Kauai News & Information

By John Corrigan
Los Angeles Times
In a two-person kayak along Kauai’s rugged coast, coordinated paddling makes a difference.
NA PALI COAST, Kauai, Hawaii — The second time we capsized, my canteen went east and our kayak headed west.
“Better grab it,” said my boat mate, Carlos Holguin, as the Nalgene bottle bobbed in 4-foot swells. Our guides had said we would need two quarts of water for the 17-mile paddle along Kauai’s dramatic Na Pali Coast. Now half my supply was at sea.
Of course, they also had told us to get back on the two-person kayak immediately if we capsized. After snagging the canteen, I could see why. The wind-driven swells that helped propel us were now taking our ride west without us.
The kayak trip last summer was the highlight of a 10-day trip to Kauai, perhaps Hawaii’s most beautiful island. National Geographic Adventure magazine rated Na Pali by kayak No. 2 on its list of America’s top 100 adventure treks a few years ago, topped only by rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
Unspoiled by roads and only partly accessible by trail, the Na Pali Coast — with its sheer, jungle-green cliffs soaring above turquoise waters — is best seen by boat or helicopter. Kayaks get you into sea caves and hidden coves that larger vessels can’t reach, and there’s the satisfaction of seeing the Na Pali Coast the way Hawaiians did centuries ago.
Just be prepared: This isn’t a pleasure cruise.
“I had no idea what I was getting into,” said Amy Jubelirer, 52, who took the kayak day trip with her husband, Rob, also 52, and their 25-year-old son, Matt. “I was so out of my league physically.”
Outfitter Micco Godinez, who co-owns Kayak Kauai with his brother Chino, conceded that the trip is “perverse.” For the pleasure of taking what the Godinez brothers call the “longest and roughest ocean-kayak trip in the world,” you’ll pay about $200 and paddle to the point of exhaustion. And there’s always the threat of being hurled into the sea.
“The common denominator is, you should be comfortable in the water,” Micco Godinez said.
At the moment, I wasn’t.
Holguin and I swam to the kayak as quickly as we could. Soon we righted our craft (a sit-on-top kayak, not an enclosed one), and I clambered aboard. Whoosh! The kayak flipped back over.
“Don’t panic,” Holguin said.
Panic? Well, perhaps I was overly eager to get back on the kayak. Besides fretting about my cameras (they were in a “dry bag” lashed to the kayak and did come through undamaged by water), I wasn’t too thrilled about being tossed into 40 feet of heaving water, half a mile from shore. Just a couple of miles away, teen surfer Bethany Hamilton had lost an arm to a 14-foot tiger shark in 2003.
Even so, I let Holguin get on first this time, and then hoisted myself up. Success. A few minutes later, another wave flipped us into the sea again.
A week earlier, it had looked so easy. After hiking to remote Lolo Vista Point, Holguin and I had peered down on a flotilla of kayaks in calm, turquoise waters about 3,000 feet below. We had talked about a Na Pali kayak trip back in Los Angeles. Now, hot and sweaty from our walk, the small boats seemed the perfect way to see Kauai’s roadless northern coast and the steep, fluted cliffs known as “pali.”
We knew the waters off Na Pali Coast could be treacherous. The season for touring it by sea, even by motorboats and sailing vessels, generally runs from May through October. Even in summer, trips can be canceled if the waves get too strong.
Kayak Kauai, based in the north shore town of Hanalei, is one of three companies offering Na Pali kayak treks; the company pioneered the treks 21 years ago, but Micco Godinez says the experience offered by all three is comparable.
We were advised to each bring two quarts of water, a snack and plenty of sunscreen. The outfitters would provide sandwiches and drinks at our lunch stop.
We were surprised that we weren’t questioned about our physical condition, kayaking experience and so forth. The company does warn about the rigors of the trip on its Web site, but it doesn’t try to scare people off, and no kayaking experience is required. That was good for us because I had spent only two hours kayaking before this, and that was two hours more than Holguin.
Our guides included Melissa Hosono and Web Godinez, the 22-year-old son of co-owner Chino Godinez. Web Godinez would be paddling the coast for a sixth day in a row.
We piled into a van for the short ride to the launch point at Haena Beach Park, about a mile before the end of the road. After a mile of kayaking, anyone can bail out and return to Hanalei, we were told; after that, dropping out isn’t an option. (In an emergency, the kayaks can be beached elsewhere, but it essentially ruins the trip for everyone.)
After a quick lesson, Hosono and Godinez launched each of our kayaks, which had foot-controlled rudders operated by the person sitting in back. Soon, the capsizing began. This is fairly typical, Hosono said later, because the swells tend to be bigger on this stretch of coast, and kayakers are still figuring out what to do.
The views were indeed stunning — those verdant cliffs rising like skyscrapers from the water — but Holguin and I were preoccupied with the boat. After our fourth turnover, Hosono pulled up with some advice: Ease up on the rudder. I’d been steering too much, making the kayak less stable in the swells. We never flipped again.
Soon, we went into the first of three caves, called Pamawaa. Paddling into the dark cave was a bit like taking the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. Later, a second cave called Hoolulu provided more of a challenge. We had to time our entrance and exit to avoid being swamped by surging waves. But we all managed the maneuver.
By noon or so, we reached a high point of the trip — the Open Ceiling Cave. There’s no roof above, allowing the sunlight to play on calm, blue waters. Here, most of the crew took a quick swim.
Dolphins swam alongside us as we continued west, heading for our lunch stop at Milolii Beach.
The final four miles seemed endless, as the wind was no longer at our backs. It was after 4 p.m. when we finally landed at Polihale State Park, the end of the road on Kauai’s western side. Everyone took a swim before getting in the van for the three-hour ride back to Hanalei.
Our fellow kayakers’ reviews were almost all positive.
“We tried pretty much everything on Kauai — the helicopter trip, hiking — and this was definitely the highlight,” Robert Oxley, 34, said.
Amy Jubelirer, although annoyed that the trip was tougher than she expected, had to say she was never prouder to make that final landfall.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company

US Airways has started two new services between Phoenix and two Hawaiian islands.
The new daily service to Lihue on the island of Kauai began on Wednesday, March 1, while the daily Phoenix to Kona (on the island of Hawaii) route was inaugurated a day later.
The service from Phoenix to Lihue is the first direct flight from the mainland to Kauai that does not leave from California.
Flight 946 will take off daily from US Airways’ Phoenix hub at 11.40am and arrive in Lihue at 3.45pm. Passengers on return flight 947 will leave Lihue at 11.55pm and touch down in Phoenix at 8.58am.
Kona flights will take off from Phoenix at 11.40am for a 3.27pm arrival, and the return journey will leave Kona at 11.59pm, landing in Phoenix at 8.48am.
“Hawaii is a very popular destination for our customers, and we are very pleased to offer more service to the places they love to travel,” explained Scott Kirby, US Airways’ executive vice president, sales and marketing, in a company press release.
As well as the Phoenix routes, US also began flying from Las Vegas to Kahului on March 1.
© Adfero Ltd

MIAMI, Feb 18 (Reuters) – The end-of-season PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which brings together the winners of the year’s four major championships, will return to Kauai in Hawaii this year, the organisers have said.
The PGA of America had considered moving the elite event elsewhere, with Las Vegas and the Caribbean among the possible options.
“This year’s purse will also increase to $1.25 million with the winner receiving $500,000, second place $300,000, third place $250,000 and fourth place $200,000,” the PGA of America said in a statement.
The 36-hole stroke-play event, billed as “the most exclusive tournament in golf”, will take place at the Poipu Bay Golf Course on Kauai’s southern shore from Nov. 21-22.
Last November, U.S. Masters and British Open champion Tiger Woods romped to a seven-shot victory over U.S. PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson.
World number one Woods has claimed the title six times in the last eight years.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles)

Parade to welcome Kauai soldiers
LIHUE » A parade to welcome home Kauai’s soldiers fighting overseas will be held March 4, Kauai Mayor Bryan Baptiste announced last week.
The approximately 125 troops from the Hawaii Army National Guard and the Hawaii Air National Guard who fought overseas are all invited, as well as various dignitaries and any other Kauai soldiers “who have been there and should be honored,” Baptiste said.
The parade, which will include high school bands, veterans and military representatives, JROTC and others, will begin at around 10 a.m. on Rice Street fronting the Historic County Building, and end at Vidinha Stadium.
After the parade will be festivities including the blessing of Vidinha Stadium’s rubberized track and a welcome home program with entertainment, the mayor said.
Gov. Linda Lingle, Baptiste and Maj. Gen. Robert Lee, head of the Hawaii National Guard, are scheduled to speak. All soldiers will receive certificates and leis.

Princeville or Poipu: “Princeville or Poipu?
Which Side of Kauai Should I Stay On?
Vacation Rentals on Kauai’s North and South Shores
Although you can find vacation rentals all over Kauai, the island has two main tourist destinations. Most accommodations and vacation rentals are located on either Kauai’s north shore from around Kilauea to Princeville and Hanalei or on Kauai’s exact south shore at Poipu. These two areas seem to attract a vast majority of the visitors to Kauai and each for different reasons:”
Read More
Princeville or Poipu

HONOLULU Mesa Airlines is moving ahead with plans to begin interisland flights in Hawaii’s crowded skies.
The head of the Phoenix-based carrier says he thinks Mesa Airlines can offer cheaper flights and be competitive with Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines and Island Air.
Chairman Jonathan Ornstein says he doesn’t know if the Hawaii market can sustain four interisland carriers. His implication is that one or more of them could eventually die out.
Ornstein says the airline has selected a name and logo, designed a Web site, spent money on automated-ticket kiosks and started training.
Mesa will start flying with two or three 50-passenger jets, and then expand to six planes after a few weeks.
Mesa claims it will offer fares as low as 43 dollars from Honolulu to Kauai and Maui, and 46 dollars and 50 cents to Hilo and Kona on the Big Island.

A raindrop’s journey through the Water Wall, symbolized by the white balls being held by keiki, intrigued both keiki and adults with watershed concepts.
By Dennis Fujimoto – The Garden Island
Posted: Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006 – 04:17:46 am HST
WAIPOULI — The excitement can’t help but be infectious when the primary designer and creator of a new children’s science exhibit is so into it that she goes out and collects her own calcite to add to the realism of the exhibit.
“Jana Rothenberg actually went out and dug up the deposits of calcite,” said Susan Little, executive director of the Kauai Children’s Discovery Museum said.
The sounds of happy keiki told the story of the shared excitement on opening day of the Kids Kaua’i educational playhouse Rothenberg and others created at the museum at Kaua’i Village Shopping Center.
Rothenberg collected the calcite deposits on the island so keiki visiting the new display would be able to see first-hand those actual deposits.
The Kids Kauai portion of the KCDM opened Saturday to many residents and visitors who took advantage of a “free day” (admission waived) to check out not only the new display, but experience the hula display that Little said is on loan from leaders of the Bishop Museum.
“The Kids Kauai display ties together all the peripheral displays and is a permanent display,” Little said. “The idea for Kids Kauai was conceived by former director Robin Mazor, with Rothenberg coming up with the academic concepts and design.”
One of the facets of Kids Kauai utilizes watershed concepts, and drew the interest of keiki and adults alike as they watched a raindrop, symbolized by a white, plastic, practice golf ball, make its journey from the sky to the ocean.
The dynamic display utilizes a series of pipe flow ways as well as a rope lift to demonstrate how the water recycles to the atmosphere once it reaches the ocean.
A climbing wall in the volcano section leads keiki to the top of the mount where the calcite cave is located somewhere in the valleys of Waimea Canyon.
“Where in the world am I?” greets youngsters entering the Kids Kauai, a globe to help navigate greeting patrons at the stairways that lead to a maze of adventure and learning.
“It’s a stunning beauty,” Little said. “It’s like a living painting.”
Little said that there are plans to convert one of the rooms in the back of the museum to center around the Kids Commotion concept, with that phase scheduled to open later this year.
The Kauai Children’s Discovery Museum is located in the whale tower at the Kaua’i Village shopping center off Kuhio Highway in Waipouli.

By John CorriganLos Angeles TimesNA PALI COAST, Kauai,Hawaii – The second time we capsized, my canteen went east and our kayak headed west.
“Better grab it,” said my boat mate, Carlos Holguin, as the Nalgene bottle bobbed in four-foot swells. Our guides had said we would need two quarts of water for the 17-mile paddle along Kauai’s dramatic Na Pali Coast. Now half my supply was at sea.
Of course, they also had told us to get back on the two-person kayak immediately if we capsized. After snagging the canteen, I could see why. The wind-driven swells that helped propel us were now taking our ride west without us.
The kayak trip last summer was the highlight of a 10-day trip to Kauai, perhaps Hawaii’s most beautiful island. National Geographic Adventure magazine a few years ago rated Na Pali by kayak No. 2 on its list of America’s 100 great adventure treks, topped only by rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. It’s a spring-through-fall experience, perfect for your list of possibilities if you’re planning a Hawaii trip.
Unspoiled by roads and only partly accessible by trail, the Na Pali Coast – with its sheer, jungle-green cliffs soaring above turquoise waters – is best seen by boat or helicopter. Kayaks get you into sea caves and hidden coves that larger vessels can’t reach, and there’s the satisfaction of seeing the Na Pali Coast the way Hawaiians did centuries ago.
Just be prepared: This isn’t a pleasure cruise.
“I had no idea what I was getting into,” said Amy Jubelirer, 52, who took the trek with her husband, Rob, also 52, and their 25-year-old son, Matt. “I was so out of my league physically.”
Outfitter Micco Godinez, who co-owns Kayak Kauai with his brother Chino, conceded that the trip is “perverse.” For the pleasure of taking what the Godinez brothers call the “longest and roughest ocean kayak trip in the world,” you’ll pay about $200 and paddle to the point of exhaustion. And there’s always the threat of being hurled into the sea.
“The common denominator is, you should be comfortable in the water,” Micco Godinez said.
At the moment, I wasn’t. Partly it was concern for my video and still cameras, tucked in a “dry bag” lashed to our upside-down kayak. As I had packed the cameras the night before, I came across a warning on the bag: “Not for use with optics.” The outfitters also advised against putting cameras in dry bags.
I decided to take them anyway, figuring the bag would just get splashed a bit.
Now, with the satchel fully submerged for a second time, Carlos and I swam to the kayak as quickly as we could. Soon we righted the craft, and I clambered aboard. Whoosh! The kayak flipped back over.
“Don’t panic,” Carlos said.
Panic? Well, perhaps I was overly eager to get back on the kayak. Besides fretting about the cameras, I wasn’t too thrilled about being tossed into 40 feet of heaving water, half a mile from shore. Just a couple of miles away, teen surfer Bethany Hamilton had lost an arm to a 14-foot tiger shark in 2003.
Even so, I let Carlos get on first this time, and then hoisted myself up. Success. A few minutes later, another wave flipped us into the sea again.
A week earlier, it had looked so easy. After hiking to remote Lolo Vista Point, Carlos and I had peered down on a flotilla of kayaks in calm, turquoise waters about 3,000 feet below. We had talked about a Na Pali kayak trip back in Los Angeles. Now, hot and sweaty from our walk, the small boats seemed the perfect way to see Kauai’s roadless northern coast and the steep, fluted cliffs known as “pali.”
We knew the waters off Na Pali Coast could be treacherous. The season for touring it by sea, even by motorboats and sailing vessels, generally runs from April through October. Even in summer, trips can be canceled when the waves get too big.
Kayak Kauai, based in the north-shore town of Hanalei, is one of three companies offering Na Pali kayak trips; the company pioneered the trips 21 years ago, but Micco Godinez says the experience offered by all three is comparable.
We were advised to each bring two quarts of water, a snack and plenty of sunscreen. The outfitters would provide sandwiches and drinks at our lunch stop.
We were surprised that we weren’t questioned about our physical condition and kayaking experience. The company does warn about the rigors of the trip on its Web site, but it doesn’t try to scare people off, and no kayaking experience is required. That was good for us, because I had spent only two hours kayaking before this, and that was two hours more than Carlos.
Besides Melissa Hosono, we would be guided by Web Godinez, 22, son of co-owner Chino Godinez. Web would be paddling the coast for a sixth day in a row.
We piled into a van for the short ride to the launch point at Haena Beach Park, about a mile before the end of the road. After a mile of kayaking, anyone can bail out and return to Hanalei, we were told; after that, dropping out isn’t an option. In an emergency, the kayaks can be beached elsewhere, but it essentially ruins the trip for everyone.
After a quick lesson, Melissa and Web launched each of our kayaks, which had foot-controlled rudders operated by the person sitting in back.
Soon, the capsizing began. This is fairly typical, Melissa said later, because the swells tend to be bigger on this stretch of coast, and kayakers are still figuring out what to do.
The views were stunning – those verdant cliffs rising like skyscrapers from the water – but Carlos and I were preoccupied with the boat.
After our fourth turnover, Melissa pulled up with some advice: Ease up on the rudder. I’d been steering too much, making the kayak less stable in the swells. We never flipped again.
Soon, we went into the first of three caves, called Pamawaa. Paddling into the dark cave was a bit like taking the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. Later, a second cave called Hoolulu provided more of a challenge. We had to time our entrance and exit to avoid being swamped by surging waves. But we all managed the maneuver.
By noon or so, we reached a high point of the trip – the Open Ceiling Cave. There’s no roof above, allowing the sunlight to play on calm, blue waters. Here, most of the crew took a quick swim. I opened my dry bag to check the cameras. Amazingly, both were dry.
Dolphins swam alongside us as we continued west, heading for our lunch stop at Milolii Beach.
It was about 1 p.m. when we finally beached for lunch – sandwiches, chips, fresh pineapple and drinks. By design, most of the trip now was behind us, with just four miles to go.
The final four miles seemed endless, as the wind was no longer at our backs. It was after 4 p.m. when we finally landed at Polihale State Park, the end of the road on Kauai’s western side. Everyone took a swim before getting in the van for the three-hour ride back to Hanalei.
The reviews were almost all positive.
“We tried pretty much everything on Kauai – the helicopter trip, hiking – and this was definitely the highlight,” Robert Oxley, 34, said.
Amy Jubelirer, although annoyed that the trip was tougher than she expected, had to say she was never prouder than when she made that final landfall.
I felt the same. After our long hikes through the Kauai mountains, Carlos and I had gotten into the habit of having a “restorative brew” to ease our aching muscles. The cold ones never tasted better than after our wild ride on the Na Pali Coast.

Tourists are enjoying a breathtaking sight off the coast of Mexico.Hundreds of gray whales have been seen swimming in the waters off Cabo San Lucas.The school traveled more than 7,000 miles from the North Pole to prepare for mating season.Marine biologists said close to 20,000 gray whales may arrive at the reservoir during the next few months.They said the shallow warm waters along the Baja Peninsula offer perfect conditions for reproduction.

By Robert J. Nebel [email protected] Nicknamed the Garden Isle, Kauai is home to some of the island chain of Hawaii’s most unique scenery. Spectacular flora and fauna fill Kauai’s vistas like no other place on Earth. Where else can you see Nene geese or iiwi birds flying among the Kiawe trees and Taro plants? To top off all that, Kauai has more than 50 miles of pure white sand beaches that beckon visitors to enjoy hours of swimming, snorkeling, surfing, sailing or fishing. It’s no wonder this island mecca has received so many accolades over the years. Resort areas showcase island’s diversity Island fathers have divided up Kauai into five distinct resort areas. Its North Shore, East Side, South Shore, West Side and Lihue and Kalapaki offer recreation, sprawling first-class resorts, shopping and, of course, a variety of dining. If you have limited time on the island, then you might want to spend the majority of it on the North Shore. Here, you’ll find mountains, beaches, waterfalls and an amazing amount of vegetation that make this area the perfect spot for everything from humpback whale-watching to a round of golf. To relax, spoil yourself at the Hanalei Day Spa. Located at the Hanalei Colony Resort, therapeutic massages, body scrubs, rejuvenation programs and yoga classes are all offered here. More upscale resorts, rental homes, cottages and even beds and breakfasts can be found throughout the North Shore. The Princeville Resort, which has gone through a recent management change and renovation, is a premier property that features a 252-room hotel, two massive golf courses, tennis club with pro shop, health club/spa and shopping center. A North Shore highlight is the Napali Coast. It is a 17-mile stretch of coastline that features sea caves, valleys and 4,000-foot cliffs. East Side rich in history, culture In the East Side area of Kauai, coconut trees and groves line this region that is rich in history, culture and mysticism. Here, you’ll find the Sleeping Giant, the ridge of Mount Nounou that bears resemblance to a reclining man. Gorgeous views are everywhere on the East Side. From Opaekaa Falls to the Fern Grotto, the East Side of Kauai is a memorable environmental dream. The Wailua River State Park, Opaekaa Falls and the Fern Grotto are just some of the sights that show off the natural wonders of the East Side. After exploring everything off the beaten path, you might want to get back to civilization in Kapaa Town. Eclectic art, jewelry and clothing are on display throughout this cute village. South Side full of activities Composed of the Poipu resort area, Old Koloa Town and Kalaheo, the South Side is home to a range of activities, including kayaking, horseback riding and bodysurfing. While you can keep yourself busy here, must also take time to simply relish the beauty of Poipu’s legendary beaches. Just some of them are Mahaulepu Beach, Shipwreck’s Beach and Lawai Beach. Lodging on the South Side has improved in recent years with the arrival of the Poipu Beach Villas. This 323-unit facility is a mix of new condos and town homes that are near three pools, a recreation complex and small restaurant. Kauai’s West Side story The West Side of Kauai is striking. From the Waimea Canyon to Hanapepe Town, the West Side is a picturesque destination. Nicknamed the “Little Grand Canyon” by Mark Twain, Waimea Canyon is made up of similar views to its “canyon cousin” in Arizona, but with own island characteristics. Hanapepe Town is an historic treasure that boasts classic storefronts and artist studios. Some of the best hiking can be found on the West Side. The Kokee State Park and Kokee Natural History Museum is a good place to locate maps for a rugged individual hike or guided tour. The gateway to Kauai Whether by cruise ship or plane, guests arrive to Kauai into the Lihue and Kalapaki resort area first. Since Lihue is Kauai’s county seat, most of the island festivals are held here. This is also where you can see the island’s history and culture with a trip to the Kauai Museum. “Each side of the island has its own special attractions and events to enjoy together — whether it is watching a free hula show at one of the shopping centers, attending a festival or craft fair, or watching the birds at Kilauea Lighthouse as the waves crash on the rocks,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau. “Kauai can be enjoyed by those on a budget.” Kauai’s East Side is called The Royal Coconut Coast for its abundance of coconut trees and groves. Lumahai Beach on Kauai’s North Shore served as the setting for the film “South Pacific.” Prince Kuhio Park on the South Side of Kauai is the birthplace of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, the “People’s Prince,” who opened the beaches of Waikiki to the public in 1918. No structure can be built more than four stories high, approximately the height of a mature coconut palm tree. Kauai has 43 white sand beaches, more beach per mile of coastline than the other islands. Kauai has the only navigable rivers in Hawaii. Kauai has been the film location site for more than 60 major motion picture and television films, including “Jurassic Park” “Six Days/Seven Nights” and “Dragonfly.”