Island's end: Pick your trail to Oahu's Western tip for wildlife, explosive surf �� perhaps ghosts - Brief Article

Even on a calm day, Kaena Point emits a sense of physical and spiritual energy. The rugged west and north shores of Oahu converge here, at the tip of the volcanic Waianae Range. The point itself is a massive coral sand bluff that narrows to a reef as it slips needlelike into the sea amid waves and colliding currents. Hawaiians believed that it was a jumping-off point into the otherworld for souls of the recently dead.

Compared to the populous hubbub of downtown Honolulu barely 40 miles to the southeast, Kaena Point Natural Area is otherworldly Some of the largest waves in the world assault the point from late October into March. Primarily north swells, they can be 50 feet high.

The biggest waves roll into the north side of the point, then wrap around to batter the west shore. But sometimes massive winter swells converge on the island's tip from the north, west, and south, in collisions that rocket sea spray 100 feet into the air. The roar of the crashing surf--though safely offshore--can be deafening, making conversation longer than an ooh or aah difficult to understand. In the brief interludes between breaking waves, gentle sounds emerge: the clickety-clack of lava boulders being pushed by surging whitewater, tradewinds whipping across dry dune grasses.

This time of year listen too for the shrills of Laysan albatross huddling over their chicks. Like the Kaena akoko, an endangered plant related to euphorbia, the birds find protection here in this refuge for native Hawaiian plant and animal species. There are also decaying wooden trestles, posts, and concrete buttresses from a railroad that operated here until 1948.

Climb up to the highest ridge on the dunes and you get a 270[degrees] ocean view; it's not uncommon to spot pods of spinner dolphins and even whales. Or, if the light's just right, perhaps a glimpse of one of those spirits somewhere under the waves.

RELATED ARTICLE: Travel planner

Daytime temperatures average in the mid-80s--a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water are essential. Bring binoculars and a picnic. The point can be reached by either of two trails. For trail updates contact the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (808/587-0054 or www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/nars/keena).

* From Waianae (west side access): The 2.5-mile trail meanders several dozen feet above tidepools and natural stone arches, providing wonderful views of the Waianae Range. The offshore reef, barely 100 yards away, seems to put you in the middle of the wave action. Trailhead is at the northern end of Farrington Hwy. (State 930), beyond Makaha.

* From Mokoleia (north side access): There are several routes for this 3.3-mile trail. I like the hike along the shoreline, where fishermen cast for ulua. A lava rock-and-iron vehicle barrier marks the entrance to Keena Point Natural Area. Trailhead is beyond Waialua at the western end of Farrington Hwy.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group