Kauai June 11:Kauai June 11:Today being the first day, we wanted to head up to the northwestern part of the island to see the Waimea Canyon, since it is often clouded in. That would allow a second trip if needed. On the left you see a very young sugar cane field. We saw cane in all stages on the trip from being planted to harvesting. The smoke stack in the center is at a sugar cane processing plant in Waimea.
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(Above right) A view up the "Grand Canyon of Hawaii", The Waimea Canyon. The Canyon is about 10 miles long, 3000 ft deep and is at the 4100ft level. Beautiful is an understatement. It is! Unfortunately it is endlessly busy with tourist helicopters. 150,000 tourist take these helicopter rides each year. WE DID NOT. The color in the valley is very vivid. White-tailed tropic birds are almost as common as the helicopters, they love to soar in the updrafts adjacent to the canyon walls long flowing tails following along.
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( Left) Beyond the Canyon is the Kaalalau Lookout that looks down on
the Na Pali Coast line and the Valley of The Lost Tribe. The coastline is
spectacular as it towers above the deep blue sea.
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( Right) These photos now look across The Valley of the Lost Tribe.
In the center of the first photo you can barely see the waterfalls of Hanalei
(part of which is enlarged(at the far Right) by being photographed through binoculars).
The falls requires a one day hike but streches hundreds of feet. Just to
the right of the falls is the wettest spot on earth , with over 450 inches
of rain per year! Yes we were drizzled on as we left ending a 1 mile hike.
On the way out or the canyon area, I walked down a very steep and dirty path to see this
great waterfalls, Waippo Falls was not easy to get closer to, but
was very pretty none the less. There are many many waterfalls on Kauai,
and many require viewing from the air or long hikes.
A great first day.