One very popular area of Kauai is in the southeast corner of the island around Poipu Beach. The majority of the resorts are strung along the shoreline and there is a steady flow of tourists coming and going throughout the day. A major attraction close by is Poipu Beach Park, a nicely developed area with a long beautiful beach on one side and Brennecke’s Beach on the other, popular with boogie boarders. Straddled between the two is an area lined with volcanic rock.

This afternoon was my first visit to the park and I was surprised to have to drive around to find a parking spot. There were people everywhere. I really wondered how I would be able to get a sunset shot without any people in it. I spent some time walking around checking out the various opportunities to shoot and settled in to do some people watching until closer to sunset when I would make up my mind. I figured that surely the crowds would dissipate the later it got.

That was so not true. It seems everyone comes down there to watch the sunset! Clouds had rolled in, but that didn’t deter anyone. The time came to get setup and I chose what looked like the only option I had, out on the rocks. I danced among the tide pools and found an interesting spot away from the crashing waves. I had the shot all lined up and all I needed was for the show to begin. However, it was questionable whether the sun would ever break out from behind the cloud bank on the horizon. It finally did for just a few brief minutes and I was able to snap away as the clouds above glowed with golden light and reflected in the pool in front of me. Finding that spot turned out to be a blessing and it soon became one of my favorites on the trip.

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