i'm not usually a big fan of hiking but i didn't
hesitate to say yes when
sarah suggested the Lahaina Pali Trail. it's one
big payoff view-wise,
first looking
back towards Haleakala, Maalaea harbor,
Kaho'olawe, and
even far north to Kahului harbor where a
cruise ship dwarfed everything
around it. then you top the ridge with its phalanx
of three-armed giants.
you never realize just how big those wind turbines are
until you get close
to one, each balsa and fiberglass blade is
111 feet long, the massive nacelle
swivels atop a 230-foot tower, but what
really puts it in perspective is
that couple silhouetted below--and they're
actually closer to the camera
than the turbine is. when we did this hike
previously, it was windy and
the blades whooshed loudly overhead, their tips cutting the air
at up to
120 mph. but today it was calm and it took a timelapse video to
register
their subtle motions. after
we crested, the westerly section of the
trail
runs closer to the water and we saw whales
breaching and diving not
far offshore, could hear the tour captains calling
in their snorkelers from
the clear waters of Olowalu, Lana'i
now visible looming in the distance.
it was hot but not too dusty, recent rains having
greened
the hills, red soil
still moist in places. there was ample evidence
of last year's wildfires, some
trees mere charred snags beyond resurrection,
others
sprouting new leaves
and coming back stronger. we made good time
but also paused to listen...
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