Waimea Bay

Now that we’re easing back into beach mode, it was necessary that we make a trip to John and I’s favorite beach over the weekend. There are tons of fantastic beaches on Oahu, but Waimea Bay is by far the winner in our book. There’s just something about the long stretch of sand and the pristine water that we absolutely love. It also helps that this is one of the closest beaches to where we live.

When we arrived on Oahu in November 2013, Waimea Bay was one of the first beaches that we visited. In the winter months, the waves on the North Shore tends to be massive. Even with the giant swells and less than ideal swimming conditions,  Waimea quickly became our go-to spot.

In the summer we realized that the enormous shore breaks diminish and leave you with a crystal clear view of the sand and lava rocks on the ocean floor. Nothing beats the way that the water fades from from a light aqua color to a dark blue where it meets the horizon.

The only downfall, in my opinion, to Waimea Bay, is the horrendous parking situation. There are only two rows of spots that fill up pretty quickly. After breakfast burritos at Kono’s, on Saturday, we made the short drive up to Waimea.We circled the parking lot twice before heading out and trying our luck at another beach on the North Shore. No surprise, there was ample parking just about everywhere we passed, but Johnny wasn’t sold, so we made the trip back to Waimea.

While he parked off-site, I lathered the girls up with sunscreen. There’s very little shade near the water and I like to be extra cautious. Juli got two coats before we even hit the sand. Once out there, she got another. She refused to keep her hat on, so even more lotion on her head.

Veronica and Adri were able to hangout in the water with their life jackets on with out an issue. The water temperature was nice and I was able to spend a good amount of time in the water while John hung out with Juli on shore. There were some small waves, but they’ll continue to die down as we approach summer.