Waimea Bay
Since the Eddie just ran for only the eleventh time ever, December’s beach has to be Waimea. While the surf at this Bay turns into professional-surfers-only in the winter, during the summer when waves are calmer, it is actually one of my favorites. Not only are the waves gentle and rolling, but the extremely deep beach is lovely and soft, and there are some unique features.
The most popular feature is Jump Rock, which has ledges of varying heights to jump from into the welcoming, buttery waves below. (Just don’t dive because it’s not deep enough!)
The other major attraction (in summer anyway) is the cove on the more secluded side of the jumping rock which has decent snorkeling and shallow caves and tide pools to explore. I’ve seen turtles there on a few occasions as well.
The views from anywhere at this beach are just lovely, with sparkling white sand, a pleasingly curved shoreline, and picturesque buildings in the distance.
And if you need even more beauty, the botanic gardens at Waimea Valley are right across the street, where several shows have been filmed in the decidedly Jurassic landscape.
