A Kite and a Picnic at Ali’i Beach Park-Hale’iwa

by living-aloha on 04/09/08 at 8:35 pm

What an amazing backdrop for our kite! Rich blue sky set off by sharp white clouds, a vast expanse of green grass, the sound of waves gently crashing, and the trade winds playful at your back—the perfect day for a kite and a picnic at Ali’i Beach Park. Ali’i Beach is a local favorite for body-boarding and surfing alike but the somewhat less frequented park grounds are not to be overlooked. Any given Saturday, Sunday or holiday will find the park grounds decorated with family picnics and barbecues, the smell of local food, music and laughter thick on the wind.

Our recent adventure to Ali’i Beach Park began when I casually mentioned to my husband, Jeremy, that I don’t think I have ever successfully flown a kite. Appalled, Jeremy insisted that we plan a kite excursion pronto. And so last Saturday found us packing up the car with the outing necessities (see below for a recommended list of what to bring) and my version of a picnic—take-out sandwiches and smoothies from one of the many fabulous choices along Kamehameha Highway in Hale’iwa.

Perhaps the trickiest part with a picnic and kite-flying session is finding the perfect spot for both activities—shady enough for the picnic yet wide open enough to avoid any major kite and tree collisions. I have to admit we changed spots twice. Here are what I think are the best options: 1) set up base camp under one of the beautiful monkey pod (a.k.a. umbrella) trees in the center of the park if there is one available, 2) eat your sandwiches at one of the picnic tables and then move out to the grassy open area once you are finished eating, or 3) walk towards the water and set up camp along the tree line that separates the beach from the park. We ended up settling on option 3 after some experimenting for the added benefit of the sound of the nearby surf.
Success! Our kite dancing against the blue. We were quite proud of ourselves for this original date that we had planned for our Saturday afternoon so you can imagine our surprise when we found three other families successfully flying all varieties of kites out on the grass. When we first tossed that kite up in the air, let me tell you, it was clear exactly why the place is so popular. The trade winds were impressive, catching our kite like a feather, tugging it dramatically further and further West until we had no more string left on the spool. And then, the line taut, the kite shot confidently into the sky until it was no more than a speck against the blue.
Soaring high above the monkey pod and palm trees Success!
Did I get to fly my first kite? Oh boy, did I ever. I flew that kite until my arms hurt from the tugging and my fingers were sore from trying to reel it back in. It may have been my first time flying a kite successfully but thanks to the beauty of Ali’i Beach Park and the good graces of the trade winds, I am sure it will not be my last.