Autumn in Waikoloa

This time of year in Seattle tends to be wet and cool. But here we are in Hawaii, on the Island of Hawaii (also known as The Big Island), near the town of Waikoloa.

Gray Line tourist map of Hawaii

If you enlarge the map you will find Waikoloa and our condo at Paniolo Greens just about due west of Mauna Kea, the northern large mountain.  The elevation here is 410' although it seems higher because of the view down to the lava flows and ocean to the west.

It's the same time of year here but things are a little different in this part of the country. Today's temperature here in Waikoloa Town is forecast to range from 71 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit with winds NNE 10-20 mph with "abundant" sunshine. This time of year those winds (Trade Winds) blow 90% of the time. Only when there is a low pressure zone about 500 miles to the northeast of Hawaii do the winds reverse and blow for a day or two from the SSW bringing rain to this normally dry side of the island.

Our condo is situated on the second and third floors of the building. The entrance is on the south and the lanai on each floor faces almost due north overlooking the second and third holes of the golf course with Kahala Mountain in the distance.

Kohala Mountain just after sunrise this morning. Taken from the third floor lanai

This morning was the first time I've seen the top of the mountain since it is usually shrouded in clouds. I would judge the wind to be blowing right at that 20 mph forecast, if not a little harder so that may be a help in keeping the summit clear of clouds. 

The golfers hit down the number two fairway which runs parallel to our building. Many of them end up in one of the two traps that guard the green in front of our condo. I went out and checked last night and found the traps have a thin layer of small gravel covering a hard base. Pity the poor bloke who tries to hit out. Many of them just pick up and throw their ball onto the green.

Number three is a par three that crosses the pond behind the eucalyptus tree in the foreground. The men's' tees are off to the left in the photo. Even the white tees require a good strong shot into the wind to reach the green just on the other side.  Red tees are just to the right of the two Norfolk Pines so the ladies have a much easier shot at the green.

An hour after sunrise the golfers are hard at it fighting that wind. Taken from the second floor lanai.

From the other side of our digs we look east at Mauna Kea where we can make out the observatory domes glinting in the sunlight. To the south southeast we see the wide dome of Mauna Loa which so far has been covered by clouds.

Moving away from the condo complex at Paniolo Greens there is a small shopping center about half a mile away where we ate dinner last night at a nice Italian Osteria. There is also a grocery store and some small shops in that area. Other than that the area is given over to condos, lava fields and smaller houses with other villages at least fifteen minutes away, down the hill. 

Tomorrow I'll post some photos of the local flowers to show what the flora of Hawaii looks like this time of year.