lookout.Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

2nd stop was the road that takes you to the Pali Lookout when you are travelling towards Honolulu. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

3rd stop was walking down from the Pali Lookout and fighting the wind to get down to the Old Pali Road. This shot is the higher one of two. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

A couple hundred yards and farther down the Old Pali Road I took this panorama. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

Here's an immersive view photographed on March 15th 2009. Kailua Recreation Fields with a great view of the Ko'olaus and the Pali Notch. That's Konahuanui, the twin peaked mountain on the left. Press the photo below to enjoy the circular view.

On Sunday March 15th, 2009 I went down to capture one of my all time favorite views. Enjoy standing where I was as you view Kailua Bay from Alala Point and above and behind us is the "Bird Lady's house, one of the most celebrated homes on the island perched atop the rock on Alala Point. Press the photo below to see the panaorama

On February 17th, 2009 I went up on the roof to shoot the view. It was an awesome day. Press the view of Konahuanui and the Pali Notch. Oh Wow Lau Lau, some of the neighbors have photovoltaic solar panels on their roofs....

Click here to see a "taller" version shot with a little Kodak Camera with a wider angle lens.

Below is a 360 degree panorama of Kawainui Marsh on an overcast Kawainui Marsh on March 8th. Press the Marsh shot below to have a look around.

Also on March 8th, 2009, I stopped by Feather and Fur where our dog Angel goes to the Vet. They have recently redone their offices and their reception area is quite unique. Click the photo below to visit Feather & Fur.

How about a visit to the Pali Lookout? Press the plaque above for a look see.

Norman has a lot of stuff. Check it out by pressing the egg beaters above.

I made another Pilgrimage to the Beach Parks January 24th and spent time checking the erosion north of Kaelepulu Stream in Beach Park 1. The scene is pretty surreal and in places very Tragic. Press the picture above for a slide show. Press here for an AutoViewer version.

Sunset, Sunrise 1-19 & 20 -09 - Press to see.

Sunday's Ride January 18th, 2009 (press above) was to check the beaches and see how the erosion was between Ka'elepulu Stream and the Boat Ramp. What I saw quite literally shocked me. The Beach has become more like bluffs. I strongly suspect the Lanikai Seawalls for screwing up the sand migration back and forth between Lanikai and Kailua Beach. Sand Migration went on for as far back as anyone can remember - according to the old timers. I suppose the only way to rectify the problem would be to condemn the beach front properties in Lanikai where the sea walls were built and tear them down. Unfortunately the State has issued seawall permits even as recently as 2008 and the likelihood of anyone using eminent domain to fix the problem is highly unlikely. Getting Lanikai beachfront property owners to take down their sea walls and perhaps even move their houses back further on their lots voluntarily is probably also out of the question.
You can go back in the Archives for a look at a piece I did back in 2007 called "Where's Lanikai Beach" to see more on the effects of the sea walls down in Lanikai.
Also - Megazone Hawaii on the Science Channel is playing this month and features a story with Dr. Fletcher the Geologist also supports the idea that the seawalls are the culprits and the program shows the problems in Lanikai and at the boat ramp in Hi Def. Check your local schedule. The host butchers many Hawaiian place names and words but the show is very edumacational!

Saturday the 17th of February, hardly a cloud in the sky. I visited Kailua from the upper roof. Press the sky above to enjoy the whole show.

On my way to town on Saturday the 17th I caught sunrise from the Pali.

Hmmmm, no waves. Oh well, press the beach and it's off on a Saturday Bike Ride 10-4-08.