Kauai: Kilauea Lighthouse and Nature Refuge

So.... After two days plus of rain (no kidding, it rained continuously!), a closed bridge on one side of us, and a torrential river over the road on the other side of us (and thus, we were pretty much boxed in), we were finally allowed out of our cages and we ventured down to Kilauea Lighthouse and National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai's North Shore. This time of year, there are Nene (Hawaiian Geese, the state bird), Laysan Albatross, and Red-Footed Boobies nesting at the site. Frigate birds and Red-Tailed Tropic birds fly overhead, while Humpback whales breach down below the cliffs. Spending a few hours here was quite a treat!

The lighthouse was put into commission in the early 1900's with a distincitive double flash to signal ships coming from the Orient. It sits atop a penninsula of land that recently became a National Refuge.

The Nene is the Hawaiian State bird, and along with other Hawaiian species, is endangered. By 1950, there were only 50 birds in the state; today, thanks to recovery efforts around the islands, they number around a thousand.

We had the most fun watching the Red-Footed Boobies. They are currently in the nest-building phase, so they are frantically flying around, collecting nesting materials. The windward side of the island is not the calmest place to do this, so they fight the wind constantly. Before landing, they lower their landing gear and pull in their wings - it was fairly comical to watch.

The sides of the cliffs are the perfect places to collect twigs and greenery for the nests.