Glob: Travels

Modern Pterasaur (Jurassic bird)

Helicopter - Kauai - May 2007, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2007: Far far away (in the Jura mountains between France and Switzerland), scientists discovered the Mesozoic era from long long ago (245-65 million years). From that, the Jurassic has become a household word now due to great marketing by modern settlers of earth. The opening scene of the movie Jurassic park was the shot of a helicopter flying into the Na Pali Coast of Kauai, Hawaii. Here we see a helicopter 1,000+ ft under where we hike, recreating the experience for tourists.

Twilight Sail

Come Sail Away - Maui - May 2006, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2006: The same principle (Bernoulli) explains why planes fly and boats sail. The same air that lifts a plane up pushes a sailboat forward. The same air on which we float becomes the water we sail. The same sun that sets over clouds in the Bay Area sets over the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii.

Love is like the Ocean

Lovers - Kauai - May 2007, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2007: The rolling waves, the windswept palm trees in the horizon, the wet beach, the colors of dusk, the stone obstacle, the bare feet, the infinite ocean, the arms locked around waists and the sweet nothings.

Extra-terrestrial pondering

moonrise from Awa'awapuhi trail - Kauai - May 2007, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2007: The average distance between Earth and Moon is approximately 30 times Earth's diameter. The Sun happens to be 400 times the Moon's diameter, and 400 times as far away. That coincidence means the Sun and Moon appear to be the same size when viewed from Earth. As earthlings in Hawaii wrap up their day, moonlings are waking up in the land far far away...

Wildflower

Wild flower - Kauai - May 2007, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2007: Loved the composition of this photograph. Picked out of nowhere along a hike along Nu`alolo trail in Koke`e State Park, Kauai. Good job Shruti!

Reaching Out

Reaching out - Kauai - May 2007, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2007: There are three ways to view the Na Pali Coast in Kauai, Hawaii: Air, Water and Land (duh!). There is no access by road. While helicopters & motorboats are convenient and kayaking & hiking are  higher-involvement, backpacking the Kalalau trail (11 miles one-way) is probably the best way to do it. This photo was taken between mile one and two of the trail. The (only) trail-head is in the Na Pali Coast State Park. A pair of trails from the Koke`e State Park (Awa`awapuhi trail and Nu`alolo trail) also provide coastal access to the Na Pali coast, while Kalalau trail runs along the coast for the entire 11 miles.

Cloud and Light show

Cloudy sunset - Maui - May 2006, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2006: Befitting grand finale to a perfectly lazy day on the beach at Maui, Hawaii. Happy anniversary sweetheart.

Spouting Horns

May 2007: The Spouting Horn in South Kauai (Hawaii) is a natural wonder. When waves get under corroded lava shelves and former lava tubes, the force of the water sprays it upto 50 feet in the air as if out of the blowhole of a large whale. There are other places on earth where you can see this phenomenon, but certainly not an everyday sight.

Elements

Peekaboo - Maui - May 2006, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2006: After Easter Island, Hawaii is the farthest away from land (2,000 miles) than any other land mass on earth. As the second most isolated land mass, you can see active nature at its best. The land breathes heavy with volcanoes. The 3W's (winds, waves, wings) meet here after thousands of miles of uninterrupted travel. Phenomena that are alien to most land on earth are commonplace on this island. Here I capture dense clouds forming over coastal mountains, as the sun sets over waves created 1/2 a mile from the coast due to an underwater ridge.

New Found Land

Arch - Big Island - May 2006, originally uploaded by righthalf.

May 2006: The active lava flows on the coast along the Kilauea Caldera in Big Island, Hawaii have created some of the newest land in the world. Since 1983, when the flows into the ocean restarted at the Pu`u `O`o vent, 560 acres of new land has been added. Roughly one square mile is added every 20 years. This picture was taken near the trailhead of the coastal hike that gets you within a mile of the current lava flows. This arch is no older than 1790 AD. A just-born baby if you think about it. I love the way ocean water is cuddling, splashing and playing with it.