Hawaii 2006 Maui Day Seven

Our Hawaii Trip - Oahu Day Seven

Jerry, Toby and I were up early again this morning to go go to Diamond Head. We took the scenic route and found our way there. We drove up into the crater and then hiked up to the summit.

The trail to the summit was built in 1908 as part of the US Army Coastal Artillery defense system. The dirt trail with numerous switchbacks was designed for mule and foot traffic.

We hiked 0.8 miles one way and climbed 560 feet from the crater floor. At one point we climbed up 74 steps and then entered the passage tunnel which is a narrow, lighted 225-foot long and narrow. After the tunnel was another stairway that consisted of 99 steep steps. At this point we entered the lowest level of Fire Control Station Diamond Head wich housed the observation equipment for Fort DeRussy at Waikiki, and then we went up a spiral staircase that took us to the third level where we had to exit to the exterior by climbing up and out to the exterior, the whole time ducking and being careful not to hit our heads on the rock above us.

The view was worth the trek up to the summit. I'm glad we went early there is no way we would have made it in the afternoon. I did have my doubts that I would make it up there after topping the 74 steps not to mention the tunnel. I felt claustrophobic going through there. We did stop off and rest a few times before continuing on.

Click here to see the brochure with the map of the trail that takes you up to the summit.

After we left Diamond Head we headed to Wiakiki. Jerry dropped Toby and I off down by the Royal Hawaiian Hotel so we could do some shopping and then walked along the beach. We saw the Red Dirt Shirt shop that I missed on Front Street in Lahaina. We picked up some shirts and headed toward the zoo where Jerry was going to meet up with us.

After we met up with Jerry we took the scenic route back to the guest house where we packed up and headed back to Honolulu. We dropped off the PT Cruiser and caught the shuttle to the airport.

There were no lines when we walked into the airport. We checked in at the kiosk, got our boarding passes and handed over our checked luggage to the agent. We went right through security and then I was the chosen one to pull off to the side and was patted down.

The flight home was packed and we had a screaming 2 year old most of the way to Dallas. We boarded the plane at 5:30pm on Friday evening and got in to Dallas at 5:55am on Saturday morning. We were home and the car unpacked by 7:15am.

Click on thumbnail to see full size image.


Island flowers	The view on the way to Diamond Head	The view on the way to Diamond Head	The view on the way to Diamond Head

Homes with a view	More homes with a view	Toby at Diamond Head	Part of the trail on the way to the summit

Toby on the trail	The view from the summit	Jerry and Beth at the summit with Honolulu in the background	The Royal Hawaiian

Wiakiki from the summit	The view from the summit	The view from the summit	Lighthouse

Toby and Beth on the summit	View of the summit from the parking lot	View leaving Diamond Head	Park at the foot of Diamond Head

Waikiki	Waikiki	Waikiki Beach	Waikiki Beach

Surfing at Waikiki	Surfer at Waikiki	The scenic route from Honolulu to Kailua	Beach at Kailua