July 4th in Hawaii!

Any beach on the island will be crowded on July 4th, and Waikiki is no exception. We opted to head for Diamond Head this morning, where we knew the surf was good and the beach would not be as packed. The beach at Diamond Head sits well below the road and the well-traveled path down to it has a fairly steep pitch. Once we'd descended, we could see the many surfers dotting the wide expanse of ocean. Rick, Debbie's husband, took off for the break, while Debbie, her son, Andrew and his wife, Marissa, walked with me along the beach. Suzanne stayed behind to bask in the sun.

The olivine sand sparkled in the sunlight as the waves brought in wildlife from the sea in the form of a spiny sea urchin, sea cucumbers, and most interestingly, a large monk seal. Concerned for their survival, we rolled the urchin and sea cucumbers back into the ocean waters. As we neared the end of the beach, we encountered the hulk of a beautiful seal lying in the sun, resting. She rolled onto her back, her rotund belly sticking up into the air and her flippers out at her sides like angel wings. Her adorable face reflected serenity; her eyes closed and her mouth had almost a smirk-like look to it. We watched her for quite a while as she didn't seem to have any desire to leave. She was magnificent, how fortunate were we to have had the opportunity to observe her. She outlasted us, and we returned to the spot we'd taken for our towels and chairs, where we were joined by Sarah and Greg. We sat there in the sun, soaking up it's warmth and enjoying the ongoing conversations. It was a gorgeous day to be on the beach, any beach, but especially to be on the beach at Diamond Head.

Later, back at home, we had a cookout on the back deck overlooking the waterway. With all the makings for the meal on the table, everyone dove in, polishing off hamburgers, salads, and fruits. After being on the beach all morning, there was nothing more thirst quenching than the sun-kissed watermelon and yellow cherries from Washington state. Late in the day, Sarah, Greg, Suzanne, and Andrew put the surfboards into the boat and headed out toward Turtles, a surf break right outside of the marina.

In the early evening Deb, Rick, Sarah, Greg, Suzanne, and I walked to the Hawaii Kai marina where there was to be a fireworks display to celebrate the fourth. As we walked through the neighborhood on our way, many of the teenagers were already celebrating with sparklers and firecrackers. Once we reached the marina, we found tents set up with food, activities, and information. We found a group of rocks to perch on overlooking the barge where the fireworks would be sent from, a perfect spot. Once the fireworks began it was apparent that the town of Hawaii Kai would do itself proud. It was an impressive presentation, full of color and variation, definitely rivaling the displays put on in much larger towns.

As I sat at the Hawaii Kai Marina this evening with my family I felt perfectly and totally content. There was no place else I'd rather be at that moment in time. The ambiance was completed with a brilliant full moon, tropical breezes, and beautiful Hawaiian music playing softly in the background. It was one of those nights that you wished could go on forever...