Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [136]
On Saturdays from 8:45am to noon the Waialua Farmers Market sets up in the parking lot of the sugar mill to show off the wares of local farmers. Many of the former plantation workers now farm small plots of land leased from the Dole pineapple corporation, an agreement that was reached to help workers retrenched as a result of the sugar mill’s closure. There are also small-scale surfboard makers and other light-industry operations keeping the old mill decidedly brawny.
If you miss the farmers market, stop in at Brown Bottle (637-6728; 67-292 Goodale Ave; 7am-10:30pm), a liquor store that sells fresh produce grown by a local farmer.
The Waialua area remains economically depressed, with many of the surrounding fields overgrown with feral sugarcane. Other sections are newly planted with coffee trees – a labor-intensive crop that holds promise for job creation. You can see the coffee trees, planted in neat rows, as you come down the slopes into Waialua.
Sleeping
Camp Mokule′ia (Map;637-6241; www.campmokuleia.com; 68-729 Farrington Hwy; campsites per person $10, r from $65, cottages from $85; ) Those wanting to really escape from the tourist scene can find solace here. This church-run camp is open to travelers as long as there isn’t a prebooked group on the site. The amenities are basic, with BBQ facilities, a pool, tent sites, a few rooms and couple of cottages. It’s easy to find, sitting right across the road from Dillingham Airfield.
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MOKULE′IA TO KA′ENA POINT
Here’s to the end of the road! This section describes the last few stretches of human habitation before the island terminates in the deep and fearsome ocean. The Farrington Hwy (930) is your honorable guide; it runs west from Thompson Corner to Dillingham Airfield and Mokule‘ia Beach. Both this road and the road along the Wai′anae (Leeward) Coast are called Farrington Hwy, but they don’t connect, as each side reaches a dead end about 2½ miles short of Ka‘ena Point.
Mokule′ia Beach Park
Keen windsurfers often congregate on this stretch of shore, taking advantage of the consistent winds. The beach park sports a large grassy area with picnic tables, rest rooms and showers. The beach itself is a nice sandy stretch but the rocky seabed makes for poor swimming conditions. Come wintertime the currents pick up and entering the water isn’t advisable.
Dillingham Airfield
The trade winds that visit O′ahu create perfect conditions for sailplanes to glide over the scenic North Shore. All sailplane operations on the island are headquartered at Dillingham Airfield, at the west end of the Farrington Hwy, just past Mokule‘ia Beach Park.
Original Glider Rides (637-0207) offers scenic glider rides that last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. The silent flight is a peaceful and scenic way to see the island. On the other hand, if that all sounds too placid, things can be spiced up with some aerobatics. Prices start at $60 for 10 minutes and go to $250 for an aerobatic hour of flight. Be sure to call ahead, as flights are weather-dependant.
Skydive Hawaii (637-9700; www.hawaiiskydiving.com; jumps 150; 8am-3pm) will toss you out of a perfectly good airplane, preferably with a parachute attached. It offers tandem jumps, where you’re attached to an instructor who does all the mental heavy lifting, then you jump from a stomach-turning 13,000ft, freefall for a minute and pull the chute and glide down for 15 minutes. You have to be 18 or over, and under 200lb. If you know what you’re doing they can also sort out a lift for experienced jumpers so that they can take the leap on their own.
Mokule’ia Army Beach to Ka’ena Point
Mokule‘ia Army Beach, opposite the western end of Dillingham Airfield, has the widest stretch of sand on the Mokule‘ia shore. Once reserved exclusively