80 FEET FROM THE SEA

We Honeymooned at Kokee State Rain Forest, just up the volcano along the ridge of Waimea Canyon above Kekaha, and saw this little beach house for sale on the coast. The area reminded us of Maui many years ago.

There are so many microclimates on Kauai: high altitude vs sea level, inland vs coastal, and windward vs leeward. We are on the sunny leeward side of Kauai. The 'Trade Winds' are consistently from the NE, blowing moist air up against that side of the island, bringing rainbows and keeping it lush and green. The windward side of Mt Waialeale is 'the wettest spot on Earth, with over 400 inches of rain/ year. We experience about 10 inches/ year here on the leeward side. We are a 15 minute drive from the end of the road, where ghostly Polihale Beach ends at a 2,000 foot cliff. Some say ancient Hawaiians used to pitch violators of any Kapu (forbidden practice)from the top; hence the name, which means 'House of Bones.' In those days it was believed that this was the place where souls of the dead departed for the afterlife. Three miles in the other direction is the mouth of the Waimea River, where Captain Cook first landed in Hawaii. The ruins of an old Russian fort, Fort Elizabeth, guard the mouth of the river. Up the volcano behind us, along the edge of Waimea Canyon, is Kokee State Park (Google it!), one of the last endemic Hawaiian rain forests. There Kalalau Lookout will give you a sweeping view of the Kalalau valley and the blue Pacific, 4000 feet below. In Waimea Town, just three miles away, one can have a cool 'shave ice' from Jo Jo's on a hot day, take out local food from Ishihara's deli, or eat at any of several interesting, eclectic restaurants. One (The Grove) sometimes has live Hawaiian music.