There are NO Hedgehogs in Hawaii, Unless…
I hid these “Creatures” on Punalu’u beach to Wow Bri
18 minutes later…
As we strolled along the Punalu’u beach, I hung back just a few steps behind Bri, unable to keep a grin off my face.
She was soaking in the beauty of the shore, completely unaware that I had buried a little surprise for her to find.
Over the years, her adventurous spirit had rubbed off on me.
Now I find myself enjoying these moments almost as much as she is.
My heart raced in anticipation, knowing that any moment now, she’d stumble upon it.
The beach was quiet since it was early in the morning.
The waves were lapping gently against the shore, and a light breeze tickled our skin.
Bri was ahead, her camera slung around her neck, eyes scanning the sand for anything unusual. And then… she spotted it.
“Zo! What is this?” she called, crouching down, her voice filled with curiosity.
I suppressed a laugh.
Bingo.
My plan was unfolding perfectly.
She knelt in the sand, trying to figure out what’s this small, spiky object could be.
From where I stood, I could see her eyebrows furrow in concentration as she tried to make sense of the thing.
“It looks like black hedgehogs but it can’t be because there are none in Hawaii” she said with curiosity.
It looked like two creatures cozied up to each other. The spikes glittering in the early morning sun.
I hung back, watching her every move, my heart racing—not from the prank itself, but from the thrill of seeing her mind work.
There was something about her curiosity that always drew me in.
She mustered up the courage to pet the things knowing well that I might sting her.
“I was right it’s not a hedgehog it can’t be because they are not native to Hawaii” she said with self-assurance.
“A few years back there was a lot of fuss about Honolulu Zoo accepting a hedgehog” she continued.
As she gently petted the spikes they turned into dust. Her mouth opened wide with amazement.
As her fear of being stung evaporated she touched the thing even stronger exposing the metal ball that I placed there.
“It’s metal,” she muttered, half to herself.
I had to turn away to keep from laughing out loud. Bri never took anything at face value; she was always asking questions, always digging deeper.
Her eyes lit up as she held it in her hands, turning it over, inspecting it from every angle.
“I swear, this beach has the weirdest stuff,” she said, glancing back at me with a smile.
I nodded seriously, doing my best to looking puzzled as she was.
It was hard to keep my amusement contained because it was bubbling up just beneath the surface.
The game was on, and I couldn’t wait for her to figure it out.
She squinted at it, tilting her head as if the right angle might give her some clue. Then it clicked. “Wait… this isn’t simple metal ball at all—it’s a magnet!”
She held it up, now completely engrossed in her discovery. I watched as the realization dawned on her.
The black sand particles clinging to the surface of the were magnetic. This stunt worked out way better than I expected.
In moments like these reminded me how much I loved being around her. Even my goofiest pranks turned into mini-adventures when Bri was involved.
Being focused on the sand she accidentally dropped the magnetic ball. As the ball rolled it started forming the black metal spikes by picking up the sand.
The magnetic ball started to look like a hedgehog again.
“Zo… look at this,” she said, her voice now tinged with awe. “The sand is magnetic too!”
She scooped up a handful of the blackish sand, letting it trickle slowly between her fingers. Tiny grains clung to the ball magnet like it was some kind of magnetized hedgehog, spiky and strange.
Bri’s eyes were wide, and I could see the gears turning in her mind. She loved unearthing secrets.
I finally couldn’t hold back my laughter. “Alright, alright, I’ll confess,” I said, shaking my head. “I planted the magnet just to mess with you.”
Bri’s eyes narrowed.
I instinctively ducked because from years of experience I learned that her hands were dangerously fast.
This time a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Of course you did, Zo,” she said, standing up and brushing off her hands. “But this sand how come it’s magnetic?”
“I did my research on this. Since this beach is volcanic the sand (black) it contains iron oxide which is magnetic “
“Combining this sand with a powerful magnet you can easily create a hedgehog looking creature”
After my brief lecture I showed what’s the easiest way to pick up this “magnetic sand”.
I grabbed a plastic cup from my backpack and a flat magnet from my pocket.
When I put the magnet in the cup it picked up the iron oxide particles.
Once I removed it the particles fell to the ground. It was easier to separate them from the magnet.
Bri couldn’t help herself and tried it out herself. Doing this repeatedly she managed to separate a fistful of black sand.
After having her fun we both stood there for a moment, gazing at the shoreline.
The early morning sun painted the sky with shades of red and orange.
Wow how much has life changed since we moved to Hawaii. The old me would’ve never been caught dead pulling pranks like this.
I was all about plans and strategy, focused on building and optimizing. But Bri, with her adventurous spirit, had pulled me into a new way of living.
Sure, I still loved a good plan—maybe too much at times—but these days, I was learning to let go and enjoy the ride.
“That’s the thing about this place,” I said, slipping my arm around her shoulders as we began to walk back down the beach. “Even when you think you’ve planned everything perfectly, Big Island still has surprises.”
Bri looked up at me, a teasing smile on her lips. “I think that’s you, Zo. You’re the one full of surprises.”
I chuckled. “Maybe…”
As we headed home, I realized how much these moments, these tiny, spontaneous adventures, mean a lot to me.
Before Hawaii, everything was about the next big project or the next high-stakes venture.
Now, it was about the everyday discoveries—the magnetic sands, the hidden coves, and the way Bri’s eyes lit up when she found something new.
I had learned to slow down, to appreciate the small surprises, and to embrace the idea that not every discovery could be planned.
“Next time, you’re not going to fool me so easily,” Bri said, breaking the comfortable silence.
I laughed, the sound light and easy. “We’ll see about that.”
As we left the beach behind, I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was to have her by my side.
Every day was an adventure, planned or not, and I knew that together, we’d keep finding new surprises—on this island, and in life.