Tradewinds, Whales, and a Compelling Milky Way
Lush beauty presents breathtaking scenes in every direction. Tradewinds caress your body like a warm whisper. With these words, if not the title, you can guess I’m talking about Hawaii. Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London, James Michener, and Paul Theroux are a few famous writers who convey the islands’ beauty with imaginative prose and poetry, which is difficult even for the best writers.
I’ve attempted to write about Hawaii’s beauty myself a few times.
Three Beautiful Things About Hawaii that we Love
Mysterious Beauty on the Big Island of Hawaii
Immersion in Hawaiian Culture and History on a visit to Oahu
Of course, when the pros admit difficulty, I’m sure to fail. Even pictures fall short of conveying the beauty of Hawaii. With this collection from The Big Island, Oahu, and Maui, I try. It’s an understatement to say that Hawaii is dreamy, but I dream of living there. However, its isolation removes it from serious consideration. There is so much of the world that I’ve yet to see.
My favorite takeaways from this recent visit are the tradewinds, the whales, and Haleakala, where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye.
The whales swim right next to our boat several times, even going under the boat! It was thrilling!
Almost as thrilling as seeing the whales is seeing the Milky Way. Haleakala National Park is 10,000 feet above sea level, and the Milky Way is visible at 9,000 feet. It was the first time I’d seen the Milky Way with my own eyes, without Adobe Lightroom edits. I was truly astonished when I saw it; a remarkable experience! The clouds scattered as the sun rose below us, and we watched the world unfold.
Enjoy this slideshow! But plan to experience the beauty yourself, in the winter, when whales are there. Watch the sunrise from the top of Haleakala.
Experience the tradewinds caressing your body like a warm whisper. You’ll never be the same.
