Big Splash At Ka'ena Point Beach

Ka'ena Point Beach - Lovely!

 The beach at Ka'ena Point is white and lovely, with a steep slope down to the water. It's mostly a Locals spot, a well-kept secret we've been let into. My mom and I planned to snorkel, the only problems were the monstrous waves pummeling the beach. Somewhat daunted by the waves, we were still game to try, so we grabbed our gear and stepped into the water. 

Big splash means big waves!

A wave bore down on me and I braced myself, managing to keep my balance as water and sand surged up the seaside. Ha! So there! I thought to myself, feeling totally pro. Then, the water rushed back, still as high as my thighs, and the undertow yanked me off my feet, only to collide with another swell. The wave slapped me down and dragged me to the shore. I emerged, spluttering, half-drowned, crawling on hands and knees to escape before the riptide's grasping fingers could jerk me back out. I had a scraped-up leg and bikini bottoms completely full of sand for my trouble. A bikini full of sand is very uncomfortable, if inquiring minds wanted to know.

In short, the ocean kicked my ass.

Brave souls riding the waves

I went back for more; I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.  After a few more sand-filled attempts, we made it past the breakers.  Past the breakers also happened to be right past an abrupt drop-off. One minute I'm hip-deep, the next I can't touch the bottom!

I almost panicked -what's in the deep water with me? - I quelled the fear as I rode the mountainous waves. Like a gentle roller coaster, I rose high, high, high above the shore and forgot my anxiety, lying on my back, just floating. Now and then the rebellious word 'shark' crept into my mind (I have a somewhat pathological fear of death or maiming by shark) and I scoped the area, just making sure, before shoving the nervousness into the blue below me. We tried to snorkel, but the surf silted up the water and there was nothing to see, not even seaweed, not even a shark. So, we just floated.

Admiring the mountains and the sea

When we'd finished, we timed our escape with a smallish wave and washed gracefully (ish) ashore. We stretched out on boogie boards (less sandy than towels, don'tchya know?) and I slathered on yet more sunscreen (no sunburns yet! So far, so good!). I put my sunhat over my face and proceeded to rectify the Vitamin D deficiency I had developed during Utah's dark (and never ending) winter. The clouds drifting across the sun turned the wattage down from "blistering hot" to "blissfully warm" and the waves beat against the shore in a serene rhythm.



I let my mind drift like my body had in the ocean; light, careless, free.

It was a real nice day, y'all!