A Hawaiian Blessing Prior to the Start of the Kauai Marathon

The Kauai Marathon was recently named in the top 100 road races in the country. It’s easy to see why. Both the half and full marathon will take the participant through verdant rainforests to the dry coastal plains of the south shore of the island. In just a few hours runners will experience lush tropical vegetation shielding them from the hot sun to miles of open country where the sun will test their resolve as much as the hills.

The headquarters this year will be the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa. They will host registration and the Sports and Fitness Expo. The start of the race will be fronting the Poipu Shopping Village and the Finish Line adjacent to Poipu Kapili and the Sheraton Hotel.

This is our first call to action for this important event. To participate you will need to register and find accommodations. If you wish to stay close to the event in a romantic vacation getaway only minutes from the finish line give us a call. It’s one of the best things to do in Kauai Hawaii.

Hiking the Mahaulepu Trail

It was billed as a late afternoon hike along the majestic coastline of the Mahaulepu Trail to watch the moonrise, and to observe the whales. As it turned out it was much more.

A mix of 16 local residents and visitors gathered at Shipwrecks Beach adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Kauai in the late afternoon. Bob, our Sierra Club leader surprised us with the announcement that he had made arrangements for us to tour the archaeological dig at the Makawehi Cave.

Touring the Makawehi Cave

It had been years since I had visited the cave. Once, easily accessible to the public, it was closed in 1995. Dr. Burney, of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens discovered the site and recognized the historical and cultural significance to the southern coast of Kauai. However, throughout the 1980′s it was still a bit of a secret to most residents of the south shore. We took only our closest friends or family to crawl through the rock into a vast green ballroom that was surrounded by steep walls of rock that opened to the sky and lead to a mysterious cavern.

I set off from Shipwrecks Beach remembering the many trips to the cave with a spring in my step anxious to see and experience it once more. The path is well maintained with sections that are sandy, but most of the trail is crumbly coral and hardened limestone that is easy to walk upon. The easy hiking enables you to get lost in the views of the blue Pacific with whales breaching about 1/2 mile from shore and turtles swimming in the surf just below the path. The afternoon sun was strong but the reward of spectacular vistas quieted all complaints.

Late Afternoon Atop The Makawehi Cave

We arrived at the cave from the west side. A bit unconventional since the standard access path is along the sands of Mahaulepu Beach and up the stream.  A few visitors climbed to the top rim of the sinkhole to see the plantings of endemic species. These species evolved over millennia to withstand drought conditions and salty ocean winds, sending root systems deep into the limestone soil for nutrients.

Don’t expect carnival like colors and showy flowers in these plants, but admire their characteristics for survival in these conditions. Narrow leaf structures and surface textures make it difficult for water to be lost through evaporation and transpiration. These are the plant species that greeted the earliest Hawaiians.

Inside the cave we were met by a knowledgeable volunteer who gave us an overview of the significance of Makawehi as it relates to local history and a brief lesson on its geological characteristics. Our history lesson included its use by early Hawaiians as a place of refuge. In the 1900′s a local Hawaiian Shaman would build a fire and tell your fortune by reading the spiraling smoke created by the natural air flow as it swirled around the wall formations  and sent smoke out of the cave.  In the Hawaiian language Makawehi means spiraling smoke.  The Shaman’s final resting place is believed to have been the cave as many bones of deceased Hawaiians were found tucked away in cracks and hidden creaveses deeper in the cave.  It was a meeting place for many clandestine groups and  known to be used by a Wicken group in the early 90′s.

Moon Over Mahaulepu Trail

After our diversion to the past we continued walking down the beach and into the present to watch whales breaching and spewing geysers into the air. The sun was giving way to a near full moonrise that lit our way back on the trail. This is a special time on this part of the coast. Grove Farm Co. officials lock the gates at 6pm hence most visitors make their departure well before then, leaving us with the beach and thoughts to ourselves as we made our way back to the trail along the limestone cliffs.

Know Before You Go For A Moonrise Walk

Hydrate, the sun at 4pm is hot. Wear sunscreen and a hat.
Do not leave your car at Mahaulepu. The gate is locked from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Park at Shipwrecks adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Kauai.
Carry a flashlight.
The cave is open to the public every Sunday from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m.

Hiking Kauai is one of the best things to do in Hawaii.

Kiss Under a Coconut Tree

A romantic getaway to the Garden Island is now affordable. We have some availability in March and April and May is wide open. It is one of the best things to do to escape the winter doldrums.

What are you waiting for? Take action and that dream vacation to the island will turn into a reality.

Kauai High School Seniors in the AVID Mentor Program with Poipu Rotary Club Members

A highlight of this year’s event was an art display where several of Kauai’s artisans were painting on center stage. It was inspiring to learn about water color techniques and how an artist approaches a blank canvas, a scenario that strikes fear into my heart. Luckily, the canvasses were exploding with color and at the end of the evening the works were auctioned and the proceeds enable the Club to offer funding for worthy Kauai seniors.

Throughout the evening wonderful wines were being sampled and offered for sale. In an adjacent area great gifts, vacation packages, and local activities are offered in the silent auction. Typically donated by the business community, it is a chance for vendors to introduce their wares from jewelry to cruises.

You’re bound to find a new favorite wine and make new friends at this fun and rewarding event. Check with a Poipu Beach Rotary club member to find out exactly when this event will be held. The tickets are always reasonable and the event is open to the public. Contribute to the future of the Island youth and have a great time doing it.

Kauai Sights More Whales in the Recent NOAA Survey

Relaxing in the sun and observing whales is one of the best things to do on Kauai for residents and visitors alike. It’s an opportunity to meet very knowledgeable volunteers, work on that tan, and help NOAA advocate for whale protection and increased funding.

The next count dates are scheduled for February 25 and March 31, 2012. Plan your upcoming visit next month to help a worthwhile cause. To register call 888-55-WHALE Ext. 253, and you can also find them on the web here.

Mayor Carvalho Last Year In Kalaheo

Increase Walking Paths

Our community like many have been designed around the use of the car at the expense of moving about by human power. It is recognized that healthy communities begin when there are opportunities for its residents to have ready access to walking paths and sidewalks. Besides the obvious benefit that less cars on the road equates to a decrease in volatile pollutants. Overall public health improves, interactions on pathways encourage cohesiveness of neighborhoods. Casual, friendly engagement with local residents enhances the Kauai experience for visitors.

Cruising the Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path

Solid Waste on Kauai

A critical fact of life on an island is how to handle the ever increasing amounts of solid waste. We have written on the setbacks to the identification of the new landfill/ waste recovery park in earlier posts . It was encouraging to hear that the new site above Lihue is in the vetting stage, albeit behind schedule but pushing ahead.

Increasing the number of recycle locations around the island has led to a 74% rise in collected recyclable tonnage. Attitudes have shifted, recyclable materials are being viewed as a valuable resource to be captured and sold.

Regulating Commercial Activity at Kauai Beaches

Regulating Commercial Activity In County Parks

With the federal court decisions in favor of commercial boating operations in public spaces. The County of Kauai has made the wise decision to regulate commercial services where visitors and residents gather.

The benefit to park users will be a few regulated vendors at beaches that are licensed and carry all the credentials to operate a business safely. Now when we visit the beach there will not be 4 surf schools vying for business. Providing a balance where the visitor can experience the excitement of a Hawaiian water sport or relax calmly on one of our great beaches.

While many challenges remain on our tiny island we are encouraged that the plan forward will improve the quality of life here in Kauai Hawaii. We encourage you to tell us of ways we can improve. Often being isolated we do not have the opportunity to see how other communities have adopted strategies that lead to efficiencies and an increase in quality of life.

Alekoko Fishpond

How The Menehune Fish Pond Was Constructed

The early Hawaiians took advantage of a bend in the Hule’ia river to divert water into a low lying area adjacent to the river. They did not attempt to alter the natural order of the river recognizing that the shape of the river was formed by much greater forces than they could muster.

Using lava rock or loko kuapa found in the area, they built a wall 900 yards in length and 5 feet wide from the shore to create an almost enclosed area that would enable seawater and fish like mullet to enter. The area was used to cultivate algae much like a rancher uses land to graze animals. This allowed the Hawaiians to farm fish, providing a stable source of protein for the village. Building wooden gates from o’hia, an endemic local hard wood, provided good water flow into and out of the pond. The narrow openings in the three gates allowed juvenile mullet to escape when the tide was receding, insuring continuation of the species.

Legend of the Menehune Fishpond

The Menehune were a mythical Leprechuan-like people that one thousand years ago were tasked with building a fishpond for the then local chief. Their one condition was that the chief could not see the project until it was completed. However, the chief did look at the uncompleted project, thus breaking his agreement, and the Menehune never finished the task. The Menehune were known for their super human strength and courage and they completed 75% of the work in just one night.

The work was grueling and the name of the fish pond, Alekoko in Hawaiian means ‘bloody ripples’, which most likely signifies the wounds brought on by handling the sharp lava rock.

The Future of the Alekoko Fishpond

The pond has been on the National Register of Historic Places since the early 1970′s, and also listed as one of the most endangered historical sites in the Hawaiian islands. Encroachment of invasive tree species, such as mangrove has covered the lava rock wall and their roots threaten to collapse the barrier.

Since the site is private property it will take a great deal of diplomacy to convince the land owners that the best decision for the site is to preserve it. In fact, the Kauai Public Land Trust would like to acquire the site. As always funds to purchase the property are limited and there are equally deserving projects around the island that warrant protection too. Not easy task to decide which historical site takes priority.

You can find the scenic overlook to the Menehune fishpond off Hulemalu road in Lihue. Be cautious pulling off to the side of this winding rural road for better viewing at the scenic overlook. It’s one of the best things to do on Kauai.

Our post last week highlighted endangered coastal birds of Kauai and their struggles to maintain a foothold in their native habitat. No such trial for the common chicken. Chickens have been here a long time and I suspect will be here long after I depart this good earth. Most of us here have quietly endured their crowing, which if you are new country living, soon discover that they crow at all hours of the day and during well lit full moon evenings.

Denizen of Kauai

Little remains of the original Polynesian chicken lineage, you would be hard pressed to find any DNA of the Polynesian breed that accompanied the Marquesans to Hawaii in our Kauai chickens. A great many breeds have been introduced to Kauai with the coming of European settlers in the 1820′s. Until recently it was easy to ship them through the US mail. Only in 2007, when the Federal government enacted the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act stopped this practice. Most of the newer arrivals were hailing from Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas where there is a long history of cockfighting.

The current population are mixes of the Cubalaya which originated from the Philippines and Rhode Island Reds. The Cubalaya is a trainable bird for cockfighting and the Rhode Island Red is a hardy utilitarian breed that produces high quality meat and eggs.

A common belief is that the destructive winds of Hurricane Iniki in 1992 scattered the beasts throughout the island. Not so. The real reasons for the population explosion is the lack of a predator and humans. Unlike the other major Hawaiian islands, there is no mongoose to keep the population in check, and lastly, people are the primary ingredient in the imbalance.

People throughout the years have fed the chickens creating an unnatural population explosion, it’s simple, more food equates to larger clutches. Chickens are destructive to our native plant and animal species. They compact the earth while removing topsoil in their search for seeds and insects and they carry avian pox which is deadly for our native bird species. We hope that you do not feed them while you are on the island. Make them work for their food and this will naturally reduce population size.

A misconception is that the meat is tough and unpalatable. The local chickens can be delicious, but the preparation is lengthy and may not be worth the effort. Similar to going to your mother in laws house for dinner, which lasts only 9 minutes, and then enduring 4 more hours. Firstly, catch the wary and speedy creature. Secondly, feed it only high quality chicken feed for approximately one month. Finally, it needs to be steamed or pressure cooked to breakdown the muscle fiber. Want to learn more? Here is a great traditional Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe.

Full disclosure, no Kauai chickens were harmed for this post. Honestly, we have more fun identifying the best things to do in Kauai than chasing chickens.

Let us know your favorite chicken story.

Reflective Afternoon for the Little Tern

With land elevations from sea level to approximately 25 feet at the foot of the west Kauai mountains. The soil type ranges from calcareous sand mixtures to black heavy clay with high plasticity. These soils combined with high groundwater levels caused fits in a fast paced agricultural operations. Wet winters meant fields would sit fallow for months despite pumping 7-10 million gallons of brackish water per day at the Kawaiele and Nohili out fall stations, in a failed attempt to keep the land dry. However, what was a bane for the farmer in the winter was a temporary paradise for the coastal birds and migrating fowl.

Black Necked Stilt

Kawaiele Bird Habitat and Sand Mine

In the low lying areas makai, or oceanside of the highway is a 37 acre refuge that is a current habitat for coastal birds of Kauai, created by the mining of sand by the sugar company, natural groundwater percolation, and canal water. On any given day you can pull off the highway, walk inside and be treated to the songs and antics of coots, terns, and the Gallinule or moorhen, as they search for food in these shallow waters.

Stay on the high ground and walk between the ponds, find a comfortable seat and observe. Bring something to sit on such as a mat or chair, the sand is powdery soft but you may find a briar or thorn in a tender spot if you aren’t careful. I sit behind waist high weeds and after ten minutes or so I find the local residents tend to forget me as they sift the water for food.

I enjoy the late afternoon for viewing. There are added side benefits at this time of the day.

You can still work on your tan

The Mana sun even at 5.30pm can still pack a wallop so if your sensitive to our sun use liberal amounts of sunblock.

Joyful colors

Bring your camera, the birds may be at a distance for close up photography but you will have ample opportunities catching the colors on the west Kauai cliffs.

Bird activity

The birds are feeding and interacting quite boisterously at this time of the day with their neighbors. Sit quietly and you will be rewarded.

Setting Sun Over the Kawaiele Bird Sanctuary

Phase Two of the Kawaiele Sanctuary

The recent announcement of the new 105 acre site will improve greatly on available area for Kauai’s bird life. The first grant will provide funding for clearing the land of debris and identifying capped wells for its water source. DLNR biologist Mr. Jason Vercelli wants to use higher quality artesian water that was not available for the current sanctuary. Higher quality water will greatly diminish the chance for invasive weed and fish species to take hold. Fencing will be required to prevent feral animals and pigs from destroying habitat.

Future grants will help establish a student learning center and visitor overlooks for everyone to enjoy this special resource. The preliminary work has begun and there is no official time table for completion but once the ponds have been established and filled the birds will come for all of us to enjoy.

Tell us your best thing to do on Kauai.

Hawaiian Christmas Carols

Kauai puts its best foot forward during the holidays brushing away the dust that has accumulated after the long dry Hawaiian summer. There is a jaunt in everyone’s step and a song in their hearts as Christmas is honored Hawaiian style. The Kauai Festival of Lights, which is nearly 20 years old, celebrates Hawaiian Christmas folk art. The venue is the historic County building on Rice street. Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 6 to 8 pm up until Christmas eve. Christmas concerts happening every week around the island, while local communities hold parades that honor the season and their individuality.

Its a great time to see and hear the local Hawaiian music stars that make their way to Kauai for a few nights of song and cheer. Local legend John Cruz will be at the St. Regis on the 28th of this month. Enjoy more traditional music? The Kauai Christmas Hula concert is always popular. Blending familiar holiday tunes with a Polynesian flair.

Waimea Town Christmas Parade

As you can see there are quite a number of fun things to do in Kauai during the Christmas season. Tell us your favorite Holiday memories. Mele Kalikimaka