Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [328]
To the left of the overlook, a worn path continues up to the top of the waterfall, where there’s a remote skinny-dipping pool known to locals as ‘last chance pool.’ If you’re considering a dip, assess the situation carefully. Rocks above the falls offer some protection from going over the edge when the water level isn’t high; a cut on one side lets the water plunge over the cliff – don’t go near it! Flash floods are not uncommon here – if the water starts to rise, get out immediately – a drop over this sheer 185ft waterfall could, obviously, be fatal.
Continuing along the main trail, you’ll walk beneath old banyan trees, cross Palikea Stream (killer mosquitoes thrive here) and enter the wonderland of the Bamboo Forest, where thick groves of trees bang together musically in the wind. Beyond them is Waimoku Falls, a thin, lacy 400ft waterfall dropping down a sheer rock face. When you come out of the first grove, you’ll see the waterfall in the distance. Forget swimming under Waimoku Falls – its pool is shallow and there’s a danger of falling rocks.
If you want to take a dip, you’ll find better pools along the way. About 100yd before Waimoku Falls, you’ll cross a little stream. If you go left and work your way upstream for 10 minutes, you’ll come to an attractive waterfall and a little pool about neck deep. There’s also an inviting pool in the stream about halfway between Makahiku and Waimoku Falls.
Tours
For fascinating insights into the area’s past, join one of the ethnobotanical tours that are led by Kipahulu ′Ohana ( 248-8558; www.kipahulu.org; Kipahulu Visitor Center), a collective of Native Hawaiian farmers who have restored ancient taro patches within the park. Tours include a two-hour outing ($49) that concentrates on the farm and a 3½-hour tour ($79) that adds on a hike to Waimoku Falls. The schedule varies, so call ahead.
Sleeping
At the national park’s Kipahulu Campground, there’s so much mana you can almost hear the whispers of the ancient Hawaiians. The facilities are minimal: pit toilets, picnic tables, grills. But the setting – oceanside cliffs amid the stone ruins of an ancient village – is simply incredible. There’s no water, so bring your own. Mosquito repellent and gear suitable for rainy conditions are also a must.
Permits aren’t required. Camping is free but limited to three nights each month. In winter you’ll probably have the place to yourself, and even in summer there’s typically enough space to handle everyone who shows up.
Kipahulu
Less than a mile south of ′Ohe′o Gulch lies the little village of Kipahulu. It’s hard to imagine, but this quiet community was once a bustling sugar-plantation town. After the mill shut down in 1922, most people left for jobs elsewhere. Today mixed among modest homes, organic farms and back-to-the-landers living off the grid are a scattering of exclusive estates, including the former home of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh.
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KILLER WEED
According to legend, Hana folks once killed an evil shark-man who lived on a bluff near Mu′olea, the area between mile markers 46 and 47 north of Kipahulu. After burning the shark-man’s body, they dropped his ashes into a tide pool, but the shark man returned – this time in the form of limu make o Hana, the ‘deadly seaweed of Hana.’ The tide pool where the red seaweed was found was made kapu (taboo), though warriors learned to tip their spears with the toxin to make them more deadly.
Inspired by the legend, which was written down by a Hawaiian scholar in the 19th century, scientists from the University of Hawai′i came to the Mu′olea tide pool to look for limu make o Hana in the early 1960s. The legend said the seaweed resembled ‘the suckers of an octopus.’ What they found was not a seaweed, but a previously unknown type of soft coral, related to the sea anemone. When tested,