Honoapi'ilani Highway - this mostly single lane road weaves along the
coastal cliffs and provides spectacular scenery. As a side note, it is
finally paved all the way.
I had to stop and watch some of the surfers. There was a high surf warning
posted with waves expected to be as high as 45 feet. Based on the number of
surfers and cars parked in any available spot along the road, I am sure a
lot of people played hooky today to take advantage of the big waves. (The
following day the paper said that many had to be helped ashore and numerous
rescues were reported).
Got back on the road and headed to the Northern most point of Maui, Nakalele
Point and hiked down to the Blowhole. From that point on it was single lane
with too many curves and blind corners to count. My timing could not have
been better, this is the first time I have not had to back down or around
some curve to make way for someone else. Made the obligatory stop at Julia's
for some of the wonderful banana bread along the way.
Came across dozens of chickens and roosters with some feral cat "camp
followers". The cats looked well fed and I am sure they feasted regularly on
their baby chicks.
Finally reaching a two lane road again, stopped at Iao Valley State Park. In
Hawaiian, Iao means "Supreme cloud" and is in the middle of a rain forest.
That is probably why during my last attempt to visit in 2014 it was pouring
rain. The valley is the site of the battle to unite the Hawaiian Islands.
The Iao Needle - a tall chunk of volcanic rock, was a long ago lookout for
Maui warriors.
Head back to Kapalua, and in addition to the whale sightings, saw a cruise
ship anchored outside of Lahaina (it looked like a Princess ship). Not a
good day to stop.
