The hammock at the beach

On the Big Island of Hawaii, actual sand beaches are few and far between. The bulk of the island is volcanic rock, and therefore the shoreline is also rock. Oahu has more years under its belt, so it has a more approachable shoreline. It's not necessarily an attractive shoreline, and where it is beautiful (North Shore), it is also potentially very dangerous. The islands are a melange of small, chance beaches that are both beautiful and either wildly inaccessible or overpopulated.

Even the rocky shoreline has its dangers when uninformed viewers get taken to sea by a rogue wave.

There are tame beaches in Hawaii, just like there are tame tigers in magic shows. Stay aware!

The reality of the shoreline in Hawaii is that the ocean demands as much respect as the volcanoes. Use your best safety and caution, then the endless seas here are an approachable beauty.