10-09-2009, 10:00 AM
I second Onekahakaha for a great ocean swimming pool experience clam water almost always, lifeguard with full view, steps down, sand & lots of picnic areas
For a little more water adventure, with a calmish area and mostly shallow & sandy bottom - Carl Smith is good, but has no beach area.
Richardson can have a little more water action (rarely current) with a smallish beach by the lifeguard & a cool water area out of lifeguard view that offers a black sand beach area at low tide. This ocean park has one of the prettiest shallow coral areas, but does take effort & know how to get to.
For a large stretch of fine sand, the Hilo bayfront has one of the least used (except by canoeists) fine powder black sand beaches (You will hear many tales of the water quality that do not stand up to the testing that has been done on the water, if you stay out of the breakwater areas during & after heavy -Hilo Heavy- rains, the water passes all state & EPA water quality tests) the perception that this water is not 'clean' has persisted, even though paddles are in it daily.....
For a little more water adventure, with a calmish area and mostly shallow & sandy bottom - Carl Smith is good, but has no beach area.
Richardson can have a little more water action (rarely current) with a smallish beach by the lifeguard & a cool water area out of lifeguard view that offers a black sand beach area at low tide. This ocean park has one of the prettiest shallow coral areas, but does take effort & know how to get to.
For a large stretch of fine sand, the Hilo bayfront has one of the least used (except by canoeists) fine powder black sand beaches (You will hear many tales of the water quality that do not stand up to the testing that has been done on the water, if you stay out of the breakwater areas during & after heavy -Hilo Heavy- rains, the water passes all state & EPA water quality tests) the perception that this water is not 'clean' has persisted, even though paddles are in it daily.....