[oomph] adventures. ka'ena point south.

a few weeks ago, we ventured to the west side of oahu to ka'ena point. here's our adventure in photos.

the drive...the wai'anae mountain range was so green!

keep driving to the end of the (paved) road.

there are two ways to get to the point. we hiked the trail from the south. as you can see from the photos below, the trail is narrow and mostly rocky cliffs. hiking from the north, the trail is more inland with sandy spots along the way where you can swim. everyone has their preference. both ways are about the same distance roundtrip - about 5-6 miles. next, i'd like to try the north trail.

let's do this! this is the beginning of the trail. 4-wheel trucks can drive in part of the way, although i wouldn't advise doing so unless you are experienced in off-roading.

these guys were filming a show. three hours later on our way back, they were still there. poor guys were sunburned and looked so hot!

and these guys jumped into this "washing machine"! talk about crazy.

can you spot the hawaiian monk seal? he looks just like the rocks!

about mid-way, there is a blowhole that sounds like a dragon. i didn't know about it beforehand, so i wasn't expecting it. we didn't see the hole, but as we looked around, it seemed as though the sound was following us. it was a little scary...i mean, with all the hawaiian legends, you never know! let's just say i was happy to get home and read about it!

this gate runs across the entire tip of the island. no cars or animals (dogs) are allowed past the gate. on the other side is a bird sanctuary for albatross.

ka'ena point - the most western tip of oahu. you can see little mounds on the ground which are the birds' nests. most of the area is roped off with a path to access the ocean and see the monk seals.

i was on periscope at this point and didn't take any other photos or videos of the seals or ocean. if you would like to see the seals in action, you can see the periscope replay here on katch.me: hawaiian monk seals

 view from the point looking south toward wai'anae.

this is what the south trail looks like most of the way...flat, but rocky and right along the coastline.

the hike will take about 3-4 hours. it took us about 1.5 hrs to reach the point, but that was at a leisurely pace with a lot of stops along the way to explore and take pictures.

things to consider: this trail is fairly easy (flat), but long (bring lots of water). it is rocky (wear good shoes). it is hot (wear sunscreen/hat), even if it is overcast. i brought my sahara 1.0L water bottle and ran out towards the end. i wouldn't recommend this hike for young children (unless you know they are capable) because of the distance and heat. otherwise, be prepared to carry them!

please be mindful of the animals. hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles are endangered species. do not disturb them by keeping your distance; do not touch or feed them.

*     *     *

follow my adventures on periscope: @ oomph