Nicole was traveling to Oahu with her family of four to visit relatives on the north shore, so we scheduled her photo session at Ke iki Beach. I can’t help it. I love that beach. It has mountain views, swaying palm trees, dramatic surf, rugged boulders, tide pools and a wide expanse of beach. What’s not to like? Plus it has lots of micro shells and operculums, which are these little snail doors that I love to collect.
I love the quiet beauty of the north shore early in the morning. No crowds, just a muted loveliness that forces you to slow down and take notice. With the beach to ourselves we were free to explore and run and be silly.
One of the things I love about Ke iki Beach is that it always looks a bit different. The surf dramatically alters the coastline uncovering and recovering the lava rocks; leaving behind tide pools to explore or, on this day, mini waterfalls.
The also wanted some photos in Haleiwa town to capture a bit of Hawaiiana, so we stopped at Matsumoto’s. Ah, shave ice. The breakfast of champions. The kids were not going to argue with that plan. In case you’re wondering, the consensus was that 10 am is not too early for dessert.
I’m glad they were open and we had the opportunity to grab a few pictures because the following week the buildings were all boarded up. The area will change as part of Kamehameha Schools’ redevelopment plan for Haleiwa. Sad to see it go.
Planning a visit to the north shore? Find out more about my family photography sessions here and we can start planning!