Being very familiar with the area, we anticipated a lovely spot, with the property situated right on the shoreline. The cottage is part of a condo community ,and this unitn in particular, was about 100 yards off the water. It is close enough that when you go to sleep you can hear the waves, which is something I treasure.
The cottage itself, doesn't show its 50 years of existence, and it is a wonderful place, with ceiling fans and loads of windows to open up and enjoy real air, (I am from Los Angeles, so real air is priceless). There are curtains for separating the rooms , the bed is quite comfortable, and the kitchen has anything one needs for a long term stay.
The weeks we were there were fairly hot, and the coolest room is the dining room, with a plethora of windows, and round glass table on which to eat, and my seat allowed me to look at the water while I had my breakfast. The view is peek-a-boo, but the deep blue of the ocean, contrasted with the white foam of the breaking waves, was visible and beautiful.; the whole property is beautiful.
The beach, directly fronting the colony, only exists during low tide, but you can wade about 100 yards to the right and enjoy the incredibly beautiful Mokuleia Beach. The beach is breathtaking and there are many spots, that in this day and age, remain basically unpopulated. If you enter the water and wade a bit to the left, maybe 100 feet, there is another beautiful, crescent shaped beach, which is fronted by homes
For those people for whom the entry in front of the colony is a bit difficult, (my wife is partially disabled and could not enter the water here), there is a beach access about 7/10ths mile toward Haleiwa. I made the walk every morning, down to the beach access, then down the path, then down the beach to the largest, rock-free area of this beach. I love swimming and this was a great place to swim, snorkel, and play in the water. Most days, the ocean is fairly calm here during the summer, and my wife can enter the ocean here, even with her disability.
THis part of Hawaii is basically the same as it was 50 years ago, withy a polo field next door, where horses wander and horse rides along the ocean available. They even have a wedding planner at the Polo ground and the ocean front there is breathtaking... if you like the ocean.
I fell in love with this part of Oahu years ago, and each time I go there, I am once again inhabited by a calmness, and happiness that only the ocean brings to me. I had never stayed in the area before, (I used to live in Wahiawa and drive to this beach every day to get out of my hot house). MOst older homes do not have AC, and the cottage can get quite warm when the trades die down, but taking a drive past Turtle bay for some shrimp, or maybe a quick trip into Haleiwa for some shopping or dinner, or lunch, gets you out of the hot house, and most evenings the trades cool down the cottage for sleeping.
The cottage belonged to a Woman, Betty Sorensen, who wrote a book about growing up in Waikiki, titled, "Born and Raised in Waikiki." There is a copy of the book in the house, and for those of us who treasure Hawaii, the tales of what once were, through the eyes of a little girl who was born there in 1922, grew up there, and as a young adult lived through Pearl Harbor, was a little side treasure for me. I feel as if I know the family now, and even that, made staying there a more interesting. Sabrina, who is the contact there, was very quick to respond to any questions and was very helpful. THis place is so cool, that even the parking is right outside the cottage, making it easy to bring in the groceries.
Ok I admit, I love this part of Oahu, loved the cottage, loved the people who live in the community there, loved the beach and loved just sitting in the dining room, with that little slice of the ocean visible from my chair. I would stay there again, (And will), in a heartbeat.
Rick Kelley