Then we drove to the western side of the island. A doe and her three fawns were trying to cross the road in front of us.
Two turned around. I'm sure they'll find each other later.
This side of the island is much flatter and dryer.
Papohaku Beach Park ahead.
Many trees here.
To the north.
To the south. The beach is huge and there is almost nobody on it.
The waves often comes into these lower areas.
There are some rocks just at the waterline there. I wonder if there are many along the beach. We were planning to snorkel here as well, but again, the waves were a bit too large.
Ogii watching the ocean.
Covering her legs with sand.
There were strong winds which often caused sand to fly. It was actually somewhat uncomfortable; it was like being sandblasted when some came through.
Waves and sandstorms (which are the darker strips moving along the ground in the second part of the video).
We had to dump the sand out of our bag.
This beach is very long. There are a few beaches north of it and many beaches around the southwest corner of the island.
We decided to go check out one of the northern locations.
Some turkeys.
Many of the buildings were run down and closed off.
Parking area.
To the beach.
We actually wanted to stop by the only once convenience store on this side of the island first, as did this other couple we ran across, but it was a bit difficult to find in the middle of all of the abandoned buildings.
There it is. The sign says "A Touch of Molokai" but it's called "Da Store" on Google Maps.
It's fairly well stocked inside.
Grocery items.
A few fresh fruit and vegetables.
Tourist stuff over here.
There was a small beach here.
Although it was pretty wavy and had rocks along the waterline for much of it.
A bench.
Another small beach to the south.
Large waves on the rocks below.
Sheraton created a hotel with multiple buildings in the 1970s. Over the years they went through a few different owners. Molokai Ranch grew to be the island's largest employer, but closed all resort operations (hotels, movie theater, restaurants, and golf course) and dismissed all 120 workers in 2008 after locals rejected the company's plans to build 200 luxury homes at Laau Point on the southwest corner of the island. Now, only about half of the buildings are still in operation, owned by other companies.
The large central building, now abandoned, which had great views of the ocean.
It looks like there used to be a restaurant in here.
Another abandoned building.
The companies that own the remaining condos have a contract with Molokai Ranch to use the pool.
Singapore-based Guoco Leisure Ltd, which owns Molokai Ranch, still owns around a third of the entire island of Molokai, mostly on the western side, and been trying to sell it since 2017.
Plumeria tree.
We stopped at this overlook on the drive back.
Lots of flat land.
Long, empty road.
The ocean ahead after turning south.
There was no car wash to wash off the mud from the Forest Reserve road, but this U-Haul rental area had a hose to clean their vehicles, and this nice man sprayed down the Jeep for us.
There was still a bit left at the bottom edges, so we stopped by a park and wiped it off with paper towels.
Nice and clean.
Dinner at the downtown pizza place.
And then to the airport.
A little store there.
Aunty's Leis and Little Things.
Although it was closed both when we arrived and now. I wonder when it's open?
There was a lot of art in the small airport.
Mountains.
Natives.
More mountains.
House at sunset.
A woman at the ocean.
Rainbow over cliffs.
Seals.
There were also some displays on local fishermen.
Other industries.
Even a robotics team at the school.
There were multiple flights to Oahu and Maui, approximately one every 30 minutes.
The guys who helped as at the Halawa Valley hike are headed back to Honolulu.
Ogii grabbed a book from a rack and started reading.
And she finished it.
It was a children's book on Nelson Mandela.
Yota outside.
And roach inside.
Ogii taking a picture of me taking a picture of it.
Boarding the plane.
Inside.
Flying over Honolulu.
After landing.