Ka Lae

Ka Lae - South Point. The Southernmost tip of the United States.

One of my favorite places on the Big Island is South Point, aka Ka Lae. It is the southernmost tip of the United States and the view (as well as the surf) can be amazing. Situated on Department of Hawaiian Homelands land, I can't help but peer off the sheer cliffs and be tempted by the deep blue waters below.

It's at least a thirty to fifty foot drop into fifty foot waters. On a hot day, the water looks so inviting and calm - and the climb back up the cliff seems simple with the human-mounted metal ladders. Each time I step the edge, I want to jump. I want to let loose and feel free. Feel myself soaring through the air and then splashing into the cold waters below. I imagine it would be an incredible experience.

That's about the time I remember that the locals like this spot because of the deep waters to catch deep water fish like aku or sailfish, which means the possibility of sharks, and who wants to experience the exhilaration of soaring through the air only to drop into a school of hungry tiger sharks?

Instead, we spend the rest of the afternoon shooting more segments for Barista del Mundo. Segments featuring the fishing at Ka Lae, nearly getting stuck off-roading in our rental Saturn Vue SUV, harvesting macadamia nuts, eating raw sugar cane and visiting Punalu'u Black Sand Beach.

But someday, I wish to soar into the deep blue Pacific waters at Ka Lae.