Summertime on Kauai is bursting with brilliant colors and intoxicating fragrances. It is a feast for the eyes and heaven for the nose. Flower lovers rejoice as Kauai blooms throughout the summer with some of the most enchanting blossoms you have ever seen.
It’s official! You are headed to Kauai for your vacation and you couldn’t be more excited. Now, it’s time to pack and you might just be interested in a few tips from a local perspective.
Come and experience Hanapepe Town Art Walk every Friday night from 6-9pm. Meet and enjoy local artists, musicians, photographers, painters, sculptors and craftsmen. Grab a bite to eat and and enjoy the hidden treasures of Kauai’s West Side.
The Art Walk in Hanapepe has been around for years, a gem of a town, with unique shops, galleries, local artist, and eateries. Put it on your itinerary to explore the streets of Hanapepe on a Friday night and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Hidden away off the main stretch of road on Kauai’s West Side lies the quaint town of Hanapepe. The half mile stretch of shops and galleries resembles the set of an old western movie, but don’t be fooled by the ghost town feel. Here you will find many treasures among the wooden facades and old town charm.
Talk Story Bookstore
Light Source Photography by Lee Scott is one of the newer galleries to check out. You will everything from handmade Christmas ornaments to large furniture pieces made from local wood. Kauai’s Talk Story Bookstore is one of those must do on Kauai. Hunt through the thousands of fine used, rare and collectible books. A good testament to this good find is how quickly my children’s cries of “Mom we’re starving”, turned to quiet contentment on the dusty plantation floors of Kauai’s only bookstore.
Stroll down the streets of Hanapepe during the week and you will find an eclectic assortment of art galleries, The Storybook Theatre Hawaii and dozens of unique gift and specialty shops. At the center of town you will find the Hawaiian Congregation Church and another must do attraction the Hanapepe Swinging Bridge.
Little Fish, Hanapepe
Grab a bite to eat at Little Fish Coffee House, where you can find a great cup of coffee, ginger teas, fresh baked scones, panini sandwiches, musubi and smoothies.
You wont find a big box store in Hanapepe, but you will find heart and soul of Kauai’s Artist community, local charm and the Aloha Spirit. This is one of the many places that makes Kauai the place people love to visit and the place we call home.
Every year in early November, Laysan albatrosses begin to arrive on Kauai. Some come to nest, others to find a mate. When they are not here, they are out at sea, often flying as far north as Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. They may rest on the water, but they will not touch land until they return here. Most albatrosses live on islands not that are not inhabited by human beings. Kauai is the only place in the world where albatrosses can be found in residential areas and on golf courses.
One year a chick from a nest next to a fairway was determined to sit there on the manicured lawn instead of near his nest. A message was included on all golf carts warning the visitors to watch out for him. They did.
The majority of he world’s Laysan albatrosses live on Midway, site of a famous WWII battle and home to over a million seabirds. Midway is the home of Wisdom, an albatross in her sixties who is still raising chicks. There are smaller colonies of these albatrosses on islands off of Mexico and on Oahu and Kauai. Many of the Laysan albatrosses that come to Kauai were raised here. Albatrosses have been nesting on the North Shore since the 1970s. They will almost always return to the area where they grew up. All of the birds without mates will participate in elaborate displays that somehow help them to find the perfect one to nest with. Not even construction can keep them away from their favorite spots.
An albatross that will be nesting does not spend much time displaying. Mated pairs sit close together and gently groom each other. They show great affection for each other. Choosing the right mate is the most important decision of their lives. They need someone who will share nesting duties: incubation of the egg, protection of the newly hatched chick, and the feeding of that chick until fledging time. They often mate for life, although divorces are not unheard of.
As the chick gets older and requires more to eat, the parents will fly further away from Hawaii. They will have to leave the chicks alone in their nests. Some visitors worry that a chick may have been abandoned, but the parents must spend all of their time finding food. They feed the chick squid, small fish, flying fish eggs and crustaceans. Unfortunately, every feeding also includes some plastic, which is now quite prevalent on the ocean’s surface. At five or six months, the chicks will take their first flight, leaving Kauai and not returning until they are at least three years old.
Albatrosses do not appear to be afraid of people, and it is very tempting to treat them like the birds people often feed in their yards. But an albatross must learn to survive in harsh environments, not just on a lawn with people who like them. It is safer for them to avoid other species that share their world; some of them may prove to be a threat. In the past, some have been killed or injured by unleashed dogs, and there are some people that do not appreciate them and harass them. A good rule of thumb is to stay at least fifteen feet away from an albatross, if possible. They may not look nervous to you, but a bird does not always react to stress the way a pet or a person might. A sign may be put up to remind people to stay back.
Occasionally concerned people will leave food near the nesters or chicks. This food can attract predators and can also expose the birds to bacteria that can harm them. A nesting couple takes turns incubating the egg and flying out to sea to feed themselves, they will not starve. They both feed their chick. In some cases, their parents feed them so well that the chicks must actually lose weight before fledging, Enjoy your time on Kauai, and remember the time you were treated to a glimpse into the life of the Laysan albatross—-devoted mate, dedicated parent, and a connection to all that is wild and beautiful.
Note from the Author Cathy Granholm:
The Kauai Society of Artist will be exhibiting local artist Daniel Finchum’s first solo exhibition.
As a new artist, Finchum has worked for the past two years to compile a portfolio that has already acquired some recognition and awards. Finchum’s natural sculptures, which he refers to as “land art,” were painstakingly crafted and inspired by Kauai’s breathtaking vistas. In the rainforests and riverbeds, ocean shores and mountain tops, Finchum found inspiration for his art and the natural elements to design and sculpt them with.
He then skillfully photographed these unforgettable pieces of art and carefully disassembled them, taking only their images with him. An active resident of Kauai for the past 34 years, Finchum has acquired rare perspectives unshared by most visitors and all but the most adventurous residents. He sees his sculptures and photographs as enhancements to the island’s inherent beauty; he compares them to a “diamond necklace around the neck of a beautiful woman.” His skills as a photographer captures these portraits of Nani Kaua’i and his “Kaua’i ʻĀina Art” adorning her.
The artistic vision speaks of Kauai’s beauty, culture, history, and even present concerns. Finchum’s exhibit opening will be held on May 22, 2015, 6—9 PM, in the Kauai Society of Artists gallery space at Kukui Grove Mall. His reception promises music, pupus, and a couple of surprises. If you appreciate art and the natural beauty of Kauai, you won’t want to miss this special night. Finchum’s entire body of work will be available after the exhibit on his company website at www.kauaiainaart.com. You may contact him via email at dcfinchum@gmail.com, or by phone at (808) 639-7126.
Are Looking for the best things to do on Kauai? Ask us! We can help. We live here, play here and exploring Kauai and helping you plan your trip is what we do. Give us a call at 1-800 652-8248 or just remember 808 VACATION 808-822-2846. Kauai is the perfect destination for family vacations, adventure seekers, romantic escapes and pure relaxation. Kauai’s various attractions and activities cater to just about every interest.
If tropical breezes, spectacular scenery, world class dining, and crystal clear water aren’t enough reasons to plan a Kauai vacation this year, here are few more to add to your list. Start planning your Kauai vacation.
If you want to see whales, now is the time. On Kauai, sightings have been extremely frequent this year. While Humpback whales visit the islands every year, the peak season is in January and February. This is when most of the calving takes place, so be sure to keep your eye out for juvenile whales that are just learning to play.
There is something rather exhilarating about witnessing a 40-ton animal launching out of the water only to fall back to sea with an explosive splash! If you have never seen this event, there are really no words to describe it. Wildlife enthusiasts do not want to miss this event.
If you are visiting Kauai, this is one of those treats that you can see for free. Whales can viewed just about anywhere along the coast, but you can enhance your experience by choosing one of Kauai’s beautiful beaches. One of my favorite spots to see whales is along the Coastal Path on the East Side. If you are looking for a more up close and personal experience, joining a whale watching boat tour is definitely the way to go.
While a full breach is absolutely the most exciting display that you may see, you might also see a number of other interesting whale behaviors. With extremely elongated pectoral fins that easily measure a third the length of their body, they may wave or slap the water in what is called a pec wave, or pec slap. A thundering tail or peduncle slap is also fairly common. This can be quite entertaining if it is repeated and you might get a show that lasts for several minutes.
Humpback whales are also known as kohola in Hawaii. They migrate each year from the food-rich icy waters of Alaska, traveling nearly 3000 miles to the Hawaiian Islands. This journey can take them nearly two months. They come to Hawaii to mate and birth their young in the warm, tropical waters here. They will stick around and delight us for about 6-8 weeks before returning to their summer home to feed.
Watching whales is just one of the amazing things that you can do while on Kauai. If you like marine life, try snorkeling at one of Kauai’s best snorkeling spots, or you might want to take a stroll along the Kauai’s South Shore to watch the turtles feeding at high tide. If you are lucky, you might even get to see the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. They often haul themselves out onto the warm sunny sand to rest. If wildlife is your thing, Kauai is the place to be!
Looking down the Na Pali from Hanalapiai Trail
Aloha #BIGWEDNESDAY Buoy #1 200 miles NW of Kauai is showing open ocean swells of 29.2 feet at 17 sec intervals and building with a 30 knot NW wind moving in the same direction= big waves coming! Read more
Outstanding in the Field returns to Hawaii this Winter to stage five family-style feasts at five farms on Maui, Kauai, Hawaii and Oahu. The roving farm-dinner troupe, which has inspired pop-up supper clubs across North America and around the world, is partnering with four island chefs and an Oahu-born chef who’s made his mark in San Francisco’s culinary scene. Read more
