Finally Got My Feet In The Pacific- Hickam Beach

Hickam Beach

Ken & I explored the base a bit and found out we have a beach just a few miles up the road. 

I have to say, I was really impressed with what a beautiful place it is. 

I finally got my feet wet!

I'll show you the sights around the beach.

The airport runway is right beside the beach. The Air Force shares it with the City.

Just beyond the runway, you can see the Honolulu skyline.

Hickam Harbor

We checked out a little harbor next to the Beach, with a nice restaurant and a place to fish.

Hickam Dog Beach

Then we went down the shore a little farther to the dog beach.

Sadie has visited once so far, we'll be back!

It's very shallow for a long while,

 the bottom's rockier than the other beach but it's just as beautiful!

Okay, this is just the base beaches- 

can you imagine what the rest of the island has in store!

Well, stay tuned to my blog and you won't have to- I'll show you :)

First Stop, Pearl Harbor and Arizona Memorial

I technically live at Pearl Harbor. I can walk over to the Navy side and see the ships and docks. My house is located in the channel at the entrance to pearl Harbor.

So, the first place we had to visit after I got here was the Arizona Memorial.

I wasn't sure what to expect and my knowledge of the attack at Pearl Harbor was sketchy at best. 

Wow, what a moving experience. I learned so much. 

The campus was beautiful, with many things to do and see. It has a few museums, one dedicated to the Arizona and the attack and a submarine museum. (both free)

We toured the Arizona museum first while we waited for our tour boat to leave for the memorial.

This was one of the first placards.

That must have been journalism suicide.

(note the date- one day before the attack)

Here is the guy who was bent on carrying this campaign through.

He said this...

Totally caught off guard, The Japanese destroyed 20 American vessels, including 8 enormous battleships. They also destroyed 200 planes. 

All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, with four sunk. All but Arizona were later raised, and six were returned to service and went on to fight in the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, ^[nb5] and one minelayer.

Over 2,000 Americans lost their lives and another 1,000 wounded.

The Arizona was hit and sunk trapping 1,177 crewmen aboard. 

A Lot of the burning was from all the oil in the harbor. 

Even crewmen who got off the ships burned alive from the oil.

You can still see the oil in the harbor seeping from the sunken ships. 

We saw a movie about the attack before we boarded the boat to take us to the memorial. 

This was one of the few parts of the ship still visible above the water line.

You had to peer into the water to view the structures below. 

It was a choppy day so we couldn't see much.

The remains of the ship are covered in coral and sea growth.

Open area to look down at the ship.

Shrine room (very moving)

Leaving I looked up and saw this beautiful site. 

Ken and I walked around the grounds and viewed the submarine museum before we left. 

Here are some pictures from the visit.

The Bowfin, one of the most highly decorated submarines in the Pacific during WW2.

It can be toured now.

Then there was the submarine museum...

lol, sex sells.

Did I mention it was about a million degrees that day!

So, naturally...