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  3. TRAVEL: 2007 through 2011
  4. JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 2010: HAWAII

JANUARY, 2010: HAWAII, VOL III -- ROAD TO HANA

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You've heard of the "straight and narrow." Well, the Hana Highway is lots of the latter, but definitely not the former. However, before we get a good start on the highway proper, let's pull over here at Ho'okipa Beach and watch some humpback whales.
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You've heard of the "straight and narrow." Well, the Hana Highway is lots of the latter, but definitely not the former. However, before we get a good start on the highway proper, let's pull over here at Ho'okipa Beach and watch some humpback whales.

humpbackwhale

  • You've heard of the "straight and narrow." Well, the Hana Highway is lots of the latter, but definitely not the former. However, before we get a good start on the highway proper, let's pull over here at Ho'okipa Beach and watch some humpback whales.
  • Untitled photo
  • A breaching baby. That holds a little different connotation with whales than with human babies. Anyhow, this little calf looks like he is having lots of fun out there.
  • In the summer, Ho'okipa Beach is a favorite of surfers. We did not see any while we were there, however.
  • The Hana Highway is only 68 miles long, but it takes an average non tourist type driver (one who is driving to get there, not stopping to see the sights) about 3 hours each way. It took us all afternoon and into the evening. Of course, we probably spent more time out of the car than in it.
  • There was a very light drizzle for most of the day. Not enough rain to get the waterfalls to flowing well (although they were the next day, at Hana and on our return trip), but enough to moisten the surface of the rainbow eucalyptus trees so that they really showed their colors. I didn't know that such trees existed.
  • A stand of Rainbow eucalyptus.
  • I can't remember the name of this little hike.
  • The trail went over lots and lots of roots as it climbed higher and higher above the valley floor.
  • As we look down on the valley, the fine-leafed plants making up the valley floor to your right is bamboo.
  • According to various sources, there are 620 curves along this 68-mile stretch. There are also 59 bridges, 46 of which are one lane and date back to 1910. Here you see an unusually wide stretch, with an African tulip tree above the distant curve. We did not count the curves and bridges ourselves, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they missed a few in their estimate.
  • This is a more typical curve. Often there were signs saying something like "DO NOT PROCEED IF THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC." Sage advice, except that I have never developed the ability to see around a curve.
  • This is how the ocean view looked for a large part of the day. Subdued, beautiful and mysterious.
  • Bev is on one of the 46 one-lane bridges. The irrigation system up here is totally amazing. They have tunnels through the hard lava mountains draining into the natural rivers, which have been dammed up so that the water traverses the river and disappears into a tunnel on the other side. It includes 74 miles of ditches and tunnels, along with several pipes and flumes, and transports 450 million gallons of water per DAY.<br /> <br /> Next stop: Hana!

  • BeverLi

    on October 9, 2010

    This one jumped just as I turned my camera off!

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