McArthur Week part 2 (beaches)

The rest isn't going to be chronological, but every beach day started out like this:

We pack a bag of PB&J's and snacks and drinks; a bag of sand toys, a bag of snorkels and goggles, a couple of beach chairs and that awesome hat, and head down the hill.









I am going to post all our awesome beach pictures on this one and then all the other things we did on the next one. Oh, and the underwater cave is going to get it's own.  Like I said...McArthurs love the beach so we had a beach day every other day and on the days that it wasn't a beach day I still think we ended up at the beach for sunset...

 This is an awesome pic because they look like they are standing on the water, but then the wave passes and you see that they are at 3 Tables.

 The snorkeling at 3 Tables is every bit as good as Hanauma Bay but more authentic, because it is free and you can't feed these fish, you get to watch them find their own food. Well, until Kyle starts diving and turning over rocks and then the fish would swarm to eat the star fish he had uncovered.

 This was the first time I had seen one of these.  It looked like a giant centipede as it swam, the striped fins made it look like legs. He is called a lionfish, I think.

 This is a very rare species, the striped dad fish that can hold his breath for a really long time and dive to greater depths than he should.

 We are all watching the fish swarm after Kyle dove down and turned over the rocks. It was quite a show.  The green and orange fish above was the most defensive and got the most to eat. He was cool.

 We would always bring the boogie boards, and some days we would take the kayak and some days we would take the SUP- Stand-up Paddle board.  They are both lots of fun.  I like the kayak the best because it is so sturdy, and I feel safe going exploring in it.

 When there are no waves to play in, then they use the boogie boards as skim boards...the beach activities are endless.

 Sometimes the boards are used as surf boards...as long as the surfer weighs less than 40 pounds, and get some assistance from some strong dads!

 

We all love the kayak but the kids especially love to go for a ride because they don't have to paddle!

 Conner was so nice to Matty.  It was funny to watch those two littlest sisters, attach themselves to the wrong big brother.  The big brothers were really good about it!

 When we got board of the water we started playing in the sand.... it was not an epic fail, but it wasn't the greatest idea we have had! Still made for some good memories.  (Sorry about the bum shot Jen)

Can you hear the Hawaii 5-0 music in the background? ;)

 Evan's always up for a good burying!  Just thinking about it makes my skin itch but he likes to be completely covered in sand at least once a day!

 As they were trying to dig out that slide, they dug up this crab.  He wasn't very happy about it.

 One of my favorites....also a good representation of how unruly my hair has been the ENTIRE time we have been here!  Hawaii and short hair do not play well together.

 Kyle convince Ira to go swimming with him out around Shark's Cove one morning.  Kyle saw a sea urchin with nothing in it- the shell of a sea urchin I guess, about 20 feet down, and thought he could carefully pick it up and bring it home.  WHY? I do not know.  

 He got 4 barbs in his thumb, and when he brought it home the kids did NOT love it.  Neither did I. 

He ended up throwing it away later that day, after we got back from Kualoa Ranch, which was actually closed, so we just went across the way to Kualoa Beach Park and watched the ocean and played in the park with the Kakua nuts.

 Conner was nicely chatting with Matty;...then George comes by and tries to sacrifice her to the water gods....brothers!

 That Island out in the sea is Chinaman's Hat.  It is featured in about every movie ever made in HI.

 There was a tree, so.....they had to climb it!

Even fully dressed, the beach can be loads of fun!