Every time I've climbed Diamond Head, I've stopped at the Kahala Lookout
just before the tunnel that takes you inside Diamond Head Crater.
just before the tunnel that takes you inside Diamond Head Crater.
Stretched out before me is a sight I never tire of seeing,
beautiful Maunalua Bay and the prominent peaks of Koko Crater and Koko Head.
Maunalua Bay, Koko Crater (left), and Koko Head (right)
Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, USA
March 19, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
This year, thanks to our friends Kathy and Bruce, Terry and I finally visited
the scenic coastline wrapping around these striking volcanic features.
From downtown Honolulu it's a drive of about 13 miles and takes 25-30 minutes,
depending on traffic, via the H-1 Freeway East (Kalanianaole Highway)
and continuing onto HI-72 South toward Hawaii Kai.
Terry, Kathy, and Bruce
Koko Head District Park, Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, USA
March 16, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Koko Crater (Kohelepelepe) reaches1,208 feet (368 meters) in height,
almost twice the height of Koko Head (Kuamo‘okāne) at 642 feet (196 meters).
These landmarks are part of a series of volcanic vents that erupted
through the seaward edge of the older, dormant Koʻolau Volcano.
Famous Volcanic Vents Along Southeastern Oʻahu
The Koko Crater and Koko Head Area
We stopped first in Portlock at Koko Kai Mini Beach Park, otherwise known as China Walls.
Koko Kai Mini Beach Park
Portlock, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, USA
March 16, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
What a spectacular spot!
At long last I was standing near the base of Koko Head,
the place I had gazed at many times from Diamond Head.
I walked to the end of the stone path, and there stood Diamond Head
4.5 to 5 miles (7.2–8 km) directly across Maunalua Bay.
Diamond Head from China Walls on Koko Head
Koko Kai Mini Beach Park, Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, USA
March 16, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I did not scramble down to the flat-topped lava benches that form China Walls.
One look told me that it was a dangerous spot.
An unexpected wave could sweep people into the ocean with no easy exit,
or smash them into jagged rocks beneath the water.
It reminded me of the dangerous rocks in my beloved Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia.
People die every year at these places, because they don't understand the danger.
Lava Benches at China Walls
Koko Kai Mini Beach Park, Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, USA
March 16, 2026
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
A Warning to Pay Attention at China Walls
But, of course, this geologist was interested in the rocks!
You may know that the island of O'ahu was formed by two volcanoes over a hotspot in the Pacific Ocean. As the Pacific Plate, the largest tectonic plate on Earth, moved over this stationary hotspot in the Pacific Ocean, a plume of magma from the mantle rose to the surface forming a series of shield volcanoes one after another. It took around 70 million years for this process to create the Hawaiian Islands, and today the islands continue to move northwestward about 4 inches (7 to 10 centimeters) a year.
Oʻahu was created by the merging of two of these shield volcanoes,
massive, gently sloping volcanoes built from very fluid basaltic lava flows:
the Waiʻanae Range to the west and the Koʻolau Range to the east.
Waiʻanae is the older of the two, emerging from the ocean 3.9 to-2.8 million-years ago.
Koʻolau volcano emerged prior to 2.9 million years ago.
You can see the remains of these volcanoes in the Waiʻanae and Koʻolau ranges.
Koʻolau Range
Kualoa Ranch, Kaneohe, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, United States
March 14, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
The Koko Head area is much younger geologically,
forming about 30,000–35,000 years ago, long after Koʻolau Volcano went dormant.
When magma found new routes to the surface of Koʻolau Volcano,
a rejuvenation stage of volcanism occurred.
These secondary, explosive eruptions of the Koʻolau Range
created the Koko Head area volcanic tuff cones and craters,
some of the last volcanic activity on Oʻahu.
The flat-topped lava benches at China Walls formed from
basaltic lava flows during the rejuvenated volcanism.
Next time, I'll share a little more about the places and geology of this storied coastline.
This mural celebrates China Walls and is a collaboration
between Kamea Hadar, Melón James, Jeff Gress, and Gavin Murai,
a local nonprofit Huli, and Kaiser High School students.
China walls was historically known as Kawaihoa.
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I'm linking to Gillena's Lunch Break, Nicole's Friday Face Off, Tom's Aloha Friday, and Debra's She Who Seeks.
Have a great weekend!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
Copyright ©2026 – All rights reserved.
My next post will be IWSG Day
Wednesday, May 6th. 🤞
On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
A vivid snapshot of Oʻahu, where scenery and geology meet around Diamond Head and Koko Head.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roentare! Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
Delete...Louise, I've never been to this area, so thanks for taking me along to see the sights. The Mural is a beauty!!!
ReplyDeleteI thought of you immediately when I saw this mural at China Walls, Tom. Tracking down who painted it took some detective work. I think muralists are wonderful artists. Happy Friday!
DeleteFascinating, Louise! I knew none of this!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that I could share this with you, Debra. I first heard of "continental drift" in Geology 100 in the fall of 1968. It was still controversial. But I was hooked and switched my major to geology. The advancements in plate tectonics since those early continental drift days have explained so much that we didn't understand then. It's been a lifelong passion of mine. Have a great weekend!
DeleteDear Louise, what an amazing place. Beautiful photos, dear friend. Thank you so much for sharing this lovely tour.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing, Linda! I never tire of learning more about it. I hope you have a lovely weekend!
DeleteFascinating!
ReplyDeleteI want to go to Hawaii and take you with me! (Terry can come too!) You would LOVE the monadnocks we have in this area, I want you to come here and I will meet you both there! So much rock for you to examine and tell me about! OH, and rogue wave....I experienced one at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina one time. I saw it coming, I was standing on the shoreline, just with my feet in the water. It completely went over my head and when I looked, ALL the people were under water! One by one, the floats started popping up and then, heads started appearing! No one was injured but it is something one never forgets! If that had been on rocks, I can't imagine how dangerous it would have been. (My sister washed up to my feet and she stood up with no bathing suit top! She never lets me forget that I couldn't speak, only motion to her top, which had slipped down to her waist. Don't call me in emergency. LOL).
I would LOVE to meet you, Kay, and I have enjoyed learning about your area through your eyes. I would LOVE to see your monadnocks which you have shared many times in your blog. Thanks for sharing your memories of a rogue wave. Luckily your experience ended well and is a little funny. Your poor sister. 😂 All's well that ends well! You and Richard have a lovely weekend!
DeleteAmazing how things bend and shift and what comes to be. Who knows what things will look like in another million years.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as you said it looked dangerous, I thought of the dumb dumbs at Peggy's Cove and that was your next thought too. People just don't think when it comes to some of these places.
Hey, Pat! How are you, my friend? I can feel some sympathy for people who don't live near the ocean and don't understand the dangers, but I feel very little for those who think the rules don't apply to them and do very stupid things. I'd love to see the world in a million years. One likely thing is that there will be a new Hawaiian island or two, maybe three. Right now a new underwater volcano is forming a seamount about 20 miles off the southeast side of the Big Island of Hawaii. It's called Kamaʻehuakanaloa (formerly Lōʻihi) and sits about 3,000 feet beneath the surface of the water. Don't you love Hawaiian words? I always have fun trying to say them. Have a great weekend!
DeleteOh Louise this is an amazing trip. The views are simply amazing. I haven't been to Hawaii in many years and you show me how much I miss it. LOL Thank you for sharing with FFO and have a very nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nicole! I had to include the mural face for you and Tom. I fought with this post all day yesterday, so when 10:00 pm came last night, I knew I wasn't going to get to images for each of you whom I link with. 😂. I understand how you feel about Hawaii. I've only been home since the 25th of March, and I miss it. Have a very nice weekend with Mr M!
DeleteBravo!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for today's post and link-up to AFFF#207
MUCH LOVE
Much love to you, too, Gillena!
DeleteHawaii is an amazing state, not just geographically speaking, but culturally as well. My wife and I were in Maui, and loved the natural sites, history, and people. Thanks for this wondrous post and happy FFO!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday Face Off, Arnoldo! I'm glad that you and your wife experienced the beauty of Maui. It is a gorgeous island. I love all the Hawaiian islands, and I have a personal connection to Thomas Jaggar who founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. His sister took my mother under her wing in Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, when she was a young girl. Miss Jaggar convinced my Mom to go to university, the first person on her side of my family. Have a lovely weekend!
DeleteWonderful Hawaii!
ReplyDeleteYes, wonderful Hawaii, Christine. Wishing you an awesome weekend!
Delete