Aloha and welcome to the Big Island of Hawaii! Most importantly, welcome to the famous Nudi Madess dive site!
This is the DRY location close to Nudi Madess, but this is the beach access point for the dive site! This site is famous from all over the USA, with people popping into the local dive shop (Kohala Divers LTD), having never visited here before just to check it out! This site is very well known for the Nudibranchs (shell-less sea slugs) that call it home! With such an incredible varitety of species and sizes, this site attracts scuba divers, free divers, and snorkelers! It is also home to the occiasional white tip reef sharks (very doscile species), a variety of fish, but also the history of this site as well!
Sandal wood pier! “Kawaihae Bay in the 1820s was the only trading port along the northwest coast of Hawai‘i Island,” Chiogioji & Hammatt write. “The village at Kawaihae not only served the sandalwood trade, it served as a trading center for four Waimea villages….The surplus taro and vegetables raised at these villages were brought for trade to the coast of Kawaihae” (Chiogioji & Hammatt 1997: 17).
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“The Hawaiian Islands began exporting sandalwood to the Orient shortly after 1800," Chiogioji & Hammatt continue, "and the commerce flourished until the supply dwindled in the mid-1830s. Trade in sandalwood was the strict monopoly of the ali‘i beginning with Kamehameha.
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This site holds a lot of history and meaning for the local community here and is frequented by local fisherman and tourists alike. When visiting this geocache, you can view off in the distance, along the shoreline to the north, the old Lighthouse that stands as a visual reference point for divers to drop down upon the Nudibranch site below. This is the location of the old Pier and the remnants can be seen just on the edge of the shoreline as well below the lighthouse.
We are commited to the continued conservation of the 'Aina (land) and Kai (ocean) of this beautiful island and the wildlife that surrounds us. Please be mindful of rubbish (trash) that you may take out or find along the way.
-This cache is easy to get to just by taking a nice stroll across the Kawaihe beach toward the trees. You will see a break in the trees just up from the beach which is where a trail starts. PLEASE WEAR THICK SOLED SLIPPERS (sandals/flip-flops) OR TENNIS SHOES as the local Kiawe tree has lots of thorns on its' branches that fall.
-Continue along the path, up and around a tree that extends out onto the large lava rocks where the path continues, and you will find the spot the cache is hidden in these rocks!
-This cache is up and away far enough from the water; however, keep in mind there are no lifeguards and step cautiously. It is an easy enough walk but go slowly and watch where you step. You may have to check your shoes every so often to pull out a thorn or two.
My name is Kay, I am a PADI IDC Staff Instructor and Conservation Sensei working for the very company I started scuba diving with (Kohala Divers) and continue to lead our conservation efforts with frequent beach and ocean cleanups, as well as Adopt A Highway right here! Nudi Madness is an Adopt the Blue site for Kohala Divers where our dedicated volunteers maintain this site free from debris such as fishing line, lead weights, plastic, etc
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE FUTURE UNDERWATER GEOCACHE SITE! "THE Nudi Madness"
ENJOY AND MAHALO!