Posted on by ToadMama

Molokai Rock Shelf Beach

This post is a continuation of another post where I started sharing a bunch of images captured during our stay on Molokai in April. To see the first installment, CLICK HERE.

Basically, we spent a lot of time sitting on our patio, relaxing. I am not usually a napper, even on vacation, so I spent a lot of time just sitting, watching and listening to the waves. When I got tired of sitting still, I’d walk down to the beach. There’s always something to do at the beach, even if it’s just standing there, toes in the water, watching as the breakers roll in. Sometimes Mike would come along, but he gets bored with stuff more-quickly than me.

I shared this same satellite map view in another post. The red arrow points to our cottage, the blue arrow points to our cottage beach, and the green arrow points to the bigger beach south of the cottage resort complex, which I came to refer to as the “rock shelf” beach.

Satellite view of our beaches on Molokai.

Standing on the point of land just beyond the pool area, I was tickled to see a cool lava-rock formation that’s been carved by the surf. It’s only visible when the tide is out.

Surf-carved rock formation.

 

Looking out over the shelf.

 

The “beach” is mostly a shelf of rocks.

 

Approaching the shelf.

 

Eventually the shelf will all break apart into sand and smaller rocks like this.

 

Results of erosion.

 

Rocky beach.

 

Varying stages of erosion.

 

I wonder how many years it takes to convert slabs to rubble.

 

The relentless surf continuously eroding and shaping the rock shelf.

 

Slabs of rock that have broken loose.

 

A beautiful spot.

 

Pools form atop the shelf.

 

When the tide was high enough, the pools filled then drained over a small waterfall.

 

The waterfall drained behind the rock shelf.

 

You can see it better here when the pools got over-filled.

 

Sitting, listening, and watching erosion in action.

 

The scene was a bit different further down the beach.

 

Lava rock boulder.

 

Pockmarked lava rock.

 

Imagine swimming here at high-tide.

 

The eroded lava rock could be quite sharp.

 

Beautiful to look at, but not a place I wanted to swim.

 

Rocky point.

 

Rocks and sand.

 

It really was a lovely spot.

 

Exploring.

 

Rocky point from a different angle.

 

A close-up look at the wild waves.

 

Wild beach.

 

Making our way back to the cottage.

 

One of my favorite views.

 

I could, and did, spend hours just walking along that beach, looking at the rocks, watching and listening to the waves pounding against the shore. It was very relaxing. Definitely fodder for future daydreams.

Some people might get bored in a place like that, so isolated and free of people with all their man-made noise. It was not a “quiet” place, i.e., absence of sound, but the sounds of nature are music to my ears.

I still have lots more Molokai pics to share. Work has gotten busy, which is why I’ve been delayed. Again. The older I get, the less-inclined I am to want to look at a computer screen during my off hours. After a while, it starts to feel like I’m living my life in a video game. This new job, while definitely better than the last, is still intense. Everything is on a tight deadline. And there are never enough hours in a day to get it all done. We are building a new team and working the kinks out of all-new processes, which will make things easier one day, but things are not easy right now.

I guess I’ll finish sharing vacation pics eventually.

4 Replies to “Molokai Rock Shelf Beach”

  1. Gorgeous photos; my favourite that deserves to be blown up wall-size is #23 (caption about the rock being sharp). That photo with its contrasts of breaking wave and immovable yet eroding rock is poetic as well as beautiful. Thanks for a delightful break on a dreary rainy day in Toronto.

  2. Thanks for the kind words. That’s one of my favorite captures. I am glad you enjoyed it, too! One or two more posts and I’ll have that island covered! 🐸

  3. Yay, not too late to comment! I love, love, love all these photos! I use the same process when crafting a blog post, taking days to pick the photos, then actually writing the post. I don’t know how you pick when so many are this good!

    I love wild beaches too…nature is good for the soul.❤

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