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Alright, let's get down to brass tacks here. I am an intensely beachy person. Not peachy. Just beachy. Say I live in Pahoa. I know there are no good beaches in Puna, period. Kehena kills and the sand is too hot. So, let's say I wish to go to someplace beautiful to snorkel, where the sand is white. I know I am going to the west side or Punalu'u (sp?). How long will it take me? Can I get up in the morning and be at a great beach by ten or eleven? Love ya. Thanks in advance.
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Glen, Punalu'u is a BLACK sand beach - and can be very rough waters & has the green turtles to watch out for - is a little over an hour out of Kea'au. Hilo has Richardsons, salt & pepper salt (not the powder fine black sand that Hilo's Bay front (Canoe Beach) has, but that also means that the water LOOKS cleaner (Hilo Bay water has tested out pretty clean, just fine black sand in waves makes it look filthy).
The closest large true white sand beaches are up at Hapuna & Spenser beach, (over an hour out of Hilo - add ~ 1/2 hour to both from Pahao) this is also were you get old enough coral reefs to begin to have some fringing reef structure (some are fairly near shore). So count on just under 2 hours from Pahoa (depending on when you wake up, this is very do-able), if you combine that with your Kona shopping trips, and do it on those rainy days here, it isn't so bad a trip, unless you get one of their rare rainy days.... (of course, there are the tidepools just out of Pahoa for snorkeling)
We do like the critter life at Richardsons for snorkeling, we find that the water diversity tends to give a much higher critter diversity (and fewer legs than at some of the more known snorkeling areas on the West side)
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Aloha, Glen. Carey's advice is right-on. I would add that Punaluu has fresh water springs that both make the water cooler in places and create salt/fresh gradients that make things look wavy. Water there can also be a bit murky sometimes, especially if the wave action has been brisk. The Bear and I have never failed to see sea turtles at Punaluu, and once we even saw a monk seal.
Hapuna is the gold standard for sandy bathing beaches, but the snorkeling is not the best. The water is almost always beautifully clear, but there isn't much sea life to be seen in the accessible areas. Someone did tell us, however, that there is an area at Hapuna at the north end (just past the big hotel) where there is sea life to be seen. We didn't get a chance to check it out, though, as they told us as we were leaving last time.
Cheers,
Jerry
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Is it clear and warm at Richardson's?
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Hey all, what about Beach 69 just south of Haupuna in Puako? We have stayed there on the beach in some lovely homes and always enjoyed the water and white sand beaches. Snorkeling isn't bad or good, it is a protected sanctuary I believe. Locals bring their families here and it isn't too crowded usually, especially midweek. Good access and now they have public restrooms with freshwater showers even. The drive over from Pahoa is about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic flow and how anxious you get to be on the sand. As Carey and Jerry said - Haupuna is the "gold standard" we would agree strongly, but can be busy.
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Richardsons has a lot of fresh water springs on the south & east areas, these are cool water & you get the wavy haloclines. The fresh water is the clearest, but towards the north bay (around the rocks) the water is warmer ocean water, a little more particles (not a lot) in the water & a lot of school fish, as you go out west from the bay & towards Leileiwi Beach you come to what we call the aquarium, ~20' deep with a lot of fish schools. I have a good layer of marine mammal insulation, so the water temp is not an issue, skinny hubby likes to have his fleace lined or polypro dive-skin for Richardsons (but he also likes to have it for Hapuna)
Aloha, Carey
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So everyone agrees, Big Island has great beaches if I want them, and that I can get to them within a couple of hours?
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There are some great beaches and you can combine the trip to the beach with a shopping trip to Costco or Lowe's. And there's a couple of hidden beaches on the east side that not many people know about -- although they are a bit of a hike so they may not be right for you.
John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com
Edited by - jdirgo on 01/10/2007 15:26:06
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Although obviously no white sand, the snorkeling at Kapoho is amazing. Personally I love Kehena, but try to go early, like 8am or so, and generally avoid it on the weekends. The hot sand for me has been a rare experience since it's often partly or completely cloudy. I agree with others that 69 is one of the closest and quite beautiful. Probably my 2nd favorite beach on the island. Not that great for snorkeling though.
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Haloclines! I learned a new word. Richardson's sounds doable, and it would be fun to go their with the Dive Club.
When I was tring to sell my partner on Puna, I took him directly to Champagne Pond. We had snorkeled (he for he first time) in Kauai, but were knocked around a little bit (ooh, ahh, scratch, ouch!). Champagne Pond was a calm and welcome change. Went to the edge, where the blue of the sea meets the pond. Then it began to rain. It was delightful. Some kind people even covered my shirt, which I had left on the concrete, with a towel. Pretty magical. I WILL have to make friends with someone in Kapoho Beach so I won't have to take the long way around. : )
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