Kauai Beach – Hideaways
Hideaways Beach (Pali Ke Kua) is a small, secluded, sandy beach on the North Shore of Kauai. When the surf is calm this is an outstanding beach for swimming and snorkeling with a variety of fish, coral, and an occasional sea turtle.
But first, is the challenge of getting there. To access the beach, locate the foot trail near the small public parking area (seven spaces) and follow the trail between the parking and the tennis courts. The first part of the descent is down a steep rocky stairway with a railing. (Did we mention it was steep.) Then, you will have to negotiate a dirt trail which can be very slippery, but there are usually ropes to assisted you. Your reward near the end of this ‘hike’ is a breathtaking look down onto the beach. The beach is actually two short, golden yellow, course sand beaches separated by a rock outcropping. Shady trees ring the beach. Just 100 yards long, Hideaways provides an intimate and secret feel.
- Secluded sandy beach
- Good swimming
- Good snorkeling
- Some shade trees
- No facilities
- No lifeguards
- 10 minute hike
Directions:
Take Highway 56 North to Princeville. Turn right on Ka Haku Road (with water fountain). Go to the end of the road to the St Regis Hotel. Parking is on the right just before their gate house. The trail starts between the parking area and tennis courts.
Please remember: When in doubt, don’t go out.
Check our Kauai Surf Report.
Nutrition and Acai
This exotic berry from the Amazon has been named one of the most powerful foods in the world. Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) contains a remarkable concentration of antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids. Acai tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, Omega-3, Omega 6, and Omega 9 fatty acids. It is also rich in copper, potassium, and unusually high in manganese. It truly is a super food.
- It’s considered one of nature’s best offerings to combat premature aging thanks to its high monounsaturated oleic acid content.
- This berry has ten times more antioxidants than red grapes, twice that of blueberries, and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.
- A synergy of monounsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.
- An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.
- The acai berry is very rich in healthy omega fats. Nearly 50% of the Acai berry is fat – with 74% of the fat coming from healthy unsaturated fats such as Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9.
- Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and nineteen different amino acids have been identified in acai.
- Three plant sterols (photosterols) have been identified in acai, which have been shown to have numerous health benefits for maintaining healthy heart and digestive function.
- Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E are all present in acai, along with potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc.
- The fiber in acai is beneficial to the body in so many ways. It can help in weight loss efforts, lower cholesterol, lower glucose levels, reduce the possibility of colorectal cancer, prevent hemorrhoids, and help maintain a healthy digestive system.
- Acai contains the highest concentration of antioxidants as compared to other foods. Using a reliable measurement for evaluating the antioxidant content of certain foods, the acai berry measures 610, while the next are Cranberry and Blueberry measuring 94 and 92.
Kauai History and Ahupua’a
Private property was unknown to ancient Hawaiians, but they did follow a complex system of land division. A whole island (mokupuni) was divided into several moku, usually in the shape of a wedge and running from the mountain crest to shore. Each moku was divided into ahupua’a, narrower wedge-shaped land sections also running from the mountains to the sea. The size of the ahupua’a depended on the resources of the area, with poorer agricultural regions split into larger ahupua’a to compensate for the relative lack of natural resources. Each ahupua’a contained the resources they needed, from fish and salt near the ocean, to fertile land for farming taro in the midlands, to koa and other trees growing in upslope areas. Hawaiians shared and traded fish for other foods or for wood to build canoes and houses. Specialized knowledge and resources peculiar to a small area were also shared among ahupua’a.
Stewardship of the land and its resources was formalized through the kapu system. The kapu (taboo) placed restrictions on fishing certain species during specific seasons, on gathering and replacing certain plants, and on many aspects of social interaction as well. In this way, the community maintained a sustainable lifestyle. The ahupua’a was a self-sustaining unit that extended elements of Hawaiian spirituality into the natural landscape, and in the activities of daily and seasonal life. By sharing resources and constantly working within the rhythms of their natural environment, Hawaiians enjoyed abundance and a quality lifestyle. This lifestyle also encouraged a high level of artistic achievement in crafts like Hawaiian kapa, featherwork, competitive sport, dance, and chant.
Orchid Cattleya Care
Cattleyas (pronounced KAT-lee-ah) are among the most popular orchids, and often used as the basis for comparison with other types of orchids. Most of the wild Cattleya orchids grow in rain forests of South America, and are used to being partly covered by the canopy of the rain forest and get considerable humidity and bright light.
Cattleya Light
Light is the most important factor in growing and flowering cattleyas. Growing in the forest they are used to diffuse but bright light, with no direct sun in the middle of the day. This means an east, shaded south or west window in the home. Leaves should be a medium green color, pseudobulbs erect and requiring no staking.
Cattleya Temperature
Temperatures should be 55 to 60 F at night and 70 to 85 F during the day. Seedlings should have night temperatures five to 10 degrees higher. A 15 to 20 degree differential between day and night is recommended, especially for mature plants.
Cattleya Water
Water should be provided in the pot by watering, and in the air as humidity. Mature cattleyas need to dry out thoroughly before being watered again. Seedlings need more constant moisture. If in doubt, it’s best to wait a day or two until watering. Plants in active growth need more water than plants that are resting.
Cattleya Humidity
Humidity is a friend to Cattleyas, since they are native to rain forests. Most will do well by placing the plants on trays of gravel, only partially filled with water so that the plants do not sit in the water. Air should always be moving around the plants to prevent fungal or bacterial disease, especially if high humidity or cool temperatures exist.
Cattleya Feeding
Fertilize on a regular schedule. When in active growth, plants need fertilizer at least every two weeks, and when not actively growing, once a month. ‘Weekly, weakly’ is good with orchids, which means to dilute the fertilizer to one quarter strength and fertilze more often. Follow up with just plain water once a month to flush out excess fertilizer salts.
Cattleya Potting
Potting is necessary when the rhizome of the plants protrudes over the edge of the pot or the potting medium starts to break down and drain poorly. It is best to repot just before new roots sprout from the rhizome, after flowering or in the spring. Select a pot that will allow for approximately two years of growth before crowding the pot.
Alana Blanchard wins Hawaiian Pro
Alana Blanchard from Kauai scored an uplifting victory by winning the Vans Hawaiian Pro women’s surfing contest. Blanchard is in her rookie season on the ASP Women’s World Tour, and is considered a rising star. The one-day event was completed in wave-face heights of 2 to 6 feet at Hale’iwa Ali’i Beach.
The Hawaiian Pro is the first of three events in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, and the world’s top female surfers participated in the contest. Most significant, Alana came from behind to defeat the defending world champion and current No. 1 ranked Stephanie Gilmore of Australia in the final. Gilmore had the lead for the first 25 minutes of the 30-minute final heat, but Blanchard took the lead with five minutes remaining when she completed several precise turns on a fast-closing wave. The judges rewarded her with a 7.83 (out of 10), which was the best wave score of the final.
In the end, just 1.12 points was the difference. Blanchard’s final two-wave tally was 14.06, Gilmore finished with a total score of 13.04, Peru’s Sofia Mulanovich placed third, and Rebecca Woods of Australia was fourth.
“I’m not sure if she had the confidence before this,” her father, Holt, said. “But now she knows she can win on this level. This really proves something to her.” Alana is also a rising star in the modeling world, and is one of the most photographed surfers on the women’s tour. “I think there’s a stigma out there that she’s this beautiful girl and that’s the only reason why she gets publicity,” her father said. “Well, she proved today that she can surf with the best of them.”
Alana now holds the early lead in the women’s race for the prestigious Triple Crown championship. The next contest in the series is the Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach. “This win means a lot to me because I’m from Hawai’i and ever since I was little I wanted to do the Triple Crown.”
National Wildlife Refuge Campaign
National Wildlife Refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species and more than 200 species of fish. The Secretary of the Interior has announced the launch of an extensive public service radio campaign urging Americans to connect with nature and visit a National Wildlife Refuge. “Americans can take pride in the tremendous beauty and diversity of refuge lands dedicated to the protection of wildlife habitat,” Salazar said. “By visiting these places and encouraging their children to forge a connection with nature, they can help ensure vital wildlife conservation efforts will continue for generations to come.”
The National Wildlife Refuge System represents the world’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and plants. “This is another National Wildlife Refuge minute,” begins each segment. The public service radio campaign consists of eight 60-second spots extolling the sights and sounds of refuges and their efforts to preserve some of these species.
There are 550 refuges across America offering people a welcoming place to nourish their spirits and reconnect with the land. Comprising hundreds of thousands of miles and landscapes ranging from southwest desert to Alaskan tundra and nearly every conceivable ecosystem in between, the Refuge System represents the last best hope for survival for many endangered and threatened species. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
To learn more, visit the National Wildlife Refuge System website.
