Hello again everyone and welcome to the second day of my Kauai adventure! Today we will be exploring a little more of the northern part of the island, and then continuing along towards the southern tip. Sit back and relax as we get this adventure started!
The first stop on today's adventure is the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge was established in 1985 in order to protect the habitat of both migratory and native seabird species, including Hawaii's state bird - the endangered Hawaiian goose, commonly referred to as nēnē (below) .
I found this nēnē just hanging out in a naupaka shrub, posing wonderfully for all the visitors! It is very nice to be able to see nēnē roaming about; however, they also venture into the parking lot so be careful if you drive there!
The Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse, located at the end of the refuge, was built in 1913 to help guide cargo ships from Asia around the rocky coast of Kauai. The lighthouse was eventually turned off in the 1970's and replaced with an automated beacon, but it still stands proudly as a historic landmark.
Right in front of the lighthouse is a small, rocky island that is used as a resting spot for many migratory birds. This is also a great place to view playful dolphins in the spring and summer, and migrating humpback whales in the winter.
Even though I did go during the winter, on this particular day I did not glimpse any whales. I guess it doesn't help that I don't have the best eyesight! I have to remember to bring binoculars next time!
Old Town Koloa is a very charming and historic place to visit. It was the site of the first sugar mill, and many of the stores here are located in the old plantation buildings.
I must say though, that driving to Koloa is, in and of itself, a feast for the eyes! To get there, you must pass through this beautifully canopied road, simply called the Tree Tunnel.
As I said previously, Hawaii's first sugar mill was located in this town. Built in 1835, all that remains now of this historic past is a brick chimney that was constructed in 1840. The plantation passed through many hands, and eventually shut its doors in 1996.
Oh, and what's this? Can you spot little feathered friend in front of the chimney?
Also located here is a touching memorial depicting all the different ethnicities who labored on the sugar plantations.
Today's lunch was from the much talked about Koloa Fish Market. Here we have laulau and kalua pig (above), and ono (wahoo) with wasabi cream sauce(below). May I just say, the portions were huge! You definitely get a lot of food for the money!
The laulau was generously filled with perfectly seasoned, tender pork, and the ono was so fresh tasting. The wasabi cream sauce that came with the fish added a nice spice without being overpowering. If you happen to come here, and you really should, only cash is accepted.
After lunch, I made a quick stop at Spouting Horn, which is a blowhole. Blowholes form when waves start eating through the lava rock, which in time, eventually create openings. When an incoming wave is forced through these openings, sea spouts (like the one above) are formed.
I found it so fun to look out and see how high each spout could go. It's said that they could reach a potential height of 50 ft.! That would be amazing to witness!
Nearby Spouting Horn is Poipu Beach, one of the top beaches on Kauai. The beach itself is actually spit into two by this unique feature you see above. This is called a tombolo, which is an island that is connected to the mainland by a split (here it is connected by this sand split).
This beach is so great, that even the chickens love it here!
Traveling further along the beach, I came across some lovely tidepools that were full of life.
It never ceases to amaze me just how beautiful the world is that is hidden beneath the water.
This, I believe, is the aptly named White-Spotted sea cucumber, which can commonly be found in Hawaii and throughout the tropical areas of the Pacific.
I also found this Zebra moray eel, which is named for the striped pattern on its body, hiding in a crevice. Although it may look fierce, these moray eels are actually very docile.
After an hour exploring the tides, I stumbled upon this coastal trail by accident. Curiosity got the better of me, so I made my way along this unmarked path. It was only later that I learned it is called the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail.
The wind and sea sculpted limestone and sandstone formations were gorgeous. The formation above really looked like a shark's head to me. What do you think?
This portion of the path was very sandy! I was very glad I was wearing slippers instead of my hiking shoes, that is until...
...I reached this portion! There was a lot of loose stones and sharp rocks. I was slipping and sliding, and believe me, you do not want to fall off!
After about 1 1/2 hours and taking in all the views, I started heading back. This walk was definitely worth the time and effort, and am glad that I happened upon this.
After all the walking I did, I only thought it was natural to treat myself to a little snack! The recommended place to go in the area was Lappert's Ice Cream. Here we have a waffle bowl with a scoop each of Macadamia Nut, Kona coffee, and Pistachio. I can't emphasize how deliciously creamy this was! It was the perfect way to end a day of fun in the sun!
Thank you so much for following along on this second day of my adventure in Kauai! If you missed the first one, you can find it here. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed sharing it. If you did, please feel free to comment, follow or upvote. All are greatly appreciated!
I look forward to seeing all of you in the next post! It will be the third, and final, day of my trip to Kauai.
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Wow, what a complete tour of your 2nd day in Kauai! After viewing your pictures and reading your narrative, I felt like I was on a very extensive and wonderful tour of this beautiful island. You put a lot of hard work into this post and it is greatly appreciated! All the natural beauty was captured by your camera, so much so, that I actually felt as if I was there with you. I look forward to more of your travels and am so happy that I am following you. Congratulations on another excellent post. Wishing you all the success and fulfillment as a new Steemit member. Keep posting! :D
Thank you again for your kind words! They mean a lot to me. I'm glad that you liked it! Kauai is such a beautiful place, so much better in person! Thank you again!
That nene looks so majestic! And ooohhh, that ice cream looks delicious!
I know! It was posing so perfectly! And yes, that ice cream was delicious ^^