The Big Island's shoreline is remarkably diverse and dynamic and includes more than a hundred black, green, and white sand beaches.

John R. Kukeakalani Clark is a former lifeguard and a retired deputy fire chief of the Honolulu Fire Department. He is the author of eleven books about Hawai'i's beaches, surf breaks, and place names, including Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past, North Shore Place Names: Kahuku to Ka'ena, and Kalaupapa Place Names: Waikolu to Nihoa.