Todd's Page - A Photo Journal

Kauai

September 5 - 18, 2005

Two weeks on the island...driving, hiking, surfing.

A small stream along the Jungle Hike near the center of the island. Scenes from "Jurassic Park" were filmed nearby.

The lighthouse at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, home to some of the island's endangered migratory birds and other animals.

Hanalei Valley, home to many of the island's taro fields. Taro is used by Hawai'ians to make poi, a nourishing, pasty food considered sacred by many Hawai'ians. The root of the plant is peeled and cooked, then pounded and mixed with water to create a thick paste, which is then covered and allowed to ferment before serving.

The remnants of an old sugar factory. Kaua'i is home to one of only two remaining sugar factories on the islands; the other is on Maui. Due to the low price of sugar worldwide, Hawai'ian sugar production has been slowly replaced by other, more profitable commodities, such as coffee.

The swinging bridge over the Waimea River, next to the Menehune Ditch. Legend has it that an ancient tribe of small people known as the Menehunes built the ditch in a single night to divert water from the river to the nearby taro patches of a great Hawai'ian chief. Today, unexplained occurences are sometimes jokingly attributed to the Menehunes.

Queen's Bath in northern Kaua'i. This area was carved from the lava shelf by erosion. Two natural inlets along the rim provide a flushing effect from the ocean. A unique place to swim, although tourists are warned to avoid it during periods of high surf.

Of course, no trip to Hawai'i is complete without a visit to the beaches. Below is Polihale on the West Shore. According to legend, the cliffs at the end of the beach are a jumping off point for spirits leaving the physical world. If no ancestors are available to receive them, these "lost souls" are said to wander the area, attaching themselves to rocks or other objects, which is why it is considered unwise to take any objects from this area.