Kaneohe, HI

November was a pretty good month for surf on Oahu.  In the winter we get more waves on the famous North Shore (20 feet and higher) and the West and East shores.  In Honolulu (town) the surf is smaller during winter.

We had the chance to surf at a break located within Kaneohe Marine Corps Base on a Saturday in November.  You can't just drive in there, you gotta know someone with access if you're not military.

The surf break is called North Beach.  We took one look at the waves and were ready to go.  The sets had five to six foot faces and was a fun day!  Here's a photo of one of the smaller waves.  It was overcast and the photo came out dark.

Then, the tricky part.  Getting back to shore.  Sounds simple, right?  Not at North Beach.  There's lots of reef and rocks.  We paddled back in and I let the others go ahead of me.   I was concerned about a wave hitting us and we could bang into each other.  As the others reached shore I paddled in.  There's a narrow channel to paddle through.  Go too far one way or the other and there are problems.  This being my first time at North Beach, I went too far to one side.  Result: rip current.  I was paddling as fast as I could and nothing was happening.  The others stood on shore and pointed for me to paddle to one side.  I kept on paddling, looking up and not getting closer. 

Finally, my wife's (adult) son swam out, grabbed my surfboard and instructed me to swim to shore.  It was just 10-20 feet away, seemed like it would be okay.  He surfs all the time and managed to get the board back to shore quickly.  I'm a decent swimmer and started moving towards the shore.  Well, the current was still there and I started getting tired within a minute or two.  Next thing I know, I see a float land in the water by me and two lifeguards swam out to help me.  Those guys had swim fins, which helped a lot.

A few minutes later we were up on the sand and feeling better.  It was an eye opener.  I think if I had been alone without lifeguards I would have made it onto the beach, however I would have climbed over the rocks and gotten beaten up by the waves.

Here's a photo of me with one of the two lifeguards, his name is Chris. 

You can see the waves behind us, it was a nice day other than paddling in.  It was also a great reminder that the ocean is powerful and we should respect it always. 

Aloha, Mike

The Kaneohe communities (zip code of 96744 and some connecting neighborhoods) have seen changes in the real estate market.

Single Family homes sales have softened. Average sales prices of single family homes year to date are up slightly. In the month of September we saw a slight dip that was mostly attributed to an increase in sales volume of lower priced homes. Sales volume saw a bump in September, but year to date is still down form the 2007 levels. Inventory levels are high with more than a years worth of inventory. If current conditions continue buyers will find sellers may be a little more negotiable.

Condo and townhouse prices are a little rosier. Inventory level has climbed to over a years worth in the Kaneohe area. Prices although year to date have seen stable, but with the inventory levels climbing we may see pricing pressure on the sellers. Buyers should be able to find room to negotiate on many of the condos for sale in the Kaneohe area.

Currently Active for Sale (as of 10/3/08):

• 215 Single Family Homes
• 116 Condos/ Townhouses

Currently in Escrow (as of 10/3/08):

• 32 Single Family Homes
• 22 Condos/ Townhouses

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: www.HawaiiRandy.com

Or at: www.localism.com

Breathtaking! The Ko'olau Mountain Range is not a "normal" mountain range. The western half that is seen is what is left of the Ko'olau Volcano that was destroyed in Prehistoric times. What happened was the eastern half and much of the summit caldera (feature formed during volcanic activity) slid into the Pacific Ocean.

These fragments were cast 100 miles over the northeast part of the ocean floor. History says the eruption first took place on the ocean floor 2.5 million years ago. It kept growing in elevation (which you see here to the left) and currently stands over 3,000 feet above sea level. Scientists believe that this dormant volcano will one day come to life again.

The map below shows the monstrosity of the Ko'olau Mountains (to the right and all in green) which is the length of our island of Oahu from southern (Honolulu) to northern (North Shore) ends. If you are planning on Relocating to Hawaii this article will give you a little more lore and information regarding our island of Oahu.

We traveled over the H-3 Freeway to get to the windward side of the island (which is basically from central Oahu west of the Koolau's to the east side of Oahu) where Kaneohe and Kailua towns are located. From there we went all along the coast to the North Shore and back to Central Oahu.

After going through Kaneohe town we headed north through and went through the following towns:

• Waimanalo- Country area, plenty of agricultural land and I love to go out there to the orchid farms where you can pick up variety at low cost.
• Kaawa- Macadamia Nut Farm, Koolau Ranch
• Punaluu- Beautiful beaches, waterfront properties and the Crouching Lion restaurant
• Hauula- Country, coastal properties
• Laie- Polynesian Cultural Center, BYU University, Laie Point fishing
• Kahuku- Sugar Mill, Shrimp Farms, Farmland
• Sunset Beach- North Shore Famous Surfing Spot, beaches, coastal and mountain properties.
• Waimea Bay- Beautiful bay, swimming, Autubon society in Waimea Valley
• Haleiwa- Old historic town, quaint shops and beaches

We traveled only 3/4 of the way along the Koolau Mountain Range to the left of us and the ocean to the right. No matter how many times we make this beautiful drive every single time it proves to have such scenic views to behold each and every time. (click the button for the show twice...it has a kink sometimes :)

More articles on Oahu for Hawaii Relocations (or even visitors!) can be found here:

Waimea Valley: History Uncovered, Preserved and Protected

Honolulu County Relocations: A Look into Laie, Hawaii

Relocating to Oahu, Hawaii? A Glimpse into Old Town Wahiawa

Historic Haleiwa Town: North Shore-Oahu, Hawaii

Hawaii Coastal Land: *Ponder Before Purchasing*

Purchasing Hawaii Vacant Land? Ancient Hawaiian Burial Sites and Laws

For more information on Hawaii Relocations please contact Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman @ (808) 375-1404

Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Mililani Hawaii Real Estate Blog 2007©

*All pictures and content property of Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman