DJ Anit

Local DJ, DJ Anit, was the opening act for the Dream Weekend 2017 concert at Aloha Stadium, which the Chainsmokers headlined.

Slippers Off

One of the delivery flight crew of this Boeing 737-800 removed his slippers before he climbed into the forward cargo hold. As per Asian cultures, people normally remove their footwear before entering a home, but this is the first time I've seen something like this.

‘Ōhia Lehua Bees

Honeybees hover and gather at these ‘Ōhia Lehua flowers.

Hawai‘i Flags

Hundreds of Hawai‘i state flags were placed on the east lawn of the State Capitol before the start of the 2021 Legislative session. Today's photo shows a small section of the flags.

Streetlight Cadence

Local indie-rock quartet Streetlight Cadence rehearses for their appearance in the 2018 Hawai‘i Bowl pregame show. The band will do two numbers before the Christmas Eve collegiate football bowl game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors.

Ben Chai (guitar) is the newest member of the band. Since this photo was taken, the band has moved to the mainland, and a couple of changes in their lineup.

Model Shoot

This photographer worked to take photos of the model in an evening gown, walking along Waimānalo Beach, among the winds and waves.

Under Tow

One of the ground crew for Castle & Cooke Aviation tows out this Embraer ERJ-190 from their ramp to an active taxiway, so the pilots can start the engines. This ERJ-190 belonged to Virgin Australia as VH-ZPO, and named "Boomerang Beach". It was on its way to make another fuel stop at Apia, Sāmoa, before returning to Brisbane, Australia.

Puget Sound

The majestic view of Puget Sound, with Bainbridge Island and Olympic the National Forest in the background, and a ferry boat traversing the Sound.

Wishing you all a Happy Easter!

We Miss You, Emi!

It's been several months since our little Emi went to Heaven, at the age of 19. She loved being out in our yard and the sunshine. We definitely miss her.

Here is the link to our YouTube channel to view her tribute video.

Going For The Tackle

A defender from the Ewa Beach Sabers makes a tackle on a running back from the Metro Tigers in a Jr Prep Sports 14U Division game at Aloha Stadium. The 3rd down run ended short of a first down. The end zone still has the markings of the 2016 NFL Pro Bowl, as this turf was replaced a few months later.

Hale‘iwa Beach

A scenic shot of Hale‘iwa Beach and the Wai‘anae Mountains, with a Lightroom preset treatment giving it a desaturated look.

Motorcade Practice

The Honolulu Police Department's Solo Bike Unit practices stopping traffic for a motorcade with other officers posing as the VIP vehicles. A few weeks before dignitaries arrive, the motorcycle officers will practice at various locations around the island, to do rolling roadblocks.

In the 1980s, while walking up University Avenue toward the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. I was stopped by an HPD Solo Bike officer before the underpass of the Interstate H1. The motorcade for President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan were transiting from the Kāhala Hilton Hotel (now the Kāhala Hotel & Resort) to Hickam Air Force Base (now Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam). Other officers blocked traffic on University Avenue, as well as the on-ramps and off-ramps. I waited for about 15 minutes for the Reagans to pass by, listening to my Walkman and smoked a cigarette. Once their motorcade passed by, the officer said I was cleared to go on, and he sped off for his next roadblock assignment.

Cattle Egrets

A flock of cattle egrets gather atop of a monkeypod tree in the Aloha Stadium parking lot.

Puffy Clouds

The morning sky was filled with these puffy clouds above Waikele.

OGG Terminal

The middle section of the Kahului Airport (OGG) Terminal features blue and green feathers that move with the wind. I took this motion blur shot to get other passengers moving about the terminal.

Peanut

Last month, we adopted Peanut, an eleven-month-old black and tan miniature dachshund. He was being fostered by Hawai‘i Dachshund Rescue, up for adoption. We met him at a neutral location to see how Yuki would react to him, and they got along. When we got home for an overnight visit, he made himself right at home ... and the rest is history.

Misty Windshield

Rain droplets collect and streak across the windshield after exiting the Kāne‘ohe side of the Interstate H3's Tetsuo Harano Tunnels.

Tall Trees

Tall trees along the road in the Pu‘u ‘Ualaka‘a State Wayside Park.

Glass Nose

A common feature of civil and military transport aircraft built in the Soviet Union from the 1950s to the 1970s featured a glass nose for the navigator sit in. Pictured above, some of the flight crew peered out the windows while they awaited further taxi instructions.

This Antonov An-12BK of the Ukraine Air Alliance flew Amazon cargo flights between San Bernardino, CA and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Honolulu was one of the fuel stops, along with Majuro and Guam. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the flights have come to a stop.

Relaxing ...

Emi and Yuki relaxing on a dog bed after breakfast.

As I noted in a previous post, Emi passed away this past October. I edited a tribute video that I posted on our YouTube channel.

Hula Bowl Helmets

2021 Hula Bowl players helmets lined up on benches while they warm up before practice. The first helmet is from the Fayetteville State Broncos (Fayetteville, NC), an NCAA D-II school in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

This year's edition of the Hula Bowl is being played on Saturday, January 14th, at the UCF FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, FL, and sponsored by the Tunnel To Towers Foundation.

1961 Impala

This pristine 1961 Chevrolet Impala tied down on a pallet sheet, is being readied to transport from Honolulu to Los Angeles on a Kalitta Air Boeing 747 freighter.

Wishing you all a Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou and a blessed 2023!

Pike's Place Fishmarket

Fishmongers from the Pike's Place Fishmarket in Seattle's Public Market, do their famous salmon toss from the display to back of the counter or vice-verse.

Wishing you all a Mele Kalikimaka!

Hawai‘i Bowl Mini Helmets

Schutt mini helmets of the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on display for the 2016 Hawai‘i Bowl press conference. It was the only Hawai‘i Bowl press conference to be held at Aloha Stadium, instead of Waikīkī. The Hawai‘i Bowl is a Christmas Eve football tradition, now sponsored by Easy Post, and this year's edition has Middle Tennessee back in Honolulu to play the San Diego State Aztecs.

Departing MSP

Departing the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport ... a few seconds after getting airborne, the snow-filled infield is below us, and the Sun Country Airlines hangar is in the distance.

Friendly Wave

This woman waved at the pilots of the Northern Air Cargo Boeing 737 as it taxied by, while her husband took photographs of the airliner (off frame).

Sunny Nap

Emi found this sunny spot between the dog bed and the sliding glass door to take her morning nap.

Sadly, Emi went on to Heaven last month at the age of 19. We miss this pup dearly.

Birthday Cake Slice

A slice of the Chocolate Decadence cake at The Alley to celebrate a birthday after dinner.

Norfolk Pines Sunset

Norfolk Pine trees upstage a sunset and its colors.

Lei Draping

United Airlines ground crews use a snorkel lift to place a commemorative lei around the forward section of this Boeing 747, as this was the final passenger flight of this aircraft type. The flight arrived from San Francisco under rainy skies, but the rain did not dampen the celebration.

This flight was a 1970s-themed flight, as it marked the end of over 45 years of Boeing 747 service by United Airlines to/from Honolulu.

Sir Richard Branson

Virgin Group's founder Sir Richard Branson addresses the media and airline employees at the launch of Virgin America's service between San Francisco and Honolulu. Sir Richard was one of the passengers aboard the inaugural Airbus A320 flight from San Francisco.

Virgin America was a sister airline to the airlines in the UK and Australia. It was later acquired by Alaska Airlines a few years after.

Rugby League Ball

A Rugby League match ball lays on the Aloha Stadium Sport Turf during a press event to promote a Rugby League event that was about to be held in 2014.

Happy 110th!

This week would have been my Grandpa's 110th birthday. He lived to 106 years of age. This photo was taken at his 100th birthday party. 

Sleeping Bag?

On occasion, Yuki likes to go inside the pillowcase like a sleeping bag to sleep. She's had this habit since she was a puppy.

Flying Into Night

As our flight traverses from Los Angeles to Atlanta, the sky transitions from day to night somewhere over Arizona. The dusk colors give way to the darkness of night.

Sweetheart Rock

One of the notable landmarks on the island of Lānaʻi, is Puʻu Pehe (or Sweetheart Rock). Itʻs located on a short hike, east of the Four Seasons Manele Bay. It's now a seabird sanctuary. I was on Lānaʻi as part of a media event of ʻOhana by Hawaiian that not only featured the flight, but a day trip to Lānaʻi City and the Four Seasons Manele Bay Resort.

There is a ancient Hawaiian legend about the romance between a prince and princess that ended tragically.

Happy 19th Birthday Emi!

This week, our feisty, little miniature dachshund, Emi, turns 19! According to a pet age chart, in human years, she is going to be equivalent of a 92-year-old. This photo was taken while posing her for a Christmas photo.

NFL Kick-off Week

This is the first week of the 2022 National Football League regular season.

In December 2014, we got tickets to a Seattle Seahawks game, versus the Los Angeles Rams at Centurylink Field (now Lumen Field). The game was sold out, and in the temperature was in the mid-to-low 40s. It was a great game, and even better, with the Seahawks winning, 20-16.

HNL Sunset

Sunset at the Daniel K Inouye International Airport, as a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 rolls out after landing from an inter-island flight, and an American Airlines Boeing 777 at one of the Center Concourse gates.

Makai Pier Beach

The beach on the north side of the Makai Pier, at the Makai Pier Research Facility, in Waimānalo, looking toward the upper part of Waimānalo and Kailua.

Hawaiian Blessing

A maile lei draped across railings, and ti leaves atop a koa bowl filled with water, sits on the steps of Island Air's new Dash8-Q400 before it receives its Hawaiian blessing before the aircraft was put into service.

During a Hawaiian blessing, the minister will offer a prayer, usually a Christian one, for those of the airline, and of the aircraft. The minister will then walk around and inside the aircraft sprinkling water with the ti leaves. Finally, the maile lei is untied by someone from the airline, usually the CEO, and the lei is placed on top of the instrument panel in the cockpit.

ER-2S

NASA brought over its Lockheed ER-2S research aircraft to the islands for oceanic and volcanic research flights. It was photographed above as it taxied out for take-off on two-and-a-half hour flight from Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i. HNL RareBirds was on-hand to capture the pre-flight, take-off, arrival, and post-flight of the ER-2S. If this aircraft looks like a US Air Force U-2S reconnaissance aircraft, that's because it was loaned to NASA, and converted for environmental research.

High Stepping

Pearl City Chargers' wide receiver Makoa Cooper (purple jersey 3) high steps to avoid Roosevelt Roughriders defensive back Jared Elwin (white jersey 3, on ground), as fellow Roughrider defensive back Myka Kukahiwa closes in on Cooper. The Chargers blanked the Roughriders, 42-0.

This is the opening weekend for the 2022 Hawai‘i high school football season, with pre-season interleave matchups.

Sea Otter

One of the sea otters at the Seattle Aquarium, relaxes by floating on its back in the otter display.

Service Rehearsal

The hula and worship teams from New Hope Leeward rehearsing for their Good Friday service. I was on the low-front camera, which was on a tripod-dolly. We on the Tech Team, were doing our camera blocking for the service elements.

Sleeping Kid

One of the kids at Surfing Goat Dairy, takes its nap on a plastic chair. Surfing Goat Dairy, located in Kula, Maui, offers tours of their goat farm, and farm-made dairy products.

Spotting Time

One of my fellow planespotter friends, Bill, was back home from the mainland, and got in some aviation photography time at the airport. He lucked out on his first day, and got photos of this Urumqi Air Boeing 737-800 as it taxied past us. This 737 was making its delivery flight from Boeing Field, and was taxing for departure to Majuro (its next fuel stop), then onto Guam, Beijing, and finally Ürümqi.

Kaloko Beach

The rocks leading to Kaloko Beach on O‘ahu's southeast shoreline, with Koko Head in the background.

The Boss And The New Plane

At the introduction and the blessing of their first new Airbus A321neo, N202HA "Maile", Hawaiian Airlines President & CEO Mark Dunkerley poses in front of the new airliner prior to the open house, blessing, and media event.  After I took this photo, he asked if I could take one with his camera. It turns out that after the blessing was done, he announced to the media his retirement from the airline.

Puppy Love

Yuki gives Emi some love and affection.