Striking geologic features and endangered species are just a few of the wonders you'll encounter at Maha'ulepu. This wild coastline is a cherished public recreation area for locals and visitors and encompasses over 5 million years of Kauai's natural and human history, including fossil remains and archaeological sites. The future of Maha'ulepu is uncertain. The land manager has expressed interest in building a resort development and golf course. As the last accessible undeveloped coastline on southeast Kaua'i, preservation is critical for future generations.
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Archaeological sites show evidence of extensive native Hawaiian settlements at Maha'ulepu. A large heiau exists below a modern day quarry. Several other heiau are located nearby at the Hyatt golf course. An immense number of petroglyphs, 168 in total, are carved into the limestone ledges near the shoreline. Burial remains are found in sand dunes, caves, and lava tubes. The concentration of burial remains in Maha'ulepu's sand dunes and an ancient legend have led some to believe that this was the site of a great land and sea battle between the ruling chief of Kaua'i and a conquering chief from the island of Hawai'i.
There is also evidence that Captain Cook's first encounter with Hawaiians occurred offshore of Maha'ulepu. A log entry from Captain Cook's official ship journal states they encountered several canoes offshore the southeast coast of Kaua'i. The canoes paddled out to Cook's ships and exchanged goods before Cook continued down the coast of Kaua'i to find safer anchorage at Waimea.
The landscape of Maha'ulepu also shows the marks of past sugar cultivation. Maha'ulepu has a well developed set of cane haul roads and the remaining wells, ditches, and pumps are evidence of the extensive modifications to the region's water supplies. Sugar cultivation at Maha'ulepu began in 1868 and lasted until the mid 1990's. During this time, ownership of Maha'ulepu changed hands several times. Since 1947, Grove Farm Company has owned the land. During the fall of 2000, Steve Case, CEO of AOL-Time Warner, purchased Grove Farm Company.
The decline of the sugar industry and rise of the tourism industry poses a new challenge for the preservation of Maha'ulepu. The Po'i'pu resort area is located adjacent to Maha'ulepu. Resort hotel developments have spread down the coastline towards Maha'ulepu and the pressure to develop this area is intense. Grove Farm Company has proposed resort development at Maha'ulepu on several occasions. Grove Farm's current land manager has publicly declared his visions for a luxury hotel resort and golf course at Maha'ulepu.
Malama Kahakai Homepage / Threats to Mahaulepu / Efforts to Preserve Mahaulepu / Hawaii's Wild Coastlines / Protect the Coast / Get Involved / Sierra Club Hawaii Homepage
The land and sea at Maha'ulepu support a rich diversity of Hawaiian flora and fauna, of which many are endangered. Offshore, you can find endangered species such as humpback whales, green sea turtles, and Hawaiian monk seals. In July 2000, Maha'ulepu was the site of a quite rare event. The birth of a Hawaiian monk seal pup. Several endangered waterbird species find habitat in Maha'ulepu's wetlands. These birds are the Koloa duck, Hawaiian gallinule or moorhen, Hawaiian coot, and Hawaiian stilt. In addition, you'll find the Nene goose (the Hawaiian state bird) and wedge tail shearwater at Maha'ulepu.
Perhaps most interesting are the cave dwelling species. These species like the Kaua'i Cave Amphipod and Cave Wolf Spider have no eyes and live in caves and lava tubes below Maha'ulepu. These species exist in a predator-prey relationship and their survival is extremely sensitive to land uses aboveground.
The rock formations at Maha'ulepu contain the most continuous and unbroken geological record from Kauai's volcanic origins to the present. Maha'ulepu shows the record of two major volcanic formations. The older Waimea Canyon Basalts that compose the backbone of the Ha'upu range and the younger Koloa volcanics formation. The ancient lithified sand dunes exposed along the shoreline cliffs at Maha'ulepu provide a record of sea-level change over the past 500,000 years. These lithified sand dunes also contain a large sinkhole that is the site of ongoing paleo-ecological research on native flora and fauna. Maha'ulepu also has one of the most intact sand dune complexes in the Hawaiian Islands created by the strong tradewinds that blow across this portion of the island.
Malama Kahakai Homepage / Threats to Mahaulepu / Efforts to Preserve Mahaulepu / Hawaii's Wild Coastlines / Protect the Coast
Maha'ulepu is cherished by both local residents and visitors as a place to seek solace and serenity. The ocean, beaches, and land provide an array of recreational opportunities. People come to Maha'ulepu to fish, relax on the beach, surf, windsurf, gather limu and opihi, hike, swim, snorkel, horseback ride, and many more activities. The land owner, Grove Farm, allows open access to the public during the daytime and the public has benefited immensely from this policy. Yet, development of this land could severely curtail the public's oppourtunities to experience Maha'ulepu.
Malama Kahakai Homepage / Threats to Mahaulepu / Efforts to Preserve Mahaulepu / Hawaii's Wild Coastlines / Protect the Coast / Get Involved /