Napali Challenge 2010
The Garden Island Canoe Racing Association is hosting the 2010 Na Pali Challenge on August 14. Each year paddlers from the Hawaiian Islands and around the world gather on the north shore of Kauai for this unique outrigger canoe race. Each team of six kane (men) and six wahine (women) take turns in the canoe (making changes every 30 minutes) while racing down the Na Pali Coast.
The race starts in Hanalei passing some of the most beautiful coastline in Hawaii, majestic cliffs, sea caves, and arches, and finishing in Kekaha for a distance of 38 miles. The six-man and six-woman crews alternate in the boat, making changes on the fly in the open ocean. This year’s field will have around 40 boats lining up at the starting line.
Kauai Beach – Secret
Secret Beach (Kauapea) is on the north shore of Kauai and is known for its seclusion, size, and beauty. It is nestled at the base of a sheer 100 foot high cliff and is well off the beaten track with no public roads leading to it. You must hike down a fairly steep, rocky trail for about ten minutes (which is very slick when wet). On the way down you can see a glimpse of a magnificent stretch of sand and a shining turquoise sea. Once on the beach there are great views of the Kilauea Lighthouse and Moku’ae’ae Island – part of the National Wildlife Refuge.
This 3000 foot long expanse of golden sand is a popular spot for sunbathing, boogie boarding, and sometimes swimming with dolphins that also like to ride the waves. As with many Kauai beaches the ocean at Secret Beach tends to be rougher in the winter and is subject to extremely strong currents. It is sometimes swimable during the summer, but seldom suitable for novice swimmers. At times, there is a shallow, sandy tide pool. In winter, much of the sand on this beach will disappear from huge crashing waves.
Secret Beach is one of the most picturesque beaches on Kauai – with its blue water, long stretches of golden sand, and black lava rock. The beach’s seclusion is further enhanced by the sheer cliff backdrop, ironwood trees, and tropical plants. And the ocean floor is mostly covered with sand.
Dirt parking
No facilities
No Lifeguard
Rescue Tube
Swimming
Surfing
Sunbathing
Bodyboarding
Shelling
Directions: Take Highway 56 (Kuhio Highway) north about a half-mile past Kilauea and turn right on Kalihiwai Road. Then after about 75 yards turn right on a dirt road and follow it to the end and park. Nearby is the foot path leading to the west end of the beach.
Please remember: When in doubt, don’t go out.
Check our Kauai Surf Report.
Hawaiian Birds and Red-footed Booby
The Red-footed Booby (‘A) has long pointed wings and a relatively long, wedge-shaped tail. In Hawai’i the species nests on Kure Atoll, Midway Atoll, Peal and Hermes Reef, Laysan, Lisianski, Gardner Pinnacles, French Frigates Shoals, Necker, Nihoa, Kaua’i, O’ahu, and Johnston Atoll. They are also found elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean.
Almost all Hawaiian individuals are predominately white except for brownish black primary and secondary wing feathers, but several color morphs exist ranging from all brown to all white to brown bodies with white heads, brown bodies with white tails, brown bodies with white head and tail. Their feet and legs are orange to red, the bill is bluish except for the base of lower mandible which is pinkish, and around bill ranges from pink to red and blue. Their flight is characterized by strong flapping interspersed with gliding for as much as a mile. The sexes are very similar except females are larger than males, and male has a lime green or bluish green patch under and in front of eye prior to breeding, which fades once incubation begins.
The Hawaiian name for this booby is ‘A, presumably named after the species call. They are quite vocal, but with a limited vocabulary which consists of loud screeching squawks and guttural noises, mostly consisting of low “aaks”. A major part of their diet is flying fish and squid, caught in spectacular plunge dives from 12 to 24 feet over the water. It is believed morphs may have different fishing advantages – birds with dark bellies may be more difficult for fish to detect at dusk and after dark, while those with white bellies may be more difficult to detect during daylight.
The Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) breeds in colonies ranging from ten to ten thousand pairs, building their nests of twigs, grass and various vegetation off the ground in shrubs or trees. On Kaua’i, these birds can be observed at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on the North Shore. They may be encountered at any time of the day and any month of the year, but a visit between November and June will provide the greatest numbers. In the evenings when birds return from feeding trips, several thousand birds may be seen over the cliffs and hillside at the refuge.
Kauai Book Taylor Camp
Taylor Camp is a book that reminds us of one period in time when all things were possible. It is the story of what really happened when a group of hippies, anti-war activists, surfers, and troubled Vietnam vets formed a clothing-optional, drug-friendly tree house village at the end of the road on the North Shore of Kauai.
In 1969 the brother of Elizabeth Taylor bailed out a rag-tag band of thirteen young mainlanders jailed on Kauai for vagrancy and invited them to camp on his oceanfront land, then left them on their own, without any restrictions, regulations, or supervision. Soon waves of hippies, refugees from campus riots, war protesters, and Vietnam vets found their way to the North Shore to expand this tree house village. In 1971 John Wehrheim began seriously photographing Taylor Camp as a settlement of refugees living next to a crystalline stream in a tropical forest along a beach in paradise. In 1977, after condemning the village to make way for a State Park, government officials torched the camp, leaving little but ashes and memories of the ‘best days of our lives’.
Thirty years later John tracked down and interviewed these residents, their neighbors, and the government officials who finally got rid of them and created this book Taylor Camp
Waipa Foundation
In ancient Hawaii ahupua’a were sustainable communities of land, water, and people. Waipa, on the North Shore of Kauai, sustained a significant community of Hawaiians who grew kalo and other crops. Several ‘auwai systems (water irrigation) were used for kalo growing in the Waipa valley through the 1860′s. Rice was then grown and milled between the 1860′s and 1940′s, followed by ranching through the 1980′s.
The Waipa Foundation is restoring these 1,600 acres as a learning and community center for the preservation, perpetuation, and practice of Hawaiian culture. It is a place where Hawaiians can renew ties to the ‘aina (land), and to restore the health of natural resources and native ecosystems of the ahupua’a. The land is rich with resources, including 1,400 acres of lowland conservation forest, 120 acres of agricultural land, 22 acres of coastal land along Hanalei bay, and its own perennial stream.
The non-profit foundation envisioned a valley in which streams would always flow uninterrupted from the mountains to the ocean, allowing migrating native fish to flourish. They dreamed of ‘ohana returning to farm native crops, gather medicinal plants, and support their families from the land. They imagined children learning their culture, and ‘olelo Hawai’i (Hawaiian language) would be spoken throughout the valley.
The Waipa Foundation welcomes lifelong learners to participate in various cultural and ‘aina based programs and projects, and to share what they do, and how they do it. They also provide various programs for keiki on farming, cultural practice, vegetables, and poi. They feed families from all over Kaua’i, and welcome customers and vendors to a weekly farmers market. They are managing and restoring native forests, a fishpond, wetland, native plant communities, kalo farming areas, and a stream. Waipa is an example of the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture, lifestyle, economy, and ‘ohana by just doing it.
Kauai Hike – Okolehao Trail
The Okolehao Trail on the North Shore of Kauai offers scenic views surrounding Hanalei Bay. The red clay trail begins along the remains of an old dirt road used when okolehao (a Hawaiian liquor) was being distilled from the roots of ti plants. You can see ti and other native plants as the trail gains 1,235 feet up to a plateau and overlook. A bench has now been added here to rest and enjoy the sweeping views of Hanalei, Hanalei Bay, taro fields, Princeville, and the Kilauea Lighthouse. If you are content sitting here and enjoying the view… then this is as far as you need to go. If you want to hike father along Kaukaopua Ridge for another half mile you will enjoy subtle elevation loss and gain and more sweeping views including the mountains in the center of the island like Namolokama (4,420 feet). You will also begin to see the endemic Ohi’a tree with its bright red blossoms.
If on the other hand, you are an adrenalin junkie, and a hike is not a hike unless you return sweaty, muddy, bloody, and exhausted… then continue on at your own risk. Sharp vegetation begins to encroach on the trail ripping at skin and clothing, and at times the trail narrows to only a foot wide as it follows along a knife-edge ridge which drops straight down on both sides. There is a false sense of security along the ridge with fern growing out on either side, but this is just ‘green air’. You will come to several ropes to help you navigate down slippery slopes, and then comes rope after rope to assist you straight up several very steep pitches to the twin peaks of Hihimanu (2,400 feet).
Directions: Traveling north from Princeville, proceed about one mile to the bottom of the hill and turn left immediately after the one-lane bridge crossing the Hanalei River. This is Ohiki Road, which takes you through the taro fields. Drive 1/2 mile to the parking lot on the left, and the trailhead is across the street at the foot bridge with the Okolehao Trail sign.
Trail Length: 2.25 mi.
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult (or Strenuous)
Elevation: 1235 ft
