One Square Mile Hanalei
One Square Mile is a documentary series that explores different cultures and lifestyles within the boundaries of a single square mile. These microcosms range from cities with 60,000 people living and working in a single square mile, to the small town of Hanalei on the North Shore of Kauai.
The peaceful town of Hanalei and Hanalei Bay, are both a destination for locals and visitors. The square mile in this video includes the inner-most portion of the bay and the town. Step into Kauai’s history, beauty, art, music, wildlife, nightlife, swimming, surfing, and its taro fields.
Collectively, the various square miles of this project make up a patchwork of contemporary culture. One Square Mile provides an intimate look at our society, and examines the human experience first hand.
Hawaiian Birds – Hawaiian Coot Conservation
Hunting Hawaiian Coots has been prohibited since 1939 and the species was federally listed as Endangered in 1970. The Endangered Species Act has helped protect the Hawaiian Coot (Fulica alai) and made it possible to learn critical information about its biology. Measures have also been taken to protect threatened wetland habitat with the creation of sanctuaries and refuges. On Kauai, the Hule’ia NWR Refuge, Hanalei NWR, and Kawai‘ele Sanctuary support many Hawaiian Coots. The Kealia Pond NWR on Maui protects an important concentration of the species, as does the James Campbell NWR on Oahu, Kaloko-Honoköhau National Historical Park (site of ‘Aimakapa Pond) on Hawai‘i, and the Kakahai NWR on Molokai.
U.S. National Wildlife Refuges in Hawaii provide essential habitat and control for the Hawaiian Coot. Control of introduced predators is an important management tool to increase nest success of Hawaiian Coots and other birds. Predation by feral cats, dogs, introduced mongoose, and sometimes the Black-crowned Night-Herons can be serious predators on young coots.
At a facility on Maui a few Hawaiian Coots would occasionally visit and attempt to build nests in their ponds, however the nesting material would blow away and the birds would leave. The facility’s operator searched the Internet for information on the species and discovered its preference for nests on mats of floating vegetation. While at the local landfill, he spotted a dilapidated bodyboard and surmised it would work well as a nesting island for the birds. He tied a rope to the board, secured an anchor, attached grass roots to the top of the board, and placed it in the pond. The board was immediately requisitioned by a pair of Hawaiian Coots and it wasn’t long before the facility hatched its first chicks. Since then, the conservation of Hawaiian Coots has been incorporated into the facility’s operations management plan. Photo by G. Armistead.
Hawaii Watermen Hall of Fame 2010
The Hawaii Watermen Hall of Fame is about paying tribute to the deserving watermen and women of Hawaii. The nine honorees of this inaugural class include three legends – Eddie Aikau, Rell Sun, and of course Duke Kahanamoku. The other six are well-known veteran Island watermen – Wally Froiseth, Fred Hemmings, Buffalo Keaulana, Rabbit Kekai, Keo Nakama, Nappy Napolean.
Eddie Aikau – Surfing, Lifeguard
Rell Sunn – Surfing, Paddling, Lifeguard
Duke Kahanamoku – Surfing, Swimming, Canoe Paddling
Wally Froiseth – Surfing, Canoe Paddling
Fred Hemmings – Surfing
Buffalo Keaulana – Surfing, Lifeguard
Rabbit Kekai – Surfing, Canoe Paddling
Keo Nakama – Swimming
Nappy Napolean – Canoe Paddling
Hawaii has a rich history of producing some of the world’s best athletes in water sports, and these first inductees into the Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame will set the bar very high. This display will serve as a future Who’s Who of the Hawaii waterman community.
Kauai Coconut Festival 2010
The Kauai Coconut Festival will take place at the Kapaa Beach Park Saturday October 2nd from 9 am to 5 pm, and Sunday October 3rd from 11 am to 4 pm. There is something for everyone at this festival – entertainment, cultural displays, shopping, games, cooking demonstrations, contests, and plenty of food.
This annual festival is presented by the Kapa’a Business Association to promote the quality of life and business along the Royal Coconut Coast. The festival offers non-stop entertainment on a main stage, a keiki (children’s) stage, and cultural and historical presentations.
There will be a coconut pie eating contest, and cooking demonstrations by executive chefs of some of Kauai’s best restaurants presenting their favorite recipe with coconut as the primary (or secret) ingredient. Locals will be also be competing to win a cook-off contest.
The keiki will be entertained with a pettying zoo, coconut crafts, coconut painting, face painting, games, and inflatables. Adults will have the opportunity to check out a wide variety of ‘Kauai Made’ arts and crafts – items made on Kauai, by Kauai artisans, using Kauai materials.
Canoe Plants and Ulu
‘Ulu was one of the plants considered important enough to the Polynesian settlers to have stowed in their voyaging canoes. And once in Hawaii, ‘Ulu became one of the most useful trees for early Hawaiians, as they ate it, made medicine with it, fed their animals, and carved with it. The trees are usually found at elevations lower than 1000 feet, and finding a grove of these trees usually signifies an area of ancient settlement.
‘Ulu (Artocarpus altilis) is an evergreen tree that grows to heights of 40 to 70 feet, and branches that reach out to a span of 30 to 60 feet. The leaves are a glossy, deep green, deeply lobed, and one to three feet long. Both male and female flowers occur separately on the same tree. The male flower consists of hundreds of tiny flowers clustered to about one inch in diameter and eight inches long at the branch tips. Female inflorescences consist of 1500–2000 reduced flowers attached to a spongy core. The flowers fuse together and develop into the fleshy, edible portion of the fruit. Fruits are variable in shape, size, and surface texture, which varies from smoothly to slightly bumpy or spiny.
The ‘Ulu begins bearing fruit in 3 to 5 years, and is a high carbohydrate vegetable, that is a nutritious source of calcium, vitamins A and B, and no fat. A breadfruit pudding treat known as piele ‘ulu was made by mashing the flesh of the fruit with cream of coconut (nui) and then wrapping the mixture in leaves of ki, and baking it in an underground oven (imu).
In ancient Hawai’i it had many uses. The light wood of the breadfruit tree was carved into small canoes, surfboards (papa he‘e nalu), poi-pounding boards (papa ku‘i ‘ai), and drums. The inflorescence were used as a fine sandpaper to polish wooden bowls. The male flower produced a yellow to brown dye used for decorating kapa. All parts of the breadfruit tree exude a sticky sap which was used as a caulk for the seams of canoes, and a glue to hold together the ipu of the double-ground drum (ipu pa‘i). Breadfruit sap was also smeared on branches to catch brightly-colored birds sought for their plumage used to make various items of Hawaiian featherwork like royal capes and cloaks (‘ahu ‘ula) and other symbols of chiefly rank. The sap was also be used as a chewing gum, and to treat wounds and skin rashes as well as infected sores. An immature fruit was used in the bowling game of ‘ulu maika, where two sticks were placed some distance apart, and the round fruit was rolled along the ground in an attempt to have it roll between the two sticks.
Kauai Beach – Poipu
Poipu Beach Park is a family beach that accommodates every type of beach activity from sunbathing to swimming to snorkeling to boogie boarding to surfing and stand-up paddling. Located on the South Shore of Kauai, it is blessed with constant warm weather, cool trade winds, and unspoiled beauty. Because of the publicity it has received as one of America’s best beaches it attracts many visitors.
There are two beaches separated by a strip of sand called a tombolo. This sandbar is a natural phenomena that occurs when ocean currents rush toward the beach from opposite directions and deposit sand between the shore and an island. This one is called Nukumoi Point, and is a favorite spot for endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals to haul out and bask in the afternoon sun.
The eastern side of Poipu Beach provides shallow, safe swimming for children because it is protected from big waves and strong currents by a jetty on one side and the tombolo on the other. On the western side of the beach, the waves break on a reef, and provide good surfing, snorkeling, and windsurfing. To the far eastern end of the park is Brennecke’s Beach which will entertain body boarders with plenty of nice waves.
Lifeguards
Restrooms
Showers
Picnic tables
Grass and shade areas
Children’s playground
Swimming
Snorkeling
Surfing
Bodyboarding
Windsurfing
Directions: Driving south past Lihue, take a left onto Maluhia Rd (520) through the Tree Tunnel. After about 3 miles follow the signs to Poipu taking a left on Ala Kinoikito. Follow for about 3 miles until you reach a stop sign at Poipu Road. Take a right on Poipu Rd for a half mile and turn left on Ho’owili Road. Poipu Beach Park is at the end of Ho’owili Road.
Please remember: When in doubt, don’t go out.
Check our Kauai Surf Report.
