He and his friends were headed for Malaekahana Beach Park, northeast of Oahu. At first sight, Malaekahana stretches its long beach for miles. Its campgrounds are in retreat of the beach and surrounded by trees, which make them less exposed to the winds. Goat Island, a tiny isle off the shore, can be accessed by swimming, and has its own little beach for those who want to lie in the sun but keep their privacy. Courtesy Photo UH students camp at Maleakahana Beach Park, on Oahu's North Shore.
Camping is social.
Leslie Henderson, a UH freshman from North Carolina, said camping gave her an opportunity to hang out with a different group of people. She said that students often go camping with friends and with people they don't know that well. Correy Tyrell, a graduate student majoring in Speech Pathology, said that the camping setting puts people at ease. Camping in Hawai'i is something more. For Stekoll and his friends, the landscape is the primary motivation.