Sparky Cloud Blast

During one of The Chainsmokers songs, the cold spark machines and the CO2 blasters fire. The carbon dioxide cloud columns blast over the crowd then dissipate, while columns of cold sparks rise at the front of the stage.

Happy New Year! Wishing you all a blessed 2024!

Media Pool

The lineup of television news camera operators for the 2016 Hawai‘i Bowl press conference. This was one of the very few times that the press conference was held at Aloha Stadium, instead of Waikīkī.

In previous years, this game was played on Christmas Eve afternoon, but this year it was played a day earlier on the 23rd.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Sunrise Wing

The sun catches the trailing edge of the wing of our early morning Island Air flight as it approaches the south Maui coastline. The summit of Haleakalā is right below the sun.

Roll In The Grass

Yuki takes a roll in the grass during one of her runs in the yard.

Piano Keys

Taxiing into position for takeoff on HNL's Runway 8R, or the "Reef Runway". These, known as "piano keys", are white bars painted on the runway to signify the end of a runway. I got this photo during the Island Air Dash8-Q400NG media flight.

Opposing Teammates

Seattle Seahawks teammates, Cornerback Richard Sherman (25) and Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett (16) played against each other in the 2016 NFL Pro Bowl. Sherman is seen trying to distract Lockett from making the catch. Lockett made the catch, then stepped out of bounds.

Those selected to play in the NFL's 2016 all-star game, were then selected to play for either Team Rice or Team Irvin. Sherman was selected to play for Team Irvin, while Lockett was selected by Team Rice. The Seahawks had two other players for Team Irvin: QB Russell Wilson, and DE Michael Bennett; and LB Bobby Wagner was selected by Team Rice.

Gold Coast Sunset

Sunset from the Elks Lodge on Waikīkī's Gold Coast.

That 70's Look

These United Airlines stewardesses pose in front of the 747 Friendship poster during the post-arrival media event. They were dressed in their 1970s-era uniforms to mark United's final 747 flight.

Shredder

Tennis balls do not stand a chance with Peanut. He's able to start peeling the felt covering in under 15 minutes, and completely shred it in under an hour.

Keawa‘ula Blowhole

The Keawa‘ula Blowhole is one of the lesser known blowholes on O‘ahu. It's located at Keawa‘ula Beach (or Yokohama Bay), before Kaena Point, on the Leeward O‘ahu coastline. At high tide, the spouts can get quite high.

Game Time

Inside the video control room of the Aloha Stadium Scoreboard Department during a University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors football game. This is where the magic happened for the stadium's video board. From front to back, there is the director, producer, live graphics operator, and video board graphics operator. Sadly, the Aloha Stadium was decommissioned and closed in 2021.

Pure Love

Artist Tara McPherson painted one of her "Pure Love" murals as part of the 2017 PowWow Hawai‘i street art festival in Kaka‘ako. This mural was painted on a wall at the corner of Cooke and Auahi Streets.

Spotting Fail

Among the aviation photography community, a spotting fail is where there is an interference blocking the aircraft being photographed. In this photo, Airport Rescue Firefighting Truck 7 from the airport's Station 2 on a taxiway, crosses in front of the departing Antonov Airlines An-124 on Runway 8R. Note that the fire truck still has the Honolulu International Airport titles, when the airport was renamed in 2017 as the Daniel K Inouye International Airport, in honor of the late US Senator.

Torii Field Sunset

Raymond Torii Field at Wai‘anae High School, has one of the best views of any high school football stadiums in the country. Located right on the Wai‘anae coastline on Leeward O‘ahu, breathtaking sunsets can be seen from the home team grandstand before the evening varsity Seasiders game begins.

Happy Heavenly Birthday Emi!

Wishing our departed miniature dachshund, Emi, a Happy Heavenly Birthday! Had she lived, she would have turned 20 today. That's 96 in human years. She's dearly missed, and always in our hearts.

Taimane Gardner

Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning ukulele virtuoso Taimane Gardner, or just Taimane, was one of the guest performers for the 2017 Hawai‘i Bowl halftime show, which included an ensemble of Hawaiian music artists and hula dancers. 

Who Is That Masked 747?

This Kalitta Air Boeing 747-400F had a mask decal added to the nose of the cargo jet during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. N744CK "Captain PW Bishop 1" wore the mask from February 2021 to December 2022, and has been since repainted to the new Kalitta livery. It is a frequent visitor to Honolulu as this "Queen of the Skies" occasionally rotates in Kalitta Air flight to/from Los Angeles.

Old Lāhainā Courthouse

Another landmark consumed by the August 8th wildfire was the Old Lāhainā Couthouse. In the aftermath of the fire, the concrete and stone structure remained standing. Here was the courthouse, along with the iconic banyan tree that survived the fire in the background, in a photo taken in 2009.

Please keep the people of Maui in your thoughts and prayers, and kōkua (help) in any way you can.

Spectacular Catch

Pac-5 Wolfpack receiver Rome Lilio (85) makes a spectacular catch as this Saint Louis Crusaders II defensive back readies to make the tackle, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division 2 game.

Paying Tribute

The USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) pays tribute to the USS Missouri (BB-63), USS Arizona (BB-39) Memorial, and the memorials of the other ships sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The guided missile destroyer was returning from deployment, and took part in the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.

DDG-112 was named after US Navy Lieutenant Michael P Murphy was a SEAL Team special operator who posthumously earned the Medal of Honor for his actions in Operation Red Wings, where he and two other SEALs were killed in action in Afghanistan.

Pioneer Inn

This past week, a wildfire swept through Lāhainā, Maui. Sadly, the fires destroyed a majority of the town, including the world-renown Front Street, and the landmark Pioneer Inn. The  fire left a trail of destruction from the West Maui Mountains, to the grasslands above Lāhainā, to the water's edge of Front Street. The photo above was taken in March 2009, during one of our trips to Maui.

The fires were blown by high winds as the effects of Hurricane Dora passing south of the islands, and a high pressure system to the north of the islands. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the compressed winds came down from the West Maui Mountains, and created a firestorm that consumed whatever was in its path. There are also three other brush fires ablaze on Maui: Wailuku, Kula, and Kīhei, that spread firefighting resources thin.

Keep the people of Maui in your prayers, and help out in any way you can!

Continuing coverage by Hawai‘i News Now.

Sans Souci Sunset

Sunset from Sans Souci Beach in Waikīkī.

Take Down

Defenders of the Kaimukī Bulldogs football team tackle a receiver from the Faith Lutheran Crusaders (Las Vegas, NV) after catching a short pass. The 2023 high school football season is but a couple of weeks away.

Egret On A Fence

This cattle egret waits on a fence in search of bugs to eat.

Monochrome Senior Photo

A black and white version of one of Adrian's senior photos.

Water Play

Emi and Yuki spend some playtime in the water on a hot summer day.

Raptor Pilot

A Hawai‘i Air National Guard F-22A Raptor pilot taxiing his fighter back to the Guard ramp after a training flight.

Have a great Independence Day holiday!

Beach Selfie

Ellie and Brandon take a selfie at the shoreline of Keaweula Beach (also known as Yokohama Beach) during their vacation here.

Yuki & Her Toy

Yuki pauses to pose for the photo while playing with her toy.

Kawainui Canal

The Kawainui Canal is an outlet to the Pacific Ocean, that is a tributary of the Maunawili Stream and the Kawainui Marsh in Kailua. The canal has piers for those who live along the canal, and people also standup paddle board.

Plane Wash

Crew members of an aircraft cleaning company wash this Boeing 737 Boeing Business Jet, owned by Busujima Trust at the time. The cleaner on the wing, washing the Blended Winglet, must watch where he steps, as parts of the wing are marked as No Step zones.

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.