Rev. 04/27/04

Molokai
03/21/04 - 03/27/04

Lived here some 40 years, but had never been to Molokai.  Looking through a Elderhostel catalog, ran across a one week Elderhostel class titled "Molokai, whole island as a classroom."  This sounded interesting —Liz was enthused about going, and I could see Molokai — my two younger sons considered it a great place — and I could learn first hand what an Elderhostel was.

We made reservations on the Molokai Shuttle — a small airline that services Molokai with small twin engine Pipers that hold 9 passengers plus a pilot.  I enjoy small planes that fly lower so you can see the water and the ground.  

03/21/04

We drove out to the Honolulu Airport Sunday morning for out flight.  The Molokai Shuttle hanger and offices are located across the runway from the main terminal.  Service was much more casual there — not long security lines or strict baggage checks.  Took off without fanfair and climbed quickly to cruising altitude — watch our home as we flew by.

The weather didn't really cooperate the whole week — the director of our Elderhostel always managed to have a Plan B, a Plan C, and at times a Plan Z up her sleeve — don't think we ever had a day she didn't to resort to Plan "x" because of the weather.

Molokai is about 40 miles long and 10 miles wide at it's widest point.  There is one major town, Kaunakakai, and a half dozen small villages, and has a population of about 7,000 — the pace is   s l o o o w   and laid-back.  If you want to relax, Molokai is the place.  There was one hotel a couple of miles beyond Kaunakakai — we all stayed there.

Landed in the rain, took a shuttle to the hotel.  On the way the driver had to drop someone off at a grocery store.  She drove in on a one-way street.  But the road was blocked by another car — she simply turned around and went back the way she came.  As she came out, going the wrong way on a one-way street, she waved at the cop that was parked on the side street and he waved back — yep, real laid-back.

The concept of "Molokai, whole island as a classroom" allowed us to see many aspects of life on Molokai that the average visitor might miss.

The original sugar mill on Molokai was built by Mr. Meyer in the mid 1800's.  The rollers that crush the cane were turned by a horse walking around the circular path endlessly for miles and miles.  The juice from the cane ran down a trough into the refinery where it was processed into raw sugar.  The crusher and much of the refinery has been restored and is part of the Molokai Museum that sponsors the Molokai Elderhostel.

A few years ago, in geologic time — meaning thousands and thousands of year ago — Molokai was a huge volcanic crater.  Suddenly the northern half of the crater slumped into the sea creating the tallest sea cliff (3000 ft) in the world.  Then a year or so geologic time a volcano started in the sea and created the Kalaupapa peninsula.  This peninsula was subsequently used by Hawaii as a isolation colony for those diagnosed with Hansen"s disease better known to the world as leprosy.  The high shear sea cliff, traversed only by a narrow switched-back trail provided isolation from the rest of the island.  The top of the sea cliff is called Top Side by the residents.  The photo is taken, through the trees, from Top Side looking down at the Kalaupapa peninsula.  The plans were for us to go to Kalaupapa on Wednesday but the weather didn't cooperate — weather was bad at the airport down below and pouring up at Top Side, further a 2 ton boulder fell onto the switchback trail, blocking it.  So even the mules and the hikers were stopped — plan B.  Disapointing to scratch Kalaupapa off the list of places to see.

There is a Macadamia Nut orchard on Molokai.  The owner allows the nuts to mature on the tree and fall naturally to the ground where he gathers them.  We were given the chance to crack and eat unprocessed nuts — they are great, even better than the nuts we buy in the can.  The shell is very thick.  They fashioned a sort of loop made out of a strip of old slipper (flip flops to the rest of the world) rubber nailed to a short wooden handle.  The nut is placed in the loop, and then is cracked with a hammer — the slipper loop keeps it from shattering — and the meat of the nut is removed intact.  We all ate more than we should have — ono (good)!!

On the west end of the island is a hotel and a group of condominiums.  These are woven around an extensive golf course, with intertwinning natural growth gullies — planted with wild turkeys — surprise!

The condos are spacious, well constructed, and designed to fit a Hawaiian life-style. 

Also, on the west shore is a 3 mile long sand beach — longest beach on the island.  And a great place to surf, to walk without interuption.

Going east from Kaunakakai along the south shore was different from the west side — a little more populated.  

One place we stopped was a bird refuge.  The lady who ran it told us that when she first saw the property she fell in love with the stream running through it.  After she bought it build several lakes and islands to form the habitat for endangered Hawaiian water fowl.

She explained that she had number of nene (Hawaiian Geese and the State bird).  Most of the nene in the flock were molting and couldn't fly.  She went on to tell us that she banded the males on the left leg, females on the right.  She could tell the bird's sex by looking at them, but the banding help other who were less experienced.  The were also several Hawaiian Stilts nesting on a small island.

Further east we stopped at an old church built by Father Damien, still in use.  On one side there  was a statue of Father Damien, the same statue as at the the State Capitol in Honolulu.  

Our guide told us that Father Damien was a prolific builder, he built about six churches in Hawaii, and was active all over the islands.  

The last evening of our Elderhostel we were invited to a luau at the Molokai Museum.  The small hawaiian trio that played for us was good — great.  They even knew one of my favorite peaces by Kui Lee.  And the girl that danced the hula for us was accomplished.  

Of course Liz egged me into dancing — and making fool of myself — still, had a great time.  

The luau food was excellent — and our Elderhostel over.

The flight down was short — take off, drop over the cliff, glide down and land — all of 6 minutes--none of us were up to or wished to make the trip down/back on a mule or to contemplate hiking down and hiking up was never even discussed.

The story of Kalaupapa — the formation of the colony for those with leprosy,in the 1800's, treatment and mis-treatmentof those afflicted, and the story of Father Damian — far too long for this page.

A cure for leprosy was found in the 1940's, making the decease non-communicable, allowing the patients to leave the isolation of the peninsula.  While the disease has been cured those that remain there have done so since childhood and have severe disablilities.  The disease has been cured but the stigma lives on and many still prefer to live out their lives at Kalaupapa.  There are now just 36 patients still living there, ranging in age from 68 to 93.  Kalaupapa is now a National Park.  There are no hotels, restaurants or any amenities associated with the park status.  Visitors are limited to a four hr tour, must bring food/water and are limited to only specfic historic sights--no wandering around.  Most interesting place but extremely sad because of the treatment ,that those placed in isolation, had to endure.  The multiple cemeteries tell the tale. 

The pictures to the left show the western side of the peninsula and the sea cliff.  Next, the sea cliff to the east.  The pointed island is a remnant of the original crater.  

The bottom picture is of Father Damien's church on Kalaupapa.  The short wing on the left is of wood and was where he started building.  The section to the right is of stone.  His body was originally buried in a grave on the other side of the stone section.

Our guide lives at Kalaupapa — many of his family are buried there.

The tour over, we had a short flight back to Top Side and to our flight home.

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