When we go to Kauai each year, we always go to Moloa’a Bay.   This quiet spot has a few vacation homes near the beach or along Moloa’a Stream, but for the most part, it is a sleepy area with a beautiful beach.

One hike we never miss is to follow the beach to the northeast end.   The beach ends at rising sea cliffs, but we can look back to the bay.

We follow a single track up the cliffs overlooking the east shores, looking toward North America, 3000km away.   From the vantage point, we can look at for migrating humpback whales.   On this last trip, we saw many whales spouting and breaching.   On a sunny day, this is a spot to just sit and look out to the ocean.   While you are sitting there, seabirds glide down the seacliffs from Kilauea.   Shearwaters sail on the thermals in squadrons along the cliffs, then swoop to skim the wavetops.   We saw no albatrosses this year, but on the previous year, the huge birds were nesting on the hillsides.   Adult albatrosses never land on land so they just spiraled over their young ones, keeping an eye on us.   Far above all the birds, black frigate birds circled menacingly.

The trail ends at a wedge-tailed shearwater conservancy area.   Below and beyond is a shelf reef, teeming with life.   We love to wade in these wave-washed pools watching the small fish and shoreline creatures.  The memories call to us now, the warm sea breezes and the songs of the birds.