By Karen Glenn

Most people know Oahu as a place for tourists—Waikiki shines as a beacon for visitors from around the world, both during summer vacation months and, for obvious reasons, in the winter.

But there is another Oahu, the spaces enjoyed by kama’aina, the people who live there. This alternate reality is at its best in the spring and fall, when the tourist tides have ebbed. That’s when locals come out and play, savoring the relatively quiet and uncrowded beaches and living the life of water that is the essential reason that many of them are there in the first place. Families come to spend the whole day, not only for surfing or swimming, but for walking and fishing, enjoying cookouts and music, relaxing in a way that is not possible when tourist tides rise once again.

Here is a sampling of that life.

Karen Glenn is a Honolulu-based photographer and writer. You can check out her website at karenglenn.photoshelter.com or visit her on Instagram @karenjglenn. Her editorial photography has appeared in print in Diversion Magazine, Aspen Magazine, and Edible Aspen, and on websites such as this one. Her fine art photography has been included in online magazines, including Musee, F-Stop, Don’t Take Pictures, and Lenscratch. Her work also has appeared in shows in Aspen, Boulder, Glenwood Springs, San Francisco, and Honolulu.