February in Maui is a nice time and place to be. For one, the whales are kicking offshore. They’re everywhere. When I look out towards the ocean I don’t see ocean anymore. All I see is an immense playground, where whales are jumping, splashing, slapping their tales, and having a blast. You don’t even have to try and see them now. Just glance out towards the beach and you’ll spot them. It’s amazing, and I’m really glad to have the privilege of witnessing it every day.

On Sunday my family and I went to Maluaka Beach Park with a pizza and watched the whales playing offshore. At first I was freaking out because we saw nothing. But as the sun sank closer to the horizon, they came out for one last round of the day. I can’t tell you how many whales we saw. But we were still waiting for one of them to launch straight up into the air and come down with a powerful splash. Suddenly it happened, and my wife and I shook our heads in amazement. My daughter wasn’t so blown away. She was preoccupied with the pizza crust she was polishing off.

Another point of excitement is, surprisingly, the presidential election. Suddenly Hawaii has an important say in who the Democratic nominee will be, now that the race Between Obama and Clinton is so close. Normally candidates aren’t too worried about Hawaii’s delegates. But not this year, when every delegate counts. Here’s a hint to the native Hawaiian population - this would be a great time to make sure that both Democratic nominees commit to passing the Akaka bill if elected.

Want some more big news? OK… I got a bike. How’s that? It’s practically brand new, and I got it for a steal off of craigslist. This guy was selling it after shipping it over here (along with everything else he owned) from San Diego. Poor sucker. He didn’t know the golden rule of moving to an island… DON’T BRING ANYTHING! Well, a car is OK, but nothing else! So he ended up selling most of his stuff because he didn’t have any room for all of it. And that resulted in me taking advantage of another person’s relocation ignorance and getting his bike for practically nothin’. And the best part? I actually use it!

Well, that just about sums it up for now. A hui ho, baby.

The big news here on the island is that snow actually fell on Maui yesterday. A storm passed over the island, bringing the windchill on top of Haleakala to just 20 degrees. It was pretty strange seeing snow at the top of the volcano’s summit while driving home yesterday. And for at least one day, when people talked about ice on Maui, they weren’t talking about the island’s meth problem!

Haleakala weather is one thing many visitors tend to overlook. When I was there a few months ago, I can’t tell you how many people I saw getting out of their car wearing slippers, shorts, and t-shirts. On the summit of a 10,000 foot volcano, that ain’t gonna keep you warm! So if you ever plan on visiting Maui, remember that a trip to mighty Haleakala requires warm clothes no matter what time of year it is. Here’s a link to current Haleakala weather conditions (click here), as well as a live webcam of the crater (click here).

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And here’s one last tip for those planning a visit to the Haleakala summit… finish the trip at the beach! The Haleakala crater is like a window to a different world. And there’s no better way to highlight the difference than to drive straight from the cold summit to Baby Beach at the far end of Baldwin Beach Park in Paia (click on the Google map above for a suggested route). That way you can enjoy two extreme climates in one day, and finish your journey with a relaxing swim.

For those who were interested in my ongoing failure as an aspiring surfer, I have an update. I tried the Dramamine experiment this past Friday. I took two pills before I went surfing with a friend from work. They didn’t work. I puked behind a rock, right in front of a family of 4. Sorry, kids. And on top of it… real surfers laughed at me in the distance. But on the bright side, I stood up on the board for about 2 seconds. Naturally I’m asking myself right now if those two seconds were worth the vomiting and public humiliation. Sadly, the answer is obvious… I don’t think I was meant to be a surfer. Three strikes and I’m out.

This realization isn’t all bad, though. It means that I’ll have more time to explore land-based adventures, like my discovery of Oneuli Beach… a near-deserted black sand stretch where you can enjoy a little solitude. Walk a little further down, and you literally have an entire beach to yourself. Take a look at my video podcast of Oneuli Beach. For those with a slower internet connection, it may take a minute or so before beginning.

 

 Oneuli Beach Tour: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Here’s a link to my most recent photocast collection, taken from a day spent at Palauea Beach in South Maui. This has become one of my favorite beaches on the island because it’s virtually unknown to the tourists, and the majority of visitors are locals. Just click on the link below and enjoy…

Palauea Beach In 8 Photos (click here)

Several months ago, as I sat in my Hollywood office imagining a life in Hawai‘i, surfing always played a pretty large role in my daydreams. It’s something I have always wanted to try, but it remained on a long list of activities that I’ve never gotten around to actually doing. That is, until today, when a guy from work asked if I wanted to go. My only excuse, besides being scared as hell of sharks, was that I didn’t have any swim trunks with me. He said he had an extra pair.

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So with that, I agreed. And after work we headed to Launiupoko Park, just outside of Lahaina, where my first surfing experience ended with me throwing up all over the beach! Read the rest of this entry »