Aloha

Mokulua Islets

December = Kekemapa

What is the name of these two islets off the coast of Oahu?

Located less than one mile off the windward coast of Oahu, these two islands are commonly called "the Mokes" or the "Twin Islands". They are a part of the Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary and activities on them are strictly regulated by law.

Local surfers ride the waves on both sides of the larger island (on the left), and kayak tours to both are popular, though the smaller island (on the right) is off-limits to visitors.

Tropical Paradise

Kahili Falls, where waterfalls abound

November = Nowemapa

What is the name of these lush falls?

Also known as Five Sisters, these waterfalls are located on Kauai's southern slopes. They are fed by a nearby 5,100-foot mountain, the peak of which is thought to be the wettest spot on earth, receiving more than 460 inches of rainfall each year.

With rain like that, it's no wonder the setting of these waterfalls is so lush and green.

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma, literally curving bay, Oahu

October = Okakopa

What's the name of this "curving bay" on Oahu?

Located along the southeast coast of Oahu, this bay is home to 400 species of fish, including an abundance of parrotfish and Green sea turtles.

It is both a nature preserve and a marine life conservation district. The law forbids visitors from mistreating marine animals and touching or walking on the coral heads lying like huge rocks on the ocean floor.

Several TV shows and movies, including Magnum, P.I., Hawaii Five-O, and Blue Hawaii, have filmed scenes here, and, at one time, the bay was inundated with more than three million visitors a year. This overuse damaged the fragile marine ecosystem, leading state and local officials to take measures to limit access to the area. Today, about a million visitors still descend on the bay annually.

Calling All Surfers!

Honolua Bay

September = Kepakemapa

What's the name of this great surfing bay on Maui?

Located on Maui's northwest shore about 20 minutes north of Lahaina, this bay is a favorite destination for experienced surfers. During the winter, the waves are hollow and powerful, offering incredibly long rides.

The bay is also part of the Mokuleia Marine Life Conservation District, featuring an abundance of fish and coral formations. As far as Hawaii beaches go, however, this one isn't the best, sporting a small, rocky shoreline not ideal for sunbathing.

John Kerr and Mitzi Gaynor's Cinematic Trysting Place

Lumahai Beach, setting for a famous love scene from South Pacific

August = Aukake

Kauai's Lumahai Beach was featured in what classic 1958 film?

Located on the north side of the island of Kauai, Lumahai Beach features strong currents, waves, and undertow due to the unique geography of the area. Thus, during most of the year, it is generally not safe to swim and/or surf there.

Its scenic beauty, however, is good for viewing all year round. This beauty was captured for all time in a classic 1958 film as well as in numerous postcards and paintings.

Not a Girl's Best Friend Afterall

Diamond Head
(still called even though its sides are studded
with quartz, not diamonds as once believed)

July = Iulai

What is the name of this defining landmark?

Arguably the most famous landmark in the Islands, this volcanic cone stands 762 feet above Waikiki on the island of Oahu. Its Hawaiian name is Leahi, from lae (promontory) and ahi (tuna), because the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin.

Its English name comes from the 19th-century British sailors who mistook its beta quartz crystals for this precious metal.

Fort Ruger, the first U.S. military installation in Hawaii, once occupied some of the interior and exterior areas of the crater. A National Guard facility and the Hawaii State Civil Defense are there today.

Volcano, Volcano, Volcano!

The three active volcanoes on the Big Island are Hualalai,
Mauna Loa, and Kilauea.

June = Iune

Name the three active volcanoes on the Big Island.

The Big Island is built from five volcanoes, three of which are active, one (Kohala) is extinct, and one (Mauna Kea) is dormant.

Because of this ongoing volcanic activity, the Big Island is still growing. Between 1983 and 2002, more than 500 acres were added to the island.

Lava flows destroyed the town of Kapoho in 1960 and Kalapana and Kaimu in 1990. In 1987, lava filled in Queen's Bath, a large freshwater pool near Kalapana.

A Grand Canyon, Indeed

Waimea Canyon

May = Mei

What is the name of this multicolored canyon?

Known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, this canyon is located on the western side of Kauai. It is approximately 10 miles long and 3,000 feet deep.

Its name means "reddish water," a reference to the erosion of the canyon's red soil.

The canyon was created not only by erosion but by a catastrophic collapse of the volcano that created Kauai, the oldest of the large Hawaiian islands.

A state park covers 1,866 acres of the canyon and is a popular tourist destination.

Life's a Beach

Hulopo'e Beach at Manele Bay, Lanai

April = Apelila

What's the name of this beach located in Manele Bay, Lanai?

Located on Lanai's southern coast, this beach was voted America's best beach in 1997 by Dr. Stephen Leatherman ("Dr. Beach").

The beach is located in a protected marine life conservation area, so many kinds of colorful fish and unique coral formations can be found here.

Pu'u Pehe Rock, also known as Sweetheart Rock, is located nearby. Legend has it that a grief-stricken warrior leaped from its 80-foot summit following the death of his wife.

Maui

Frolicking off the coast of Maui

March = Malaki

This whale is breaching off the coast of which Hawaiian isle?

A breach is a leap out of the water in which 90% of the whale's body clears the water before coming back down on its back or side.

It is not known for certain why whales breach, but they often do it in groups, suggesting an assertion of dominance or courting. Or it could be a way of dislodging parasites from the skin. Others suggest it is a form of play.

Whatever the reason, what better place to do it than off the coast of this island. It is the second-largest of the Hawaiian islands and the 17th largest island in the United States.

My buddy Jim and I visited here in 2012. We saw the sun rise from the top of Mt. Haleakala -- the volcano that dominates the center of the island -- and then biked our way back down. We also drove the switchback-laden road to Hana, a 50-mile drive that takes several hours to complete. Our snorkeling excursion was canceled due to inclement weather; otherwise, I'm sure we would have seen a whale or two, perhaps even this same guy pictured above.

A Peninsula, Actually

Magic Island, located on Oahu near Honolulu

February = Pepeluali

Where is this magical island located, and what is its name?

Created in 1964, this manmade island was originally a resort. Later it was converted to a park.

Its actual name is Aina Moana but is generally referred to by another name.

Ala Moana Beach Park and Ala Wai Yacht Harbor are adjacent to the island. Every Fourth of July, the Ala Moana Center puts on a fireworks show over the island.

Picturesque as a Postcard

The Waipi'o Valley

January = Ianuali

What is the name of this scenic valley?

This valley is located on the northern coast of the Big Island.

Its name means "curved water."

It was featured in the final scene of the 1995 film "Waterworld."

The steepest road in the U.S. (possibly the world) leads down into the valley from a lookout on the southern wall of the valley.

Not Who, but Where

Better late than never.

I just acquired this beatific calendar two days ago, so now I am finally ready to continue my calendar blog. But with this caveat. Instead of, as in years past, asking for who is being pictured each month, I will now be asking where the location is that is pictured (or the name of the location).

The common theme: All locations are to be found somewhere (as the title of the calendar implies) in the beautiful Hawaiian islands.

An interesting feature of this calendar is its inclusion of the Hawaiian name for each day of the week: Sunday = Lapule; Monday = Po'akahi; Tuesday = Po'alua; Wednesday = Po'akolu; Thursday = Po'aha; Friday = Po'alima; Saturday = Po'aono.