North Shore Shave Ice and Sharks Cove

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Hawaii, Matsumoto, North Shore, Oahu, Sharks Cove, Shave Ice, Snorkling

16 May 2015 – After visiting the Kukaniloko Birth Stones it was lunchtime and we continued towards the North Shore for the time-honored tradition of obtaining and consuming Hawaiian shave ice at Matsumoto’s.  I got the “Hawaiian” (Coconut-Banana-Pineapple), Isabella chose Coconut-Strawberry-Banana, Lucas chose “Rainbow” (who knows what is in that), Aurelia chose Bubble Gum-Cotton Candy, Sherrie chose Li Hing-Raspberry-Lemon.  Of course we also add ice cream on the bottom and condensed milk on top giving it a rich creaminess.

Ordering at Matsumoto

We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather while eating our lunch of shave ice 🙂  Aurelia ate some and then mixed it all up into a slurry claiming she was making “pie.”  I gave Giuliana bites of mine.

Giuliana, Sherrie, Isabella, Lucas, and Aurelia eating their shave ice at Matsumoto

After shave ice for lunch we continued down the North Shore towards Sharks Cove for an afternoon of snorkeling.  Sharks Cove is a nice place for the family because it offers something for everyone.  The cove itself is protected from waves making it perfect for Giuliana to play in the water, the calm water and rock/coral creates the perfect snorkeling conditions which even Isabella and Lucas can enjoy, and the water is just deep enough with many fish and crabs in the shallows for Aurelia to enjoy.  Finally, of course there is adult-level snorkeling for Sherrie and myself.  Like anywhere else in Hawaii the kids also love playing the sand to warm up after time in the water.

Lucas, Isabella, and Aurelia in the tide pools at Sharks Cove

Fish in the shallow tide pools of Sharks Cove

This time we snorkeled other areas of Sharks Cove and enjoyed larger fish.  Isabella and I followed another coronetfish around while we also looked closer at the various species of urchin present.  Sherrie even saw a brittlestar eating an urchin.

Isabella holding the sand dollar Sherrie found

Sand dollar at Sharks Cove

Of course, the kids love playing in the sand wherever they go and it helps them to warm up between times in the water.

Aurelia playing in the sand burying her feet at Sharks Cove

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Kukaniloko Birth Stones

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Birth Stones, Hawaii, history, Kukaniloko, North Shore, Oahu

17 May 2015 – Hawaii has a unique and beautiful culture.  Just like any other culture it has some very historic and sacred places which are lost amidst its natural beauty and the cacophonous tourist activity.

I’ve always wanted to visit the Kukaniloko Birth Stones due to their unique nature.  In Hawaiian culture Kukaniloko is a sacred place where the ruling class (the ali’i) would come to give birth to children in the line of royal succession.  The birth would occur amongst the stones and be witnessed by the various chiefs (36 or more) to give an oral account of the birth.  The birth was a sacred and very structured process overseen by the Kahuna – Hawaiian priests.  The laboring mother was assisted by several others who took specific positions during the labor.  Supposedly the site was supposed to enable a painless labor and birth – yeah right.

A good view of the birthing stones site from the entrance

During the 600 year period of usage, about 1200-1800 CE, the site was guarded and only ali’i and Kahuna were allowed access.  Only by the sounds of the drums announcing the birth was anyone else informed of the activities on the site.

Today the site is still considered sacred by the native Hawaiians – however during the last 50 years was changed as stones were added or re-arranged.  The original stones are easily identified due to the existence of petroglyphs, carvings, and man-made shapes designed for function – such as holding a bowl.

Carvings left on the birthing stones

Aurelia, Isabella, and Lucas at the Birthing Stones

The entrance to the site is marked by two large monoliths and 36 smaller stones which make an avenue.  The 36 stones represent the 36 Hawaiian chieftains.  However, these stones were added after the site was no longer used.

Aurelia, Lucas, Isabella holding Giuliana stand next to one of the monoliths marking the entrance to the site

The entrance to the birthing stones site is marked by two monoliths and 36 smaller stones representing the Hawaiian chiefs – these were added later

Visitors today bring leis to the site and lay them on the stones.

A heart lei left at the birthing stones

Leis left at the birthing stones

A lei made of seaweed left at the birthing stones

Thai Food and Dole Plantation

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Dole Plantation, food, Haleiwa, Hawaii, North Shore, Oahu, Thai Food

9 May 2015 – Sherrie is always looking for the next great Asian restaurant – particularly Thai or Chinese (and more specifically, Sichuan).  She found out about a little Thai place on the North Shore in Haleiwa – Opal Thai Food.  Of course we had to go.  It was doubly convenient because we were planning on visiting the Dole Plantation which is only 10 minutes away from the restaurant.

Opal’s is a small restaurant (12 tables) next door to a Long’s Drugs in Haleiwa.  It is run by Opal and his 12-year old son, Lio.  Opal meets you at the door, seats you at your table and then asks you if you like Thai food.  If you respond yes he will ask you what Thai dish you last ate and to list five Thai dishes.  If you can answer the question he throws the menus on the floor and asks you for your favorite ingredients and plans a menu for your table based on your favorite things.

He brought us fish cakes with a wonderful red pepper sauce, shrimp noodles for the kids, a bowl of curry soup for two, garlic sweet fried chicken, and larb gai with lettuce wraps.  All amazing.

Opal, his son, and his staff are wonderfully welcoming and take the time with each table to talk and make sure that everything is perfect – waters are always full, napkins were replaced several times, etc.  Exceptional service.

They loved the children and took Lucas into the kitchen to watch and Opal carried Giuliana around the restaurant.  Lio and Lucas made fast friends and Lio made Lucas a rubber band bracelet with a button he had found.  We will definitely return.

Lucas and Lio at Opal Thai Food

From lunch we headed to the Dole Plantation – now a tourist spot located on the spot of the original 60 acres of James Dole’s first pineapple field in the Hawaiian islands (which further expanded to Maui and Lanai).  The kids loved the train, the maze, and the pineapple ice cream.  We also attended a pineapple demonstration where they discuss how to pick, slice, and grow a pineapple (it takes 20 months for a plant to bear fruit).

Aurelia, Isabella, and Lucas in front of the Dole Plantation

They loved taking the train through the pineapple fields and looking at all of the various plants: banana, Ti, breadfruit, coffee, pineapple, mango, papaya, etc.

Sitting in front of us on the train were two very friendly Korean ladies who took a liking to the children and gave Sherrie a small pineapple necklace (“for the beautiful lady”).  Of course I had to oblige them with a photograph 🙂

Korean ladies with Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella on Dole plantation train

We then walked through the world’s largest maze in search of the eight stations where you stencil a unique design on the back of your ticket.

We finished our time at the plantation with their famous pineapple ice cream.

Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella after ice cream at the Dole Plantation

Growing pineapple at the Dole Plantation

A gecko in a pineapple plant

Dole plantation banana tree

After the plantation we headed back and hit the pool for an hour before dinner 🙂  No day would be complete without swimming in Hawaii!

To the North Shore

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Hawaii, North Shore, Oahu, Turtle Beach

07 May 2015 (Day 2) – While the time change hit pretty hard and the kids were up before 6am, it didn’t defer our spirit.  After a morning nap for Giuliana we headed someplace special: where Sherrie and I told my brother Dante that we were going to have our first child, Isabella.  We waited many more months before telling anyone else and Dante dutifully kept our secret.  The location was Cholo’s Mexican.

Lunch at Cholos

After lunch I picked up some Hawaiian coffee at a nearby roaster and, of course, we were off to the beach! While driving along the coast looking for a spot to stop and swim I spotted the low-tide at Shark’s Cove – perfect for the kids to go into the tide pools and enjoy the sea life.

Sherrie and Isabella headed out into the lagoon and spotted some eel, puffer fish, and many other kinds of sea life.  I stayed in the shallow pools with Lucas, Aurelia, and Giuliana where there was plenty to enjoy with a variety of crabs, fish, and sea cucumbers about the mixture of sandy and rocky pools.

Lucas, Isabella, and Aurelia at Shark’s Cove

Shark’s Cove Bubble Snail Shell

Lucas at Shark’s Cove

Giuliana at Shark’s Cove

After several hours at Shark’s Cove we were hungry for dinner, and so we headed to the iconic Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck just up the road for some world-famous scampi.  Unfortunately, I was the only one who enjoyed it – but Sherrie picked up some Thai at a nearby truck so all was well 🙂

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck

With our bellies full we headed back towards the leeward side of Oahu but made one last stop – at Turtle Beach.  It was about an hour to sunset and while the location is not great for swimming it is world class green sea turtle watching as they munch the algae growing off the rocks just beyond the surf.  You can see their large bodies as dark silhouettes in the waves and watch as their heads and fins pop above water.  There were dozens.  The kids loved it and yelled out, “TURTLE,” every time they saw one.  The site itself is not great for swimming given the rocks, but the kids found a way to make it work by laying on the sand and letting the waves crash over them.  We stayed there and watched the sunset over the ocean.

Sunset at Turtle Beach