The High School Hikers Program of the Sierra Club, Hawai'i Chapter

 

Fall Hikers Workshop

Hanauma Bay
October 2, 2004

By Fred E. Nakaguma

 

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The hill loomed ahead. The black asphalt road seemed steep, at least a sixty degree incline (it probably was thirty at the most). Someone in the rear gasped, "No! I can't do it!"

Up front, a Hiker yelled, "Lets run up to the top!" Six took off running; only two made it all the way to the top. They were bent over with their hands on their knees gasping for air. The top was fairly level, but ahead....another hill.

The narrow road followed the crest of the tuff cone, Koko Head. The grass along side the road was yellow and dry from the lack of water. The kiawe trees were stunted from arid conditions; there was no shade. The sky overhead was cloudless, yet the cooling trade winds kept things nice.

The top at last! We all made it, although some took longer than others. The panoramic view was worth the effort, which in retrospect was not that difficult. In front of us lay Hanauma Bay. We could see the shoreline all the way to Queen's. We looked down on `Ihi `ihilau akea Crater, where the endangered fern, with the same name grows. Behind us, we could see Leahi (Diamond Head), the Kaimuki shield volcano, Maunalua Bay, Kuapa Pond and Hawaii Kai. To the left Koko Crater stood tall.

The hike was the last event before lunch of the 2004 Fall Hikers Workshop. The morning started with the Hanauma Bay orientation and a talk on Coral Reef Ecology, a "Coastal Plant Walk" through the parking lot gardens, and an introduction to the Sierra Club's "Blue Water Campaign." The afternoon was left for snorkeling with the fishes in the bay.

 

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