Mike in the Wild

Kauai's Poipu Beach Park certainly has something for everyone and is probably the beach most people think of when planning their Hawaiian beach vacation.   Sunshine, soft sand, reefs, snorkeling, wildlife, surfing, rest rooms, picnic areas, restaurants, lifeguards, resorts, access to open sea and a protected kiddie lagoon are all within an easy stroll of a large parking area.    The only thing it lacks is any sense you're specifically on the Garden Island.    It's the sunniest and driest side of the island, far away from the jagged and verdant volcanic cliffs that define Kauai's landscape and lie a ways to the north.  So when you poke your snorkel mask out of the water and take a look towards shore you might think you're anywhere in the tropical Pacific and not on beautiful Kauai.  But on this little stretch of sand near the island's southern most point, some of the hottest and driest temperatures on the island guarantee that your day on the bea...

I soon realized on my recent trip to Maui that a walk on the beach is not a guarantee to see a lot of native wildlife.  The pervasive gulls that inhabit the shores of most American seasides don't call Hawaii home - they thrive along continental shelves that volcanic islands don't have.  And most of the birds that populate the coastline, like cardinals, mynas and pigeons, are in fact introduced species that filled the habitat when endemic species were either hunted to extinction or chased up country by disease.  So I relegated my animal searching and photography to exploring the vibrant and fertile coral reefs that were just several feet away under the gentle surf. However I was especially excited one morning late in the trip when a Hawaiian monk seal decided to spend a few hours resting on the sands of Kaanapali Beach, right in front of our hotel.  This species is endangered, and spends most of its time northwest of the main islands of Hawaii, on some smaller islet...