Kauai Sun Rises in West Oahu? (Tritons and Miters and Cones OH MY!)
When I was little, I used spend a great deal of time at the beach walking along the shore picking up seashells. Or what I thought were seashells. What I was plucking from the sand were basically bits and pieces of shell. Fragments I always went for the brightly colored pink or purple ones. They were kept in a jar on a shelf in my bedroom and I was quite proud of my collection, fragments and all.
That was decades ago.
My younger sister and her friends are serious, modern day shell hunters. They have high end gear: snorkels, masks and fins, etc., that cost well into the hundreds of dollars. They load up their trucks with all manner of supplies: water for drinking, water for rinsing off, special potions to clean the masks, expensive looking camera and video equipment. They check tidal charts, choose a location and go. They gear up on the sand, and march towards the shore looking like they’re headed to some undersea battle. They often dive in fairly deep to find the bounty.
I have come to learn that there are many species of sea shells like tritons, miters and cones. My sister reads books on the subject. I have also learned that there is no prize greater that the elusive Kauai Sunrise. It’s the one that the Shell oil company uses for its logo. Probably the most iconic of all seashells. When one is found during a hunt…time stops. Photos are taken and instagrammed and texted to all corners of the world. (One of their group is an international flight attendant so when I say “the world” I mean it!). It is a beautiful shell that comes in different colors. Some come in mossy colored greenish and bluish tones. Some are a fiery yellow-orange-red color. Some are muted pastel pink and peach. They are popular amongst jewelry makers and a single shell can sell for hundreds of dollars. I saw a simple Kauaisunrise necklace in a popular jewelry store recently for $2,400. Wow!
Makaha, an ocean-side neighborhood in west Oahu, is often the ultimate shell seeking destination for my sister and her friends since the beaches are less crowded, the water is calm most of the year and gentle tides bring the shells close to shore.
From a real estate perspective, Makaha currently offers some of the most affordable options when it comes to owning ocean-front property in Hawaii, but just like every other Oahu neighborhood, inventory is running low. Right now, there are just a handful of sngle-family homes available on Makaha beach priced between $830,000 and $1,670,000. Right now, there are only around eleven condo units available on the same beach. The good news? For as low as $160,000 you could be hanging out in your very own studio apartment listening to the waves crash ashore. If you need a little more space, you could check out the two-bedroom/two-bath listed for $445,000. Wow!
So the next time you’re on the leeward side of Oahu hunting for ocean-front property, take a break, grab your mask and dive! You may find a Kauai sunrise in west Oahu!
If you’d like to look at property before or after you dive call me at (808) 561-4500. Happy Hunting!
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