Today we decided was the perfect day to test our stomachs on the road to
Hana. This road Is a winding,turning, narrow, seaside road with no less than
617 hairpin turns, 56 one lane bridges (many on hair pin curves), with the
average speed limit of about 10 mph. It's only 32 miles from where it starts
into Hana, but we expect it to take most of the day.
There really is something to the saying, "it's not the destination but the
journey.". Hana itself is a podunk little cattle town, not so different from
home but along the way There are fabulous waterfalls, hiking locations, and
spectacular views.
For us the first stop at the heulo look out point where we purchased
delicious yummy apple bananas and enjoyed the view beyond the trees and out over
the coast the the prestine blue waters beyond. We took some pictures with the
few and enjoyed a quick snack at the stand. The kids were making friends with
the cashiers dog but he got scared and skittered into her display of coconut
bras and toppled the entire lot with a great clatter.
The next stop was about 8.5 miles along at a break in the fence that leads
deep into a spectacular bamboo forest. The towering bamboo amazed the kids and
us alike. The way the sun danced through it was beauty beyond measure. The
hike was muddy and average for us but a little more difficult for our wee ones.
Some places we're just a narrow 4 ft plank to cross a creek running 10 feet
below. Others were scaled only with the help of a rope or for the more
adventuresome of us, a rickety wooden ladder halfway up a rock face before
continuing to hike up to the top of the water fall at the end. The waterfalls
and the hike were incredible. We swam in the pools and took pictures and just
rejoiced.
Along we continued down the road. The amount of beauty and views was
overwhelming. Everywhere you looked different sites popped out and continued to
amaze. Whether it was the red flowers on a tree against the green back drop,
the sea cliffs, or the ocean peninsulas. W stopped just past the halfway mark
and took a detour down into Ke'ane, one of those ocean peninsula with jagged
lava rock coasts and a green picnic area with public washrooms. It was a great
stop for lunch and to purchase some fresh out of the oven island banana bread.
We visited a farmers ponies, relaxed in the sun and cleared the curves from our
heads.
There were so many places along the road that we could have stopped and
taken more pictures of waterfalls or enjoyed more hikes but it was already
getting later and later in the day and we forged on until we got to Wa'inapa
State Park and the black sand beach located there. The kids loved seeing the
mongoose playing there. We didn't see the blow hole but we were amazed by the
craggy lava rock view points and the blue water against the black. The ocean
had high swell and breaking waves but it didn't stop us all from traveling down
the water polished and smooth black rocks into the churning waves for a swim.
The sounds of the waves over the clattering beach was so different from the
sound it makes when breaking on the fine sand of south Maui. The rocks that had
broken down to a fine powdery sand were very cool. The kids enjoyed a visit to
some sea caves the lava created so many years ago. Cammie liked throwing the
rocks into the waves. Brooklyn tried stopping a big one with her hands but had
no luck and. Instead was rolled around in it and emerged with her suit filled
with little black rocks...even in her ears.
The road travelled beyond Hana. Only another 10 miles but at a pace of
10mph. Again it was filled with breath taking views, amazing trees that hung
over the highway, and waterfalls that bridges brought us by. I frantically
snapped pictures and tried to encase the beauty for years to come. We finally
arrived at Oheo Gulch, or the seven sacred pools. It was already after 5 and
the park guy who you'd normally pay for park access was gone which was a score!
We walked along a trail over to the water fall that flows down and fills more
than 7 pools before it finally pours out into the ocean. The access to swim in
the pools was locked as the theat of rain caused a flash flood warning and more
than one person had lost their life there. The water fall and hike was still
gorgeous and time really was running out for another swim anyway. We took
advantage of the photo ops before getting into the car and heading back the way
we had come.
Travelling the Hana road at night is no less windy then the trip in but the
tourists have pretty much all disappeared and it is less busy. The way in you
often have to pull over and yield to oncoming traffic because of the narrow
roads and one lane bridges. The way home in the dark gives you a near empty
road, the added benefit of seeing a cars head lights coming around the hair pin
curves, and locals to follow who drive the road on a daily basis. As such, the
drive back over the 50 miles was only 2 hours and we made it into kahului just
before Costco closed so we could grab supper there.
It was a full and amazing day but it couldn't end just yet. We tucked the
kids into bed at home and Shan, Ana, Grant and I headed out to the hot tub to
rest our aching heads and bones. Lovely people from Washington there, or
southern BC as we called it, and it was a nice visit until the pool closed and
we headed home to bed. Grant almost lost his keys and sandals to the ladies
there who had had a fair amount to drink, but it was all good.
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