Friday, May 9, 2014

Whittington Beach Park


Whittington Beach Park is a small county park near mile marker 60 on the Māmalahoa Highway on the southeast coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i.  We stopped on our February 2014 visit to the island.  While there isn't really a beach, this is a nice park with lots of parking, restrooms, picnic tables and old fish ponds.  The fishing village of Honu’apo at this location was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in 1868.  By the 1800s, a wharf had been built for the sugar cane trade, but its value diminished as roads were built and improved on the island.  The shipping port was destroyed by a tsunami in 1946.  The remains of the wharf still jut into the sea as if daring the waves to attack it.

The overflow parking area was empty during our visit, but is often filled on weekend days

Picnic tables under the trees

Fish pond

Covered picnic table

Waves break near the old wharf

The remains of the old wharf

Honu’apo Bay


Waves break on the shore

More waves in Honu’apo Bay

Waves break on the jetty leading to the wharf

Offshore rocks make navigation treacherous

A wave crashes into the tidal pool

There is no fee to enter the park.  The County of Hawaii has produced "A Guide to Public Parks" that is available at http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/1/doc/68106/Page1.aspx.

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