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Nā Pali Coast State Park

Beaches of KauaiCliffs of HawaiiProtected areas of KauaiState parks of HawaiiUse mdy dates from August 2023
NaPali overlook Kalalau Valley
NaPali overlook Kalalau Valley

Nā Pali Coast State Park is a 6,175-acre (2,499 ha) state park in the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the center of the rugged 16-mile (26 km) northwest side of Kauaʻi, the second-oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest from Keʻe Beach all the way to Polihale State Park. The nā pali (high cliffs) along the shoreline rise as much as 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the Pacific Ocean. The state park was formed to protect the Kalalau Valley. To the east of the state park is the Hono O Nā Pali State Natural Reserve. It was established in 1983 and later extended to over 3,578 acres (14.5 km2) in 2009. Hiking trails and hunters' roads provide access to the sharp ridges from Koke'e Road (route 550) in Waimea Canyon.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Nā Pali Coast State Park (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Nā Pali Coast State Park
Kalalau Trail,

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Wikipedia: Nā Pali Coast State ParkContinue reading on Wikipedia

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N 22.17552 ° E -159.64362 °
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Kalalau Trail

Kalalau Trail

Hawaii, United States
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NaPali overlook Kalalau Valley
NaPali overlook Kalalau Valley
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Hanakapiai Beach
Hanakapiai Beach

Hanakāpīʻai Beach is a beach in the Hawaiian islands located on Kauai's Nā Pali Coast. The beach is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from the start of the Kalalau Trail, a very popular hiking trail which is located at Keʻe Beach. It is also about 2 miles from Hanakapiai Falls. During summer months, Hanakāpīʻai Beach's sandy shore line is clearly visible; during winter months, dangerously powerful waves and high tides wash away the sandy shore line. The beach is remotely located with no road access. The word Hanakāpīʻai literally means "bay sprinkling food" in Hawaiian. Hanakāpīʻai Beach is a popular tourist attraction; however, like many beaches on the Nā Pali Coast, strong rip currents, as well as high surf, dangerous shore breaks and other hazardous ocean conditions make Hanakāpīʻai Beach extremely dangerous. The Nā Pali Coast is especially treacherous because there are no major reefs to hinder potent ocean currents. Kauai's geography makes Hanakāpīʻai conditions even more hazardous; in the event that one gets caught in a rip current (or otherwise swept out to sea) the nearest safe shore area is approximately six miles away. The currents in the region are so powerful that the bodies of at least 15 drowning victims have yet to be recovered. According to the local newspaper, from 1970 to 2010 about 30 people are known to have drowned here. Tourists often refer to a warning sign with 82 tally marks (as of August 2014) counting drowning victims. It has no official sponsor and this count is highly speculative.

Makana
Makana

Makana is a mountain located on northern shore of the island of Kauaʻi, where it rises 1,115 feet (340 m) above Limahuli Valley.Makana is a Hawaiian language term meaning gift or reward. It is often used as a person's name or as part of a name. Limahuli Garden and Preserve preserves the valley below. It was featured in the 1958 film adaptation of the musical South Pacific as Bali Haʻi and is known by that name .Makana Mountain is one of only two locations where the fire-throwing ceremony, ʻōahi, was performed in ancient Hawaiian times. The ʻōahi was a celebration of very special occasions such as the graduation of students from the hālau hula (hula school) at Kēʻē or the visit of an aliʻi (high chief). On the day of the ceremony, skilled firethrowers climbed the steep cliffs to the very top of Makana Mountain laden with light, dry logs of pāpala (Charpentiera spp.) or hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus). When night fell, they set the logs afire and hurled them out over the ocean. Ridge lifts created by trade winds hitting the sheer cliff of Makana kept the firebrands aloft, soaring as far as 1 mi (1.6 km) out to sea. The result was a night sky filled with sparks and fiery torches tracing long arcs of light. It is sometimes called "Fireworks Cliff".People in canoes would crowd the ocean below Makana, trying to catch the firebrands. It was considered heroic to catch the flaming embers, and those who succeeded would often mark themselves with the fire in honor of the occasion. Couples who caught the firebrands would both mark themselves in the same way, as a sign of love and commitment.The practice ended in the 19th century, with the last ceremony having been in honor of Queen Emma.