Mahina Kūlua
Kīkala Ahupua'a "Today we were blessed with some cloud cover so it wasn't too hot. I remember stopping for a second and listening to the bird that was singing in the tree branches while the wind whistled through the tree leaves to my right and to my left I could hear the sound of the ocean. While walking along the cliffs we walked past some noio birds that were hovering above our heads on the wind that blows on the sea cliffs edge. The boulders below were pink and you could tell this coastline is older lava. We also saw a cute little he'e Pali that was sitting in a little crevice on one of the boulders and slowly making its way back into the water." -M.K. "In my past days of walking this coastline it took me until now to realize that the noio (brown noddy) have a prevalent population down here. They are a seabird species found throughout the pae ʻāina from the main eight upto Papahānaumokuākea. They were used by navigators because they usually traveled closed to land. The limu I noticed seem to have more species on the older lava from Kaimū to Kēōkea than that of Kalpana toward the National Park. I also notice that as we go pass Kaimū towards Pohoiki there is a lot more ʻōhiʻa lehua. I know the reason is because the last lava flow in Kalapana was in 2017. However, it is still amazing to see these trees a Kinolau of Laka, a favorite of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele thrive in a place with a lot of salinity in the air." -K.G.
0 Comments
Kalapana Ahupua'a
Mahina Pō Muku "Today was a beautiful day. We hiked out to the coastline cliffs. Most of the lava we were walking on today was from the 2017 lava flow and the cliffs were extra high. When we peeked over the cliffs we saw a big school of what looked like enenue fish cruising in the beautiful water below. As we continued along the coast, it was unsettling to see how much fishing line was left tangled in the rocks where we were walking so we picked it up. There was even a daad sea bird dangling on a fishing line left on the cliff side. The coastline was alive as always, and the water tempting as ever. Walking on hot lava in the summer sun really makes me want to jump into the water sometimes or wish I was a fish so I could swim all day." -M.K. "Today we went to a different side of Kalapana closer to the National Park. It was another day of being in awe at the creation Pele formed. It was the first time I saw the hair of Pele (volcanic glass) in layers up to a foot in depth.On top of that, the cracks within the lava were enticingly treacherous. As much as you wanted to see how far it went down there, this lava flow from 2017 is very brittle in a lot of areas. The truth is, through out these weeks, seeing all of this nature existing in perfect harmony is because there is not a heavy human presence. The schools of enenue from 60 feet up looked had at least 30 plus strong. Comparing this to Pu'u Maile or 4 miles, pretty much unseen. I guess the question is how do we get our environment back to the perfect example which is the Kalpana coastline?" -K.G. Mahina Pō Lono
Ahupuaʻa: Kalapana-Kaimū "We were off to an early start this morning. The peak of low tide was at 7 am. On our walk out to the cliffs I was easily distracted by the beautiful morning sun rays that were peeking through the thick white clouds. It was also raining out over the ocean and the wind blew the rain in directions opposite of each other, the rain was falling in what looked like an x in the sky before the fresh drops of water met the salty ocean below. Looking along the coastline, the sun's rays hit the spray of the sea mist just right and the coast was caressed in a blanket of sea mist. As the sea waves would rise and fall, you could see small reef fish chilling out by the big boulders in the water." -M.K. "Very interesting things to see on the terrain at low tide. Seeing how far the boulders actually extend out into the ocean was baffling. I learned there is always new boulders falling off from the cliffside during small earthquakes. Meaning this place will always be growing and changing. On top of that we came out specifically to do more water testing. Hoping that at a low tide we can find more evidence of freshwater, other than natural signs (like limu ʻeleʻele) just to see the chemistry in the water. This would help in determining why one side of Kalapana would have more species of limu than the other." -K. G. Mahina ʻolepau
@Kēōkea ma Keauʻohana a me Kehena ahupuaʻa "It was a beautiful day today. A short hike through some ironwood trees revealed the shoreline. The cliffs are much smaller here, you can easily identify the Limu growing on the pink boulders. There were sand pockets along the cliffs where the ocean waves could reach and ʻaʻama crabs everywhere, too many little legs to count before they retreated out of sight. Waves crashed against the cliff side, spraying a mist of salt water that blankets the hot pāhoehoe that has been absorbing heat from the summer sun all day. Then, in almost an instant rain clouds gathered and it started to rain lightly. With the rain and clouds, came the wind, and the waves began to change." -M.K. "The ʻOle moon phases are said to be times of terrible fishing, as well as poor harvesting of crops. These moon phases represent the final lunar phases of the month. Kahuna dedicated these three days (ʻOlekūkahi, ʻOlekūlua, ʻOlepau) to Kanaloa. However, Kanaloa is more than akua of the ocean. He is the deep dark spaces that don't necessarily deal with just the ocean. Usually associated with Kāne, his ʻawa drinking partner, Kanaloa is the dark to Kāne, the light. On this ʻolepau while we were walking the papa, you could really see that remarkable darkness Kanaloa can portray in the ocean. The overcast skies with held the shine of Kāne really exaggerating this feeling. Considering these moons are dedicated to the praise of Kanaloa it is spell-binding seeing him in this state. It is times like this that remind me of my humility as a mere kanaka in the presence of a great energy like Kanaloa. The lesson for me today is not see dark things as threatening, but to remember what these energies are and who inhabits these realms." -K.G. "This is the first spot that I have noticed Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in along this stretch of coastline." -G.M |
Archives
January 2022
Categories |