maui

A National Parks Journey - Haleakala National Park

My primary reasoning to choose Maui over the other islands of Hawaii for a winter trip to the tropical islands was Haleakala National Park. It was November of 2019 and I hadn't visited a single new National Park in that year. Covid was barely in the news at that time, and travel concerns seemed far on the horizon. Thus, when we were choosing the islands, we ended up settling on Maui. Due to the throngs that visit Hawaii during the month of December, our Last minute planning meant that we couldn't stay the hotels we desired. However, I was willing to sacrifice all that for a chance to stay within the crater of the National Park.

We snagged the walk-up permits by being first in line at the Park HQ - thankfully very few others had ideas of backpacking while in Hawaii. Hiking into the core of a volcanic crater and viewing the desolate moonscape of volcanic ash mingled with dry vegetation made for a memorable backpack. The icing on the cake was waking up in the middle of the night to watch the star-studded night sky that denizens of the main towns of Maui would hardly be able to experience. This alone makes the National Park a worthwhile visit for any traveler to Maui.

This particular scene is a silhouette of the various tourists posing against the setting sun at the rim of Haleakala.

Haleakala National Park
HI USA

Beckoning Sunrise

I never expected to have a beach all to myself, especially in the crowded island of Maui during its peak tourist season. But nevertheless, I found one such beach in the eastern side of the island, far away from the oft-touristed locations.

I wandered its shores, listening to the rhythmic crashing of the waves, some breaking over a jagged line of rocks offset from the beach, and others gently caressing the red sands over which I tread. The sun was yet to crest the horizon, but I waited, wading into the cool waters of the Pacific, hoping to find a composition that worked for this unique location.

I am not yet completely satisfied with this framing, and will likely experiment more with this image in the future.

Maui
HI USA

Enchanting Hawaii

January tends to be one of the worst months in the Pacific Northwest. And the start of this year was no exception, with the region experiencing 30 days of continuous rain. Rivers became swollen, creeks water-logged, trails slushy, and the mood sour. It was a sign to spend time indoors, reconnect with friends and family, grab a few drinks, and go through my archives.

It was certainly the lousy weather that inspired me to look at the photos of Hawaii, where, in one single day, you could go from barren moonscapes to a sunny beach to lush rainforests to graceful sunset. I still miss the days I spent driving between through those diverse climes and eagerly looking forward to the next vista.

Maui
Hawaii

The Blue Zone

The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.

- Yeats

As the last light of the day withdrew from the cloudy skies, I noticed something strange: the turbulent waters churning to a shade of deep blue , reflecting colors that were present nowhere. All around, the sky was socked in clouds with nary a shade of blue, and yet, these waters in the northeast of Maui displayed a fascinating hue I hadn't seen before.

I thought that was the last I would see of these mystical blue waters, but in the early hours of the next day, the same shades showed up at a different beach whilst under cloudy skies and yellow morning light.

Maui
Hawaii