Fig 1. Hapuna Beach Sunset. (Photo by Ezra Zeitler)
We visited Hapuna Beach in Waimea after the visiting center at the Heiau closed and stayed to watch the sun set beyond the horizon (Fig 1). It is a half mile long and almost two hundred feet wide beach with high cliffs enclosing one of the sides. The beach is located in the Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area which is one of Hawaii’s state parks. The white sand was of the right depth and smooth enough to comfortably have a game of ultimate frisbee until running drained the rest of our energy. The breeze wasn’t blowing hard enough to be considered a factor in the game so our throws were as accurate as the thrower’s skill. Those with swim suits experienced the not so gentle waves that crashed on shore and the gentle pull and push further out as the setting sun colored not only the sky, but also the waves, effectively blending where the two meet out in the horizon.