Big Wave Day

 We were warned that the waves were going to be big today. Zero chance I would have been in the water under any condition. We are located on the northwest portion of Kauai and the warning was for us although the Northern point is where the largest waves typically are seen. 12-16 feet is big, but it is difficult to judge from the beach just if you are looking at something that large. 

For those who have visited us here, the following video was taken directly in front of our location. The waves were bigger at the second location, but I included this video because I think you can see some rip tide moving from right to left. The second video is from a different beach. Double-click on any image for a full-sized view.

Hanalei Wildlife Refuge

 

We are in Kauai this year in very unusual times. We were here at the end of the Biden term in office and for the beginning of the Trump administration. The early days of the Trump administration have been chaotic with many executive orders and the firing of many Federal employees. Without knowing what lays ahead in the next few days, it is worth preserving some of the experiences.

We stay in Princeville which is on the edge of the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. A few days ago I posted an image taken from the overlook with a comment about the concern of those working at the refuge because of cutbacks. Cuts were made.  I posted something about the cuts to Facebook and had some unusual reactions. One claimed wetlands didn't need to be managed.

Just for the record, we took a quick trip into the reserve today by car. No use of the hiking trails to take a few images. These are multi-use facilities that preserve the natural resources but also serve the recreational interests of locals and tourists and in the case of this space offers small fields for locals who want to raise taro. This plant has special meaning to native Hawaiians and has some commercial value. The water suppresses competing weed growth and serves as habitat for birds.

Aflac is still here

 Snow Geese do not migrate near Kauai, but one has somehow shown up here. Each year I wonder if Alfac has survived. Cindy does not think my prediction that Aflac has not survived the year is funny, but he/she has finally appeared and I managed to get a photo as I walked the trail past the golf course. 

Of course, Aflac was named for the television, insurance goose. He/She has been accepted by the NeNes so is among friends and somehow has survived now through several of our visits. I try to get a photo and here is the closest I have come this year,

Trump Cuts

 I happened on this description of cuts to federal workers on Kauai. We see one of these locations daily. 

Candy Hearts

 

The days after Valentine's Day is an opportunity to pick up some inexpensive candy. We visited several stores looking for one thing - candy hearts. This was it. There were two boxes and I bought one - half priced. There were all kinds of traditional candies trying to cash in on Valentine's Day, but a Reeses peanut better co\up in the shape of a smashed heart is still a peanut butter cup. I was looking for the large sized hearts because they are not as soft as these small ones, but these will have to do.  

Painter

 

I took this photo through the car window. Cindy slowed down and I was lucky there was no one behind us. I did cheat a bit and used Apple's magic eraser tool to remove a safety cone that protected the parking zone beside the road. 

Pho is not Chicken Soup

 I have not posted for a few days. Cindy and I have been sick so we weren't out and about and I had little to desxribe. Cindy had the flu. I had a skin rash that I have had several times in Kauai. The heat and humidity make the rash irritated and seem to make it spread. I finally went to Urgent Care and now have some medications that should help. The rash is evidently a relative of diaper rash as one of the salves can be used to treat either. I just made that up.

I have seen docs at small clinics when this has happened before, but when I tried one of these clinics I was told they were not seeing new patients. I am actually an old patient, but that probably isn't that funny. I did learn something that amazed Cindy. I really didn't understand that urgent care and emergency rooms are for different things. Urgent care is for those who can't get in to see docs because of issues and situations like mine. You probably understood this, but I have lived a sheltered life and some things just were not obvious to me. This is one of the reasons everyone should travel if possible because you learn new things. Medical situations are not the intended experiences, but things happen.

Anyway, we had to make a trip to the drug store and decided to have Pho because we were in the right place and had not visited our "where the locals eat" place this trip. Pho is a noodle soup and quite filling for the price. Last visit I tried what turned out a homemade vinegar and peppers concoction that I was curious about and found I really liked. Very local. The side dish is chicken. 

Limit 3 Eggs

 We were shopping in COSTCO today and encountered this sign at the entrance and in the dairy cooler. I knew things were bad, but this seemed very extreme. Even the Pancake House announced today that they would add a 50 cent fee to any order that included eggs. It turned out the COSTCO people were just lazy and the sign meant three cartoons of eggs.

I did talk with the local guy while laughing at the sign. He said that the bird flu had reached Kauai and I should purchase the limit if I wanted local eggs. I asked how birds got this far to bring the disease and he was not sure. I said I knew that wild birds infected chicken farms. He claimed the Nene were in trouble and might go extinct again. The Nene are Hawaiian geese related to what we know as Canadians. We see many Nene and while they were near extinction they have recovered to the point they are now a nuisance. New menace in these difficult times.

Much wind, no whales

We were supposed to go on a whale watch yesterday, but when we arrived the captain said the waves were still to high from the storm and it would be difficult to see any whales. Spotting the spouts is part of the process and with white caps the spouts are difficult to differentiate. Because it was clear we were warned to wear a long-sleeved sun shirt to protect the skin. We were visiting a farmers' market before our sea departure and I found this. Pretty gangsta. I can hardly wait to wear it to my Wisconsin backwoods coffee shop.