Ho'okena Beach is in my humble opinion the best beach on the
island. The views of the landscape are spectacular with high cliffs
overlooking the beach that round out the edges of Kauhako Bay.
There are places to picnic in the shade, change, hot showers,
washrooms, kayak rentals and there's a little beach side stand that
sells fresh fruit, tacos and pizza if you're looking for a little
bite to eat. It's also a popular spot for tenting as when we went
there was a whole "tent village" going on.
If you're into snorkeling this stop is a must. In the 10 minutes
underwater, I was able to see many different fish species, coral
and sea urchins. If you go early enough you can even see the
dolphins heading out to play in the sea. Be advised that you need
to stay at least 150 ft away from them as you will see from the
sign by the beach showers.
To find the cache you'll need to park at the beach. Head to the
north end where the beach ends and start climbing. Once there
you'll see two entrances. You'll find the cache inside the cave in
the ceiling in the area where the 2 tubes meet.
WARNING:
Until recently, there has been no signs marking it as a sacred
site. I agree. It's such a wonderfully preserved set of lava tubes
that was exciting to discover. I will try to research the
intentions and meaning behind the signs to make it clear for any
who would like to visit.
In the mean time, since the English translation chosen for the
sign at the top was 'sacred', one who still wants to visit this
site should consider the following regarding sacred sites in
Hawai'i:
* Do not disturb damage or remove anything from the site.
* Removal of lava rock from any part of the Hawaiian Islands is
a criminal offense and could carry a fine of $10,000.00. If that
isn't enough, one who removes lava from the islands are cursed with
bad luck. I can attest to this as I have come in contact with
someone who swears they had so much bad luck that they mailed the
small piece back to get rid of the curse.. YOU HAVE BEEN
WARNED!
* Before one enters a Sacred Site it is customary to give a
gift, usually a lei, fruit, nuts, flowers, etc. In the last
visitors case they chose blood as we didn't know about the
signs.
* Be quite. If there are spirits in the cave one would not
want to disturb them.
* You may feel a heightened sense of energy while visiting the
site. This is normal.
If anyone comes in contact with a kanaka maoli (native Hawaiian)
that can tell you more about the site please pass it on so we can
respect the wishes of those that have lived here for
generations.
Mahalo nui loa
Small note on cache maintenance: Jake39 will
assist with maintenance if needed. Thanks.