"Kuilei Sea Cliffs Vista"
Big surf is not uncommon
in the Hawaiian islands.
"The Eddie" contest on our
North Shore Waimea Bay
isn't even allowed unless
the front face of the wave
reaches forty feet
(yes, a four-story building!)
What is rare is really big surf
on the southern shore.
Most southern swells are
from storms in the
southern hemisphere.
They get "beaten down"
traveling thousands of miles.
Thus they are never that big.
A "historic" monster
southern swell did hit the
south coasts of the islands
last summer (2022.)
The swell was coupled
with a "King Tide."
That is when the
sun, earth, and a full moon,
closest to the earth, are aligned.
The gravitational pull is
very strong on the ocean,
resulting in a very high
tidal push to shore.
The surf sites were awash
but the sailboarders loved it.
People flocked to the lookouts
on Diamond Head Road
to witness the surf
and the high tide, including us.
The experience that day
was the genesis to paint
this new view looking down.
I've painted the view of the
Diamond Head Lighthouse
from above,
and the beach from below,
in both directions.
This is the first time I choose
this view from the topside
down to the beach and out to sea.
Something special for you
to observe on your next visit
to the lookout is a
memorial honoring
Amelia Earhart.
She was the first woman to fly
solo from Hawaii to the
US mainland in 1935,
along with multiple
other accomplishments.
