The Digital vs. the Real Hanauma Bay, Hawaii

Hanauma Bay, Hawaii, one of the most beautiful places on Earth I have ever seen. Brilliant, pure colors all around: rich greens, gorgeous blues, and bright sand. The above photo was taken by my mother on our Hawaii trip a few years ago. The below is a screenshot from Google Earth.

All color and life has been leeched from this picture. As the camera pans around the giant inlet, only the grandeur of sheer size is preserved. The rest, neglected.

Hanauma Bay State Underwater Park covers 100 acres, and the beach is 2000 feet wide. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Oahu Island and accommodates over three million visitors per year.

I still remember that day. My sister and I walked the beach, snorkeled, and sunbathed. We explored through the sand and made deep footprints in the wet muck.

I got a good tan and read one of my favorite books, while feeling the breeze pass by. Watched the wildlife roam in the straw, brown birds, bright birds, and some kind of weasel-ferret thing.

Little details lost in Google Earth. Even the beauty of the reef, gone. You can see the complexity of it, but there is no dimension. It is too flat for a camera on a satellite to pick up, even though there is another whole tiny world in there, one that is only visible from the beach, where automobiles with delicate equipment cannot reach. The nearest street view is from the parking lot, where only the heights can be seen.

At least from the street view, color is not lost. Look at all the shade in just that one tree on the far right. The beach is much more vibrant than even that. Google Earth simply does not do this stunning place justice.

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