Kīlauea Point and Lighthouse in Hawaiʻi

Way Out There

The Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse stands at the far end of Kīlauea Point on the northern side of the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaʻi, as seen during our 2018 Kauaʻi Trip.

Before our trip to Kauaʻi, I had seen a few photos of the Kīlauea Lighthouse, and I thought it might be an interesting place for us to visit. However, I did not realize that there would be such a great view of Kīlauea Point and the lighthouse way out in the distance. We parked our car and enjoyed the view from here before moving on to visit the actual lighthouse.

Over and over again, we were amazed by the wonderful views all around Kauaʻi. From the mountains to the canyons to the waterfalls to the beaches, it was all very beautiful. I can definitely see why Kauaʻi is called the Garden Island.

Also in this photo, you can see some specks here and there. A black speck is toward the upper right of the photo, and a white speck is near the center at the horizon line. There are a few other specks as well. But those are not dust spots on the camera sensor. No, those are actually birds. Kīlauea Point is also a bird sanctuary, and there were all sorts of interesting birds flying around.

Cool ocean views, a lighthouse, and interesting birds, too? This place has everything!

The Beauty of Nature

When I was a teenager, I might have been disappointed if I had visited Kauaʻi. I might have even thought, “This place has nothing!” I was not quite as interested in things like the beauty of nature back then as I am now. I am not necessarily saying that all teenagers are that way, but I probably was. And there probably were (and are) several others like me.

Now that I am older (but hopefully not really old), I like to think I have a better grasp on reality. And maybe I have a better understanding of what is really important. Or at least a different understanding of what is important.

While excitement and thrills are still fun, it is also fun to slow down and pay attention to the beauty of God’s creation around us. I am not exactly sure why I appreciate that more now than I used to, but I do.

We sometimes talk about how we maybe should have gone somewhere like Hawaiʻi on our honeymoon. But looking back on it now, that might have been wasted on our youthful selves. We still would have enjoyed it, because we have always found ways to enjoy everything. But we know that we definitely enjoyed it more last year than we would have way back then in our younger days.

So if any of you youngsters are out there reading this, take some time to enjoy the beauty of nature around you, no matter where you are. It will definitely be a blessing to you.

Bible Verse

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. - Psalm 95:3-5

About the Photo

The original version of this photo was much more hazy than this final version. The sun was out. Mostly. But there was definitely a haze in the area. Fortunately, I was able to bring out the color and the contrast by using the Raw file. So this view may not be quite how it looked at the moment when we were there. But to me, this is how it should look. More of an idealized view, if you will.

Photo: Each photo is 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
Date: July 10, 2018
Location: Kīlauea, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi