"God is aloha... We do not do good only to those who do good to us. One of the sweetest things about the love of God, about aloha, is that it welcomes the stranger and seeks his good." ~ Abraham K. Akaka
A place of sweet aloha, Hanauma Bay, is on the East shore of Oahu, about a half-hour drive from Waikiki. The clear protected cove of clear seawater is a natural aquarium that features coral and tropical fish of breathtaking color and variety.
"Among the several kinds of beauty, the eye takes most delight in colors," observed writer Joseph Addison.
An extinct volcanic crater formed over 6,000 years ago, Hanauma's 100 acre bay of pristine, aquamarine water is a snorkeling wonderland. To the right of the Bay is the Witches' Brew rocky point that is an excellent diving spot, where the waves crash and sediment churns. To the left is the Toilet Bowl,which features a tidal pool that naturally flushes and fills.
Designated a Marine Life Conservation District in 1976, the protected Hanauma Bay isa treasure that was the site of Elvis Presley's frolicking in Blue Hawaii. Ancient Hawaiian ali'i would fish and play uma, a sport in which two men would face each other and hand-wrestle while kneeling on the beach.
"A place for the public/Torelax happily/ To listen together/ To the pleasant sounds of the sea,"wrote Mary K. Pukui in her mele (song) Hanauma. (He kahua na ka lehulehu/E luana hauoli ai/ E ho'olonolike a'e ana/I ka leo hone o ke kai)
The sweet beauty of aloha thrives at Hanauma Bay.