Halekini

Na’alehu is the southern most town in the USA, but it is not directly on the ocean. The road through Na’alehu heads east towards Hilo as it descends the hill toward the ocean. The town is about 500 feet above sea level – give or take. At the bottom of the hill, after driving along the coast above the shoreline, there is a turn off for Whittington Beach Park.

This area was once a thriving port town called Honu’apo in the 1870’s through to the 1930’s. Across the highway from the park is the ruins of the Hutchinson Sugar Plantation. The sugar cane from the plantation was ground and processed into sugar in the mill and warehouses at Honu’apo before being loaded onto ships at the pier that extended out into the bay. There was also a railroad from here that went up the hill. When the highways were developed in the early part pf the 1900’s. the railroad and the shipping became obsolete as they could transport the sugar cheaper across the roadways. The town fell into ruins and the tsunami of 1946 pretty much wiped out everything except the skeleton of the pier and a few concrete foundations.

The area of Whittington Beach and the six or seven parcels of land to the north of Whittington up to Hanakaulua Bay are all part of Honu’apo Park.

I found the name Halekini on a map that identifies the area north of Whittington. From Highway 11, there is a dirt road leading out to the ocean through Halekini. I like to come here as often as I can. The shore line is a rugged lava flow, with short cliffs of jagged lava where the waves crash to create tall splashes. There is even a few places where the water washes up onto the lava creating tide pools that are fun to explore and wade in.

Standing out towards the ocean, it is common to be caught by one of these crashing waves and be instantly soaked. In fact, it would be highly possible to be swept off the lava into the churning waves with no way out. I have often stood and watched hawksbill turtles floating in and out on the waves, trying to snatch a bite of whatever is growing below the waterline. I have found large pieces of turtle shell up on the lava, indicating just how dangerous it would be to fall in.

I don’t know if the correct name is Halekini or Honu’apo, but I like coming out here to watch the waves.

TTFN