Where’s the best place on Oahu to visit for some great scenery and incredible winds? Pali Lookout you say? With the high wind advisories of late, there might be a new contender in town.

Last Sunday, March 20th, JETAA Hawaii members and friends (and pets!) gathered at the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail to hike up the mountain with high hopes of great weather and whale sightings. Fortunately, the sun came out after the early morning drizzle and everyone got a nice tan as we trekked upwards, but all the way up, extra care had to be taken with each step to avoid being blown off balance by the strong gusts of wind! No one spotted any whales either, but participants of the hike were most likely too busy chatting with each other and enjoying each other’s company to take the time to look (okay, most of us did look but we still didn’t see any whales).

Following the hike, everyone reconvened at the Koko Marina Center’s Kona Brewing Company for a filling lunch (and beer) to replenish the burnt off calories. Other members joined us for lunch as well, bringing the total count up to about 26 participants! During lunch, JETAA Hawaii also collected more donations that will go towards Japan on behalf of JASH (Japan-America Society of Hawaii). For those still interested in making a donation, please refer to our previous article for more information. Every bit makes a difference!

Lastly, this was the last event for all the outgoing officers of the 2010 Executive Board. Kelsey (President), Krystle (Treasurer), Reid (Secretary), and Dori (Co-events Coordinator) were each presented gifts in recognition of their hard work and dedication to JETAA Hawaii. Otsukaresama deshita!

A big mahalo to everyone who came out, especially those who made donations! We look forward to seeing you all again at our next event: pre-Earth Day Beach Clean-up and BBQ at Kakaako Park on April 16th, Saturday. Details and online invitation to come soon!

More pictures can be found at our flickr page.