Blue Planet Journey

Gia, Caroline, and Mike at Aihualama Falls, Lyon Arboretum. Manoa Falls in background. One of the more popular hiking trails for visitors staying in the Waikiki area is the Manoa Falls Trail .  And why not?  The trailhead is easily accessible (about 8 km from Waikiki), and the trail itself is only 1.2 km long.  The path is relatively easy to navigate (except those last 50 meters... don't try it in rubber slippers), and there is a nice waterfall at the end, although it comes out at a dribble after a week without rain.  There is lush foliage surrounding the trail, protected parking at Paradise Park ($5) as well as clean restrooms, and a few interpretive signs.  A number of ecotours consistently take groups of clients up to the falls.  The towering trees and bamboo groves, as well as the falls, are featured in many selfies. Manoa Falls What you won't see are flowers.  It's not that there are no flowering plants in the area...

Hanauma Bay I volunteered at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve this morning, so my claim that the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is no more may come as a surprise.  Let me give you my reasoning. First, there are a number of histories of Hanauma Bay that are relevant here: 1.  Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program, Hanauma Bay Study Site . 2.  City and County of Honolulu, Hanauma Bay History (I think much of this came from one of John Hoover's books).  There is a visual timeline associated with this website. 3.  Wikipedia, Hanauma Bay . It is my understandi ng that, "Today the City and County of Honolulu administers that part of Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve lying above the high tide line, and the State of Hawai'i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources manages the underwater portion" ( City and County of Honolulu ). That underwater portion and the portion below the high tide line?  That is the Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District , ...