The majority of our masters swim group headed out early for the Kukio Blue Water Swim on the early morning of Saturday, September 22, 2018. The venue could not be better with a swim start from Kua Bay adjacent to the Pu’u Ku’illi cinder cone looming large in the background. This early morning included a gentle rain that produced an incredible rainbow above the beautiful and majestic cinder cone reminding of how blessed we are to be able to take part in these fun events. The Kukio community itself is situated on the shoreline including the Manini’owali Beach. The beach itself is secluded and small and has plenty of white sand extending into the water which forms the shoreline at Kua Bay. The water in the bay is crystal clear and the beach is more difficult to reach than other nearby white sand beaches as it’s entrance is unmarked and only accessible by either asking for shoreline public access at the guarded and gated Kukio community entrance or entering from the Queen “K” highway through the poorly marked entrance n...

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Lissette and I left at 5:30 am from Mauna Lani to make the long trek over Saddle Road to the Hilo side for the Richardson Rough Water Swim this past Sunday at Richardson’s Ocean Park. I’ve never been to this park nor participated in this race before but several of my masters swim teammates had raced in past events and said the course was beautiful and the setting was really special. When we arrived I could see why they liked the area as it was a slice of old Hawaii in a County of Hawaii beach park. Richardson’s has the only black-sand beach in the Hilo area and provides multiple tide pools and protected swimming areas including sheltered rock pools where children can swim and play. It has an excellent surf break also as I noticed several surfers catching some nice waves very near our start area. The Richardson Ocean Center is located in a building that once was the Richardson family’s home that dates back to the 1920s. Today visitors to the Ocean Park can visit the house to learn more about the marine life in the are...

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My masters swim group met early Saturday morning at 6:30 am to ride together to Kona for the 2018 King’s Swim sponsored by Kona Aquatics and Bike Works. Kona Aquatics has been headed by coach Steve Barowski for the last 30 years and has a large, age group swim program as well as an established masters program that includes many local triathletes that train at the Kona municipal pool at the Old Airport. This pool is the only 50 meter pool on this side of the island and from what I understand, Steve Barowski helped specify the pools dimensions to ensure it’s suited for large swim meets and multiple practice venues. Their pool makes our 25 meter pool in Mauna Lani look like a small pond but I still feel pretty lucky to have a legit lap pool in my own community! We arrived at the Kona Pier and registered ourselves including the necessary body marking where I received number “77” on both upper arms. Someone said to me in passing “Lucky 7’s” before I entered the water for a warm up and I thought to myself-well “ma...

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I woke at 6:00 am to get fueled up and check the weather conditions for the 1-mile, 2018 Hapuna Rough Water Swim this last Saturday morning.  My early morning weather “observations” revealed no movement in the palm fronds which meant it was not going to be a “rough” water swim to my relief.  Because of this, I knew we had a great chance for a glassy start and easier swim around the buoys. After a short 10 minute drive to Hapuna Beach State Park I could see a perfectly flat water condition extending from the beach to the horizon beyond with Haleakala on Maui clearly in sight!   I soon caught up to one of my team mates Cindy and her friend Aubry and we all made our way down the long path to the ocean then along the beach in front of the Hapuna Beach Hotel on the north end of the bay.  I paid my entrance fee and was told to go to body marking where my left arm was carefully given a #309 with a large Sharpie marker by a what appeared to be an 8-9 year old age group swimmer sporting # 111.  I knew by my number there wo...

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It was a beautiful Saturday morning at Anaeho'omalu Bay within the Waikoloa Beach Resort as 300+ swimmers gathered for the annual Cinco De Mayo, 1-mile, ocean swim. I’ve never participated in this particular open water swim but have swam in the bay for Lavaman Triathlon several times in the past so I was familiar with the territory. The reef in “A” Bay comes all the to the shoreline so the race director gave direction for everyone to swim 150 yards or so to where several paddle boarders were gathered. I was prepared for a beach start and had already lined up on the inside of the mass of ready swimmers. I was caught off guard as the entire group jumped in the water on his direction in front of me and began swimming out to sea! By the time I made it to within 50 yards of the start line-they fired the gun and everyone took off in one huge white water “ball”. Oh well-my best laid plans to swim a fast first leg to the yellow buoy, 1/2 mile out, were now interrupted by 250, determined swimmers. Once I re-calculated m...

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