Hawaii's Kona Coast

Hawaii's Kona Coast

Bryan Fryklund & Jen Reeder

Acknowledgements

Researching and writing this book was a massive undertaking, and we have a lot of people to thank:  Michael Hunter, of course; Keely Baribeau at Novom Marketing; and Jeannette Vidgen at Current Events. We owe a debt of gratitude to James L. Wing of Dolphin Dreams Images, for allowing us to include his spectacular underwater photos, and to Hawaii Forest and Trail for use of their `I`iwi photo. We really appreciate Boyd Bond taking the time to talk story with us about his ancestors and North Kohala.

Tom Reeder proofread the entire manuscript (and has offered insights into many of Jen's writing projects since she learned to hold a pen) – we owe you big time. Les Charles gets a shout out for his extensive research and input on most of the golf courses on the island – your notes (some of which we repeated verbatim) came at a time when the Big Island was starting to seem especially big.

Thank you to Charles T. Hua, park ranger at Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, for not only sharing his knowledge of traditional Hawaiian culture, but for demonstrating how to play the nose flute while cracking up, and to Kaipo from Tow Guys in Waimea, for valiant efforts to resuscitate an island beater with over 230,000 miles on it when a deadline was looming.

Our friends and family are the rocks in our lives. Lots of love and appreciation to George and Lori Fryklund, Tom and Sally Reeder, Les and Zora Charles, Harrison and Doris Stephens, Lillian Morgan, Sophie Fryklund, Shelly and Tom Rose, Marcia and Chris Elvidge, Brian Reeder and Heidi Campbell, and all the members of our big, beautiful extended family; Steve Ellison, Cheryl Wiederspohn and our handsome shave ice model Julius; Christina and Matt Jackson; the Suraci family; our ohana in Durango, Colorado and the Durango Telegraph; Colleen Dunn Bates, for advice on freelancing and mentorship over the years; Michael Martone, our favorite English professor (we still can't believe Syracuse let you slip away to Alabama); the staff of Louisiana Cookin' magazine and our friends working to rebuild New Orleans – we love you.

Finally, a huge mahalo to the people of the Big Island, many of whom expressed enthusiasm and support for a guidebook that would attract visitors who were both adventurous and considerate (a.k.a. cool). And to you, our readers, for your love of adventure, whatever form it may take.

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. – St. Augustine of Hippo

Dedication

This book is dedicated to our awesome nephews and nieces – Collin, Mitchell, Brendan, Morgan, Ashley and our beautiful goddaughter Maddy.

We hope your lives are filled with the joy of adventure.

About the Authors

Bryan Fryklund and Jen Reeder have been writing and traveling together since they graduated with English degrees from Syracuse University in 1994. Nomadic by nature, they have lived in Hawaii (Maui and the Big Island), Australia, Taiwan, California, Washington, D.C., Seattle, New Orleans and Durango, Colorado, their home base on the mainland. They have traveled extensively in Mexico, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. They moved back to Hawaii after Hurricane Katrina blew them out of New Orleans, and currently reside in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island.

Introduction

O Hawaii no ka `aina maikai.

After all, Hawaii is the best land. – Hawaiian proverb

There's no place like the Big Island of Hawaii. Nearly twice the size of the other Hawaiian Islands combined, it is a land of superlatives. It is home to Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano that towers over the Hawaiian Islands at 13,796 feet – and is Earth's tallest mountain when measured from its base on the ocean floor. It is also one of the world's best sites for astronomy; 13 telescopes representing nine countries cluster at its summit, observing 90% of the universe's visible stars. Another Big Island volcano, Kilauea, has been continuously erupting since 1983, making it the most active volcano on our planet.

The Big Island's Ka Lae is the southernmost point in the United States, and Parker Ranch is one of the largest privately owned ranches in America. Hilo is the country's rainiest city, which creates ideal growing conditions for crops like macadamia nuts and orchids – the Big Island is the worldwide leader in harvesting them. Kona is the only place in the US where gourmet coffee is grown, and is reputed to have the best scuba diving in Hawaii.

Its history is bold, too: the Big Island is the birthplace of King Kamehameha the Great, who united all of the Hawaiian Islands under his rule, and the final resting place of the great explorer Captain James Cook, who was killed here by native Hawaiians in 1779 (the snorkeling near his monument is some of the best in the Islands).

But there's more to it than such tangible facts. The Big Island is more off the beaten tourist path (though word is getting out) than elsewhere in the state, and has maintained a slower pace of life – it's known for its mellow vibe. It is common here to see cars with bumper stickers that read Live Aloha, and love and caring are indeed an integral part of life on the island. The people are as beautiful as their natural surroundings – sometimes hilariously funny, sometimes deeply sensitive, but always pretty darn happy to be living in such a special place. The lush tropical forests, the expansive lava flow deserts, the sun-drenched beaches, the ono (delicious) cuisine, the fiery sunsets, the towering mountains and the idyllic weather make it impossible to be unaffected by the Big Island.

Bonus Materials Online

Not every detail could be included in this guide. You'll find all sorts of bonus materials at www.bigislandadventurefuide.com, including descriptions of additional restaurants, accommodations, shops, sights and even some adventures.

The range of climates and activities on the Orchid Isle means you can custom-tailor a vacation to suit your heart's desire. We've included detailed information about adventure opportunities around the island, keeping in mind that, just as Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, adventure is very subjective. To the exhausted executive, it might be finding the perfect beach, golf course or mai tai. To others, it might be snorkeling in a coral garden, swimming with dolphins, night diving with manta rays, hiking to a waterfall, horseback riding through Paniolo Country, taking a helicopter ride over Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, examining petroglyphs, skiing down Mauna Kea, surfing, kayaking, whale-watching, stargazing or learning to dance the hula. The Big Island has adventures that will appeal to everyone, and help you return home refreshed, invigorated and relaxed. Best of all, you can always come back. Aloha!

Top Big Island Adventures

Boogie boarding at Hapuna Beach

Manta ray night dive/snorkel

Kayaking/snorkeling Kealakekua Bay

Exploring Waipi'o Valley

Place of Refuge

Helicopter flight over Kilauea

Kilauea Iki Trail

Driving the Hamakua Coast

Having spent over half a year researching this book full-time, we can promise that you will not run out of things to see or do on the Big Island. There are so many amazing places and adventure opportunities that you really can't go wrong. So keep this in mind when we mention the highlights of each region – it's often better to spend more time really getting to know one area than trying to cram in too much. Our job is to give you as many options as possible, and let you choose your own adventure. Have fun!

Highlight of Each Region

Kona – Manta ray night dive/snorkel

South Kohala – Hapuna Beach

North Kohala – Pololu Valley

Waimea/Mauna Kea – Stargazing at Mauna Kea

Hamakua Coast – Waipi`o Valley

Hilo – Rainbow Falls

Puna – Red Road

Ka`u – Green Sands Beach

And the highlight of the entire island – Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

History

Pre-Contact

Long before western sailors were equipped to venture more than a short distance from land, Polynesians were confidently criss-crossing the Pacific in double-hulled sailing canoes. They relied on an incredibly nuanced navigation system that was passed down from generation to generation, calling on knowledge of the stars, currents, winds – as well as the look and the taste of the water, among other things – to successfully voyage from place to place. They brought their lifestyles with them when they went, stuffing the canoes with pigs and dogs, live banana trees, ti, taro, coconut and sugar cane. It was in this way that voyagers from the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia, today) first arrived in Hawaii, coming ashore near South Point on the Big Island sometime between the third and fifth centuries AD. In Hawaii they found a virgin land, where they and the species they introduced thrived.

The Big Island from space

It has long been thought that a second wave of migration occurred around 1000 AD from Tahiti, and that these people conquered and displaced the existing population, imposing the rigid societal restrictions that came to define pre-contact Hawaii. However, recent archeological evidence casts doubt on this theory, and it now appears that there was simply a steady stream of migration until it ceased several centuries prior to European contact.

For centuries, Hawaii was ruled by the kapu system, which not only stratified society, but also dictated what people could do and when they could do it. It was a harsh system, and breaking a kapu meant death. The idea of mana, or spiritual power, was fiercely guarded by kapu, and any commoner whose shadow fell across a chief was in danger of stealing the superior's mana. Such breaches of kapu were punishable by death. While it may have been a convenient way for the ruling class to retain power, it also appears to have been widely accepted by everyone, and the thought was that if a kapu was broken, the gods would be angered and would dole out retribution to all.

It was certainly a brutal system, but it was also very successful at regulating natural resources. For instance, fishing was subject to kapu, which dictated when and where the people could fish, and prevented the depletion of the fisheries, thereby ensuring the health of the ecosystem. However, kapu also meant a strict social hierarchy, whereby the ruling class (ali`i) maintained dominion over the other classes: the kahuna, who were the professional class at everything including religion; the maka`ainana, who were the commoners, doing all of the blue-collar work, such as agriculture and fishing; and the kauwa, or slave class, who were outcasts and often used as human sacrifices. There was, essentially, a feudal system in place, whereby commoners were allowed to work land owned by ali`i, but were required to provide them with a large quantity of what they produced. Another aspect of the kapu system was that men and women were forbidden to eat together. This was the system that was in full swing when the arrival of a foreigner set in motion a chain of events that changed Hawaii forever.

Even today, if you see a sign marked Kapu, it means no trespassing. Please respect these signs.

Captain Cook

Captain James Cook was on the third of his legendary voyages, and had sailed the vast majority of the 200,000-plus miles he was to sail in his lifetime (a distance roughly equivalent to sailing to the moon), when he stumbled upon the Hawaiian Islands. Though he had mapped a massive amount of Pacific territory for the English crown (including New Zealand and Easter Island), Cook wasn't looking for any islands in January of 1778. He was on his way northeast, with his sights set on the much-sought-after Northwest Passage that Europeans hoped linked the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. While what transpired is the source of endless debate, the prevailing opinion is as follows.

Captain Cook

Cook and his men happened to arrive at the Big Island at the time of the annual Makahiki festival, which was a time of sporting events, feasting and peace in honor of Lono, the god of fertility (among other things). Lono, it was said, would one day return with trees that would move over the seas. Cook's ships, with their high masts and sails, bore a striking resemblance to the traditional icon of Lono that was carried in an annual procession around the island. Additionally, Cook circled the island in a clockwise direction, the same direction as the procession, before anchoring at Kealakekua Bay, the symbolic home to Lono. His most ardent followers lived in villages here, and had erected a heiau (temple) to him.

The Hawaiians thought Cook was Lono, and welcomed him as a god. He and his crew were enthusiastically supplied with everything they needed, after which they left, pushing on to the west coast of the Americas. A year later, however, they returned, again during the Makahiki festival, and this time the locals' hospitality quickly wore thin. Despite his best efforts to prevent it on the previous voyage, Cook's sailors had infected the local women with syphilis and the disease had spread throughout Hawaii. The islanders treated them tolerably well, but were pleased when they made preparations to depart. Unfortunately, they hit harsh seas between the Big Island and Maui, and were forced to return to Kealakekua Bay to repair the Resolution, Cook's ship.

This was a fatal mistake: the Makahiki festival had ended and the Hawaiians had entered the season of Ku, the god of war. As repairs to the ship began, several petty thefts occurred that strained relations with the islanders. Then a Hawaiian stole a cutter in the middle of the night. Cook planned to retrieve his boat by kidnapping the high chief and holding him for ransom until the cutter was returned. This had worked for him in other islands in the Pacific, but it wouldn't this time. Armed Hawaiians gathered to protect the chief. Cook pulled his gun and shot an islander, but the birdshot didn't penetrate the warrior's protective clothing. Emboldened, they advanced on Cook. His men were retreating into boats just a short distance offshore, but, ironically, one of the greatest sea captains in history had never learned to swim, and was stuck. One warrior hit the captain in the back of the head with a club, while another stabbed him between the shoulder blades. He was then surrounded and stabbed repeatedly, with the Hawaiians taking turns sharing in the kill.

Captain Cook named Hawaii the Sandwich Islands after one of his patrons, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. The Earl has been immortalized by the food he insisted on being served while gambling: meat served between two pieces of bread.

Kamehameha the Great

According to some, there on the rocks the day Cook was killed, was a tall, broad-shouldered chief who is said to have made off with the captain's hair. This man, born Pai`ea in the district of North Kohala in the year 1758, would soon move to fulfill the prophecy told prior to his birth, that a man born while a light blazed across the sky would conquer the islands and unite the people under one rule. When Kamehameha was born with Halley's Comet in the sky, he was hidden away in Waipi`o Valley and raised under a different name. By the time Cook arrived in the Islands, the young man, now called Kamehameha, had a reputation as an especially skilled warrior who hungered for more power.

Kamehameha

Less than a year after the death of Cook, the existing high chief of the Big Island, withered and palsied by abuse of `awa (kava), saw his own death approaching. He willed his political position to his son, but to his nephew, Kamehameha, he gave his war god, Ku, a fierce-looking image infused with the power of war. This set the stage for a violent power play, and upon the old chief's death, Kamehameha and the heir battled, with the future king of Hawaii the victor. However, Keoua, the younger brother of the heir, escaped.

After the death of Captain Cook, his crew sailed back to England, and the world learned of the existence of Hawaii. Traders soon flocked to the islands, and the wisest of the ali`i, Kamehameha among them, took the opportunity to trade for weapons. Before long, Kamehameha took possession of a western ship, the first of his many warships. He used his new ship to attack Maui, despite the fact that he hadn't yet fully conquered his home island.

Law of the Splintered Paddle

Let every elderly person, woman and child lie by the roadside in safety.

This edict by Kamehameha I has become one of the guiding principles of human rights law concerning non-combatants in modern warfare. It is said that Kamehameha was hit in the back of the head with a canoe paddle by a commoner who was trying to save his family from the fierce warrior during a battle on the Big Island of Hawaii, and that the future king concluded that civilians should not be targets during war.

Soon after, a kahuna told Kamehameha that if he built a heiau, or temple, at Pu`ukohola (whale hill) near Kawaihae in the district of Kohala and dedicated it to the war god, Ku, then he would fulfill his destiny and conquer all of the Hawaiian Islands. When the temple was completed, he invited his last enemy to a parley. When the rival showed up with his men, one of Kamehameha's chiefs took him down with a spear, and his enemy became the first sacrifice to the new temple.

With his home island in hand, Kamehameha went on to take the other islands by force, capturing O`ahu in a bloody battle in 1795. Several times he planned to take Kaua`i, even building a massive fleet of war canoes, but he was repeatedly turned back, once by a huge storm and another time by an outbreak of disease. The king of Kaua`i became a vassal to Kamehameha, ceding the island and Ni`ihau by treaty in 1810, thereby finally making him the supreme