Endless Clouds

Location:  40,000 Feet Above the Eastern Pacific Ocean

As I flew from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland earlier this month, the cloud cover was nearly solid for most of the way.  We didn't get many glimpses of the ocean some eight miles below us, but some of the cloud formations aloft were quite striking.

Flying High Above the Weather

Location:  40,000 Feet Above the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Flying across the eastern Pacific Ocean earlier this month, we passed over a significant weather system.  Here is the evidence: a vortex in the clouds far below the plane.

Kawaihae Harbor and the Kohala Coast of Hawaii

Kawaihae Harbor and Kohala Coast Resorts

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

After flying northward from Kona along the Kohala coast of Hawaii's Big Island, the aircraft began to turn east over the port of Kawaihae.  Although our position in relation to the bright morning sun made it difficult to get an optimal photo, the view was spectacular.  In the bottom left of this photo is the harbor at the port of Kawaihae.  Up the coast you can see the northernmost of the Kohala coast resorts, including the Mauna Kea, the Mauna Lani, and the Hapuna Beach Prince hotels, and Hapuna Beach State Park.  A minute later, we flew right over my house!

Waikoloa Beach Resorts, Hawaii

Waikoloa Beach Resorts

Location:  Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

Yesterday I posted an aerial photo of the resorts on the North Kona coast of Hawaii's Big Island.  A short time later, the resort area of Waikoloa Beach came into view as the plane flew parallel to the Kohala coast.   This image shows the Hilton Waikoloa Village resort in the center foreground, and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa on the right, next to the Anaehoomalu Bay Beach Park.  The old lava flows in the background are from Mauna Loa.

North Kona Resorts from the Air

Location: North Kona Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

When I left Hawaii earlier this month, I had a good view of the coast as the plane I was on climbed away from Kona International Airport.  In this image you can see some of the upscale resorts located just north of the airport, as well as old lava flows from Hualalai volcano.

Stay tuned for more aerial photos from this trip!

Snow-capped Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa in winter

Location: Big Island, Hawaii

Every year, from late Autumn through late Spring, Hawaii's two tallest mountains -- Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa -- are capped with snow.   This is a winter view of Mauna Loa, photographed from my back garden.   The name means 'long mountain, in the Hawaiian language.

To see photos of the snow on Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa's nearby neighbor, click here and here.

Something to brighten up a cloudy day...

Gorse (Ulex sp.)

Location:  Rakaia, South Island, New Zealand

This photo was taken during our trip to New Zealand, just about a year ago.  On this particular day, the sky was heavily overcast.  As we passed through farmlands outside a town called Rakaia, we spotted this stand of wild Gorse (Ulex sp.) beside a fence.  The bright yellow added a cheerful touch to an otherwise dreary day.