Announcing our arrival and asking permission to enter Halawa Valley, on the island of Molokai.
When I take guests onto the island of Molokai, I tell them that they are now the 1% of the 1% of people that come to Hawaii. Molokai doesn't get many tourists. They have no chain restaurants, no chain hotels, no stop lights, and not much that caters to tourists. But those brave explorers that do make it to this island, find a land lost in time. You can stand on the beach in Halawa Valley, looking three miles up to waterfalls cascading in the back, and not see a single other person. The high rise hotels of Waikiki seem very far away here. And that is how the locals on this island like it.
It is an island of Hawaiian values and traditions. And that is what we are here to discover. We are spending the day with the Solotario family to immerse into Hawaiian food and culture. I join the hard charging team that hikes all the way through the rainforest, past ancient temples, home sites, and rock walls, on a trail that has been used for fifty generations, to a secret waterfall at the back of a secret valley. Unlike anywhere else in Hawaii, we have the waterfall, and the pool below it, all to ourselves. A picnic lunch, and a dip in the refreshing water, is all we need to rejuvenate our bodies for the hike back down to the coast.
Greg Solitario pounds taro into pa'i'ai, a less watered down version of poi, one of the staples of a traditional Hawaiian diet. The poi pounder and homemade board have been passed down in his family for generations.
Greg's son, Devak, explains how to use a 'pu', or conch shell, for a traditional Hawaiian protocal when announcing your arrival.
Me, happy everyone made it safely to the waterfall. Now lunch, a quick dip, and making it back down the valley in one piece.
Greg, doing his poi pounding demonstration.
I flew my drone over the nearby barrier reef of Molokai, and this is what I saw.
You can see our ship docked at the longest pier in Hawaii. Kaunakakai Pier, Molokai.
The Safari Explorer, a great base for Hawaiian adventures.
I took this picture of Mo'o Ula Falls, using the live view mode on my iphone and then selecting long exposure.
Greg and Devak doing the 'Honi', or the traditional Hawaiian greeting.
Kukui nuts were an invaluable item for ancient Hawaiians. They provided light when turned into candles, and also made beautiful leis, that were spiritual reminders to do good.
The trail up Halawa Valley to the falls had elements of an Alaskan bushwhack, with low branches and downed trees to make it past. This bramble thicket was a native hau tree.
Two river crossings are necessary on the way up the valley if you are to make it to the falls.
The view from the drive down into the valley.
Everyone is feeling pumped to have finally made it to the waterfall. It is pretty special having a place like this all to ourselves.
Enter the hau.
Greg and his family grow taro in terraces at his farm. They use an ancient aquaduct to divert water from the river to feed these ponds.
Boulder hopping across the second river.
There are uncountable rock walls throughout the valley, left over from a thriving community that has long since moved on. The forest is taking back over.
Crossing the first stream was easy for some, difficult for others. The second stream will be tougher.
View up and down Halawa Valley. We explored much of it on todays adventure.
As always, keep traveling and keep posting!
