Nicknames of the Hawaiian Islands

 If you hear someone utter the word "Hawaii," no doubt images of crystal clear waters, clean white sand beaches, and fantastic Luaus flash before your eyes. Every Hawaiian island certainly deserves such associations, but each island has a personality of its own. In fact, locals affectionately refer to the various islands with a series of semi-official nick-names that encompass some of the unique beauty specific to each Island. Let's go through the islands by nickname and see if we can't figure out which island they each describe.

The Gathering Place:

This Island has the largest population of any of the Hawaiian Islands. Famous the world over for places like Waikiki beach and Pearl Harbor, the Gathering Place is indeed one of the most popular islands. Host to the NFL Pro-Bowl, the Gathering Place's Aloha Stadium is home to some of the most lively tailgating anywhere. On Sundays when there are no games, the tailgating takes a more commercial twist as venders move in and set up the states largest swap meet. The University of Hawaii Warriors go to class on this Island, but if they want to see Lava they are going to have to fly on over to our next Island.

The Big Island:

With the most recognizable name, the Big Island might be the easiest island to figure out, but it's certainly not the most specialized. In fact, the various climates on the big island range from deserts to snow, prairies to lava fields. If we were recounting the islands in purely environmental terms, any of the island descriptions could be considered as describing the big island. Current home of the Goddess Pele, the Big Island certainly shows signs of her activity. It is home to Mauna Kea, the highest mountain in the world when measured from its base at the ocean floor to the top of its peak. Some of the most powerful land based telescopes in the world can be found atop mountains on this island, but if you wish to set your sites on something more down to earth you might want set your targets on our next island.

The Target Isle:

If you want to visit this island, look into getting certified for bomb disposal or tropical plant propagation. The Target Island was shelled by the US military for years as a testing site for various ordinances. Today, conservationists, government officials, volunteers and students across the state are working to return the target island to its pre-bombardment condition. By introducing native Hawaiian plants, the target isle may soon need a nick-name change, like the next island on our list.

The Pineapple Island/The Secluded Island:

Formerly renowned as a major pineapple exporter, this island's name has changed over the years as pineapple production dwindled. 98% of the island is owned by Castle and Cooke, (Dole) with the remaining two percent owned by the state of Hawaii. Only two luxury hotels are located on the Secluded Island, which made it a bit easier on the wallet of Mr. Bill Gates when he rented the entire island (every room of every hotel room, every golf course etc.) for his marriage to Melinda French in 1994. The "Garden of the Gods" is located on the northern part of the island, and is home to some bizarre natural rock formations that admittedly don't match the lushness of our next Island's "Gardens."

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