Setting aside relatively recent and transient developments in Maui's history - missionaries, commercial sugar cane, cowboys and cattle, and innumerable tourists - the Pacific Ocean is the key to understanding Maui culture.  It might seem painfully self-evident that a group of islands surrounded by thousands of miles of water in every direction would have close cultural connections with the ocean.  But the islands' ocean-borne origins and dependence on water for food and transportation are fundamental.

So much for what passes for deep thought.  Unfortunately, the images in this post do nothing to address those cultural foundations. They provide only a limited view, and no insight, into what the ocean means to Maui.  They arbitrarily depict some scenes from one beach (Hookipa) on a windy day, when waves were crashing the beach and cresting far out.  Even the surfers were subdued.  

The real reason I liked this rock was that it looked sort of like a turtle's face.  The surf was a plus.  Even rocks can have personality.

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True aqua in the waves

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Flexible shapes that resemble molten glass are visible at the leading edge of breaking waves
at high shutter speeds (1/8000).

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It was late afternoon, and the surfing action was subdued. EF4A0631-Edit EF4A0554-Edit EF4A0759-Edit
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Farther out, ranks of successive waves marched forward .

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Sun was breaking through clouds over Kahului.

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