A Cheap Way To See Hawaii

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

Have you ever dreamed of taking a Hawaiian vacation, complete with a helicopter ride that would provide aerial views of an active volcano, plunge you into lush, tropical valleys for breathtaking views of waterfalls cascading 400-feet into the Pacific, and hover you over black, white, pink and green sand beaches? While the experience is one that many treasure for a lifetime, it doesn't come cheap. That's why I was thrilled when I found out I could take a tour without having to go into debt doing so.

All right, it's not exactly the real deal. It is an online virtual tour, but HOLD ON-I was born and raised in Hawaii and I would never have you waste your valuable time taking this "tour" if I (as a local) didn't think it was worth it. The amazing images were captured by local pilot/photographer Brian Powers. What started as his simple aerial photography project has grown into a web site that I (along with thousands of others) am hooked on. The site features more than 4,500 aerial photographs of the Big Island, but the highlight is the coastal pictorial, which serves as a photographic record of the changing coastline.

Personally, I have spent hours going through the shots and locating the homes of my friends and relatives. But for someone who may be planning a visit, it is a great tool to preview local landmarks, beaches, and other scenic points. It also provides views of the Island's hotels that you won't see on other sites. For those who have already made the trip, the site provides unique perspectives of places you may have seen on foot and allows you access to others that you may not have had time to visit.

The entire coastline of the Big Island is beautifully captured and posted on line. It is a feat unmatched by any other person, company or institution. Powers' work allows you to see every foot on the coast that surrounds the Big Island and he accomplished it all on his own. For days, Powers flew his single-engine Piper Cherokee at 500 feet, holding his Nikon D100 camera out the window and firing off pictures of the nearly 300 miles of coastline. The results are spectacular and can be seen at: www.hawaiianimages.net.

But, Powers doesn't plan to stop with the Big Island project. Now that it is complete, Powers says he plans to capture the rest of the state. He expects to shoot and post images of the coastlines of Maui, Lanai and Kaaholawe later this summer.

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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