Kahalu'u Reopens and a New Restaurant on the Malecon

    With kudos to the Kona Department of Public works, I am pleased to announce that Kahalu'u beach Park is once again open for snorkeling and baby luaus.  A few days ago Sandra noted that the park was

Shortnose Wrasse juvenile Kahalu'u March 2017

reopened  (ahead of schedule) and we bopped on down for a swim and general look around.  Everything was as we remembered, including the several old vans and autos that appear to be homes to entire families.

   Like certain other familiar denizens of our beach community, these clans with their vans are well known to us; they seem to enter the park as it opens in the morning and hang out in the shaded parking spots until closing.  I certainly do not envy them their lifestyle, but life could be worse than a camp next to Kahalu'u. 

As we parked, Sandra noted that one of the elderly clansmen was sitting in a folding chair in the shade beside his van, possibly kicking back with a doobie.  As I changed into my snorkeling apparel I penned, at least on that notepad that I carry around in the back of my befuddled  and somewhat irreligious brain, the following lyrics, which are sung to a similarly irreligious, latter day Christmas tune.

We don't have any crocodiles ...

Grampa got run over by stingray,
Sitting in his lawn chair at K Bay.
Some folks says Hawaii ain't got stingrays.
But that don't sit with me and Chevrolet.

   Although the bay was perilously shallow, we had a nice swim in clear water that seemed to be getting just a little warmer.  Of note, at least from the standpoint of the 2017 list, was a pair of barred jacks and a juvenile shortnose wrasse.  This guy was quite young, being smaller and less colorful than most we have seen.

A table under the banyan tree.

    Yesterday morning I made it down to the pier and on my way I passed the latest addition to the Kailua beach scene, Kalikala Cuisine.  Kalikala is small restaurant occupying thecement pad between Splashers and the steps coming down from the shops and the public parking area.  This location will force the relocation of a few itinerant musicians and the fellow who sits on the rock wall weaving hats from palm fronds.  Such is the price of progress.

    The restaurant has been open for about a week and serves breakfast and lunch until 3 PM.  The cooking is done in the small restaurant that was once Sibus, and most recently a bakery.  The proprietor, Richard, will regale you with tales of the lot reaching back forty years or more, including a fire in a  restaurant formerly on the site.  As is the case with many new beaneries, Richard is waiting on his liquor license.  Until that arrives he is generously allowing you to bring wine to sip with you lunch, no corkage fee added.  Given their fine offerings of coffee, one can anticipate that they will soon be serving fanciful drinks in the shade by the bay.

Kalikala lunch: Nicoise Tartine

    We came back with our current guests, our longtime friends Linda and Larry Monk, from Portland, and had a late lunch, which was delicious and surprisingly affordable.  Our table under the shade of the signature banyan tree, just off the sidewalk, with a view of the foot traffic and the bay, bordered on the tradition of sidewalk cafes of Europe.  It was cruise ship day, so people watching was at a premium..

   The food, prepared by Richard's wife, who trained under James Beard, was a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.  The perfect way to top off an afternoon.


    My swim was equally delightful, although there were no snake eels this time around.  I did see a stripe belly puffer near shore and way out past the canoe club, I found a black morph of the long nose butterflyfish, my first on the Ironman side of the pier.

   Well, I give you the joy of the freshly sewered Kahaluu Beach Park and a new beach side restaurant along the Kailua malecon, not to mention the promise of new and better fishes.

jeff

March Madness   Orangespine Unicorn Tang    Kahalu'u  2017