Next up, the canyon. As soon as we started driving up into Waimea Canyon, the landscape started to dry out and turn from lush green to iron-packed dirt red. In fact, Waimea is Hawaiian for “reddish water”, a reference to the erosion of the canyon’s red soil.
Like the other Hawaiian islands, Kauai is the top of an enormous volcano rising from the ocean floor. With lava flows dated to about 5 million years ago, Kauai is the oldest of the large Hawaiian islands. Roughly 4 million years ago, while Kauai was still erupting almost continuously, a portion of the island collapsed. This collapse formed a depression which then filled with lava flows.
In the time since, rainwater from the slopes of Mount Waiʻaleʻale have eroded Waimea Canyon along one edge of the collapse. On the east side of the canyon, the cliff walls are built from thick lava flows that pooled in the depression. Over time, the exposed basalt has weathered from its original black to bright red.
The cool thing about the photos three and four pictures up is that the beach you can see far down there, is Hanakāpīʻai Beach, one of the points we hiked to on the Kalalau Trail a few days before. We were only able to guess where Hanakāpīʻai Falls was, but we had the wrong vantage point to be able to see it from above.
Remember how I mentioned chickens before? Everywhere.
Next was another one of those surprising little moments from this island. We stopped at a fruit stand once back in Waimea town. This fruit stand was attached to a little shop that sold dresses and on the side in the back was a kitchen. We went up to the window where we placed our food order with a woman who spoke English, and then she turned around and translated our order to the ladies who were cooking it. It was one of the most delicious Thai meals I have ever had. And I don’t even know what the place it called! There was just a sign on the street that said “Thai Food”. After doing some research today, it might be called the Coconut Corner or Google has it as “The Thai & Smoothie Place“. If you get a chance, grab some Pad See Ew. Yum!
Our slow trek back included a tour around Kauai Coffee Company, stopping by Poi’pu Beach, getting a drink at Brennecke’s before deciding to get food and drinks elsewhere, at Kauai Beer Company. Photos don’t do the Beer Company justice—what a great hangout! We went to bed earlier than normal to prepare for what was going to a big day. I can’t wait to tell you about it next week!
Love, Shauna