Alone at ʻAliomanu Beach in Kauaʻi

Just Us and the Rocks

On our trip to Kauaʻi, we kept looking for beaches to visit. I think we enjoyed all of the beaches we found, although some of them were a little better than others.

But perhaps our favorite beach that we visited was called ʻAliomanu Beach. This one was nestled behind some nice houses with rather large lots. There was a small parking area, and from there it was a slightly long walk down a slightly steep hill. But that walk was worth it once we got to the beach.

Perhaps because of its out-of-the-way location, there were very few people at the beach when we were there. In fact, for a while we could not see any people at all. There were a few that were a good distance from us, but no one was right where we were.

And it may look rather rocky in the photo, but that was because I thought the large lava rocks were cool and wanted to be sure to get them in the photo. There was quite a large stretch of sand on the beach that was not covered by large rocks.

Maybe this photo of us gives a better view of the sand on the beach. And it also shows once again that there were no people around. It was nice.

We had brought a picnic lunch, and so we found a lava rock in the shade of a tree, and we had a nice time eating our lunch while sitting on the rock. Who says you need fancy food at a fancy restaurant to have a good meal? All you need is whatever you enjoy and whoever you enjoy being with, whatever that may look like for you.

See more from our trip in the 2018 Kauaʻi Trip section of the site.

A People Person?

Before you ask, I really do not mind being around other people at all. I enjoy it, perhaps even more now than I used to. I have found that being around others is often quite enjoyable, especially if you have the right people to spend time with.

However, sometimes it is nice to get away with just that special person. Or maybe a couple of special people. Like your wife, or perhaps your family. It is nice to get away from everyone else and not have to worry about if someone might be in your way, or if you might be in someone else’s way, whatever that might mean in the situation.

Sometimes it is nice to be with the person or people that you feel the most comfortable around. You can let your guard down and just enjoy being you.

Caring about the wants and needs of others is a great thing. If you read the Bible, you will find that it is expected of us. We are to put others before ourselves as often as we can, which will show other people their importance as well as the love of God. But sometimes it is good to take a step back for a little while and recharge your batteries. Or be reminded of why you got married. Or be reminded of how good your family is. Doing things for others is wonderful, but taking time for yourself on occasion is important, too.

It is definitely possible to be a people person and also to enjoy being alone. Life is a balancing act, after all. You just have to find the right balance.

Bible Verse

But the news about Him (Jesus) spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed. - Luke 5:15-16

About the Photos

As you might be able to tell, the first photo above was taken with a zoom lens, while the second was taken with a fisheye lens. I did a lot of lens switching on this trip, and the lens I used each time depended on the look I was wanting to accomplish. Sometimes it might be a little bit of a pain to switch back and forth, but I think it is worth it in the long run.

Also, I desaturated the colors slightly in the first photo. I was playing around with different looks and styles, just to do something different. But I did not want to take away too much of the blue colors in the water, because I always enjoy that.

Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Photoshop. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10
Lens: Olympus 14-42mm IIR  and Rokinon 7.5mm f/3.5 Fisheye Lens
Date: July 9, 2018
Location: ʻAliomanu Beach, Anahola, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi