Category Archives: Series

Better Days: Honokane Nui Valley trail

Top of Rope section on Honokane Nui Valley trailA steep part of the rope section on Honokane Nui Valley trail

Last May, I posted here about the hike from the end of Highway 270 down to the beach at Pololū and up on to the ridge on the other side. There, a bench awaits the hardy hiker, as well as wonderful views along the coast and into Honokane Nui Valley. I’m happy to report that the bench, which was in bad shape last time I was there, has been replaced by one with a plastic frame. While this might be aesthetically less pleasing, it should last a good deal longer.

I also mentioned that not far beyond this point, the trail into Honokane Nui Valley got wiped out by a landslide in the earthquake of 2006. Now, instead of switch-backing down to the valley floor, the trail goes straight down. The precipitous drop is made passable by a series of ropes, to hang on to on the way down, and to haul on on the way up. It’s a great workout though not necessarily the safest one around. If a rope gives way, it could be a long and nasty fall. Let the user beware.

The top photo shows what the entry into this section of trail looks like. This part is steep, then it drops off out of view. The second photo shows a steeper section with two ropes to hang on to.

For more information about the Pololū hike, go to bigislandhikes.com/pololu-valley/.

Abstracts: Floating branch

A branch floats in the water off the Big Island of Hawaii

The last of this week’s posts in response to the WordPress photo challenge on the theme of ‘transient.’

High winds resulted in a bump in the amount of debris in the water. This branch could be on its way back to shore or headed for somewhere across the Pacific, depending on how wind and currents move it.

Signs: Do not climb

A sign on a mimosa tree forbids climbing

This week’s posts are in response to the WordPress photo challenge on the theme of ‘transient.’

This sign is attached to one of two mimosa trees near King Kamehameha’s statue in Kapaau. The trees are huge with the kind of bumps and hollows that invite exploration. They’re believed to be more than 100 years old.

Not long after taking this photo, I was somewhat taken aback to see the trees almost devoid of foliage, the limbs hacked back. It turns out that one of the trees basically split in two, took out power and water lines, a chunk of the other tree, and blocked the road. It was, as they say in potboilers, rotten to the core. The cleanup is still in process, but will likely involve the removal of both trees, more than a century old, but transient in the larger scheme of things.