Kauai - Kauai Hawaii

For the Childish Gambino EP see STN MTN / Kauai

KauaÊ»i or Kauai (/kÉ™.ˈwaɪ.iː/; HawaiÊ»ian: [kɐˈwɐÊ"i]) is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km²), it is the fourth largest of these islands and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle", KauaÊ»i lies 105 miles (169 km) across the KauaÊ»i Channel, northwest of OÊ»ahu. This island is the site of Waimea Canyon State Park.

The United States Census Bureau defines Kauaʻi as census tracts 401 through 409 of Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, which comprises all of the county except for the islands of Kaʻula, Lehua and Niʻihau. The 2010 United States Census population of the island was 67,091. The most populous town was Kapaʻa.

Etymology and language

Hawaiian narrative locates the name's origin in the legend of Hawaiʻiloa, the Polynesian navigator credited with discovery of the Hawaiʻian Islands. The story relates how he named the island of Kauaʻi after a favorite son; a possible translation of Kauaʻi is "place around the neck", describing how a father would carry a favorite child. Another possible translation is "food season".

Kauaʻi was known for its distinct dialect of the Hawaiian language; this survives on Niʻihau. While the standard language today adopts the dialect of Hawaiʻi island, which has the sound [k], the Kauaʻi dialect was known for pronouncing this as [t]. In effect, Kauaʻi dialect retained the old pan-Polynesian /t/, while "standard" Hawaiʻi dialect has changed it to the [k]. Therefore, the native name for Kauaʻi was said as Tauaʻi, and the major settlement of Kapaʻa would have been pronounced as Tapaʻa.

Geography

Kauaʻi's origins are volcanic, the island having been formed by the passage of the Pacific Plate over the Hawaii hotspot. At approximately six million years old, it is the oldest of the main islands. The highest peak on this mountainous island is Kawaikini at 5,243 feet (1,598 m).

The second highest peak is Mount Waiʻaleʻale (the wettest place on Earth other than the ocean) near the center of the island, 5,148 feet (1,569 m) above sea level. One of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 1,170 centimetres (460 inches), is located on the east side of Mount Waiʻaleʻale. The high annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountains, carving out canyons with many scenic waterfalls. On the west side of the island, Waimea town is located at the mouth of the Waimea River, whose flow formed Waimea Canyon, one of the world's most scenic canyons, which is part of Waimea Canyon State Park. At 3,000 feet (914 m) deep, Waimea Canyon is often referred to as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Kokeo Point lies on the south side of the island. The Na Pali Coast is a center for recreation in a wild setting, including kayaking past the beaches, or hiking on the trail along the coastal cliffs. The headland, Kuahonu Point, is on the south-east of the island.

Climate

KauaÊ»i’s climate is generally mild and humid, although localized weather phenomena and infrequent storms have caused instances of extreme weather. At the lower elevations the annual precipitation varies from an average of about 50 inches on the windward (northeastern) shore, to less than 20 inches on the (southwestern) leeward side of the island. Average temperature ranges from 71 °F (22 °C) in February and March to 79 °F (26 °C) in August and September. KauaÊ»i’s mountainous regions offer cooler temperatures and provide a pleasant contrast to warmer coastal areas. At the KōkeÊ»e state park, 3,200â€"4,200 feet (980â€"1,280 metres) ASL, day temperatures vary from an average of 45 °F (7 °C) in January to 68 °F (20 °C) in July. In the winter temperatures have been known to drop down to the 30s and 40s at KōkeÊ»e state park, which holds an unofficial record low of 29 °F (âˆ'2 °C) recorded in February 1986 at Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow.< /p>

Precipitation in KauaÊ»i's mountainous regions averages 50â€"100 inches (1,300â€"2,500 millimetres) annually. Situated about 10 miles (16 kilometres) southeast of KōkeÊ»e state park at an elevation of 5,075 feet (1,547 metres), is the Mt. WaiÊ»aleÊ»ale rain gauge. Mt. WaiÊ»aleÊ»ale is often cited in literature as being the wettest spot on earth, although this has been disputed. Based on data for the period from 1931 through 1960 the average yearly precipitation was 460 inches (12,000 millimetres) (U.S. Environmental Science Services Administration, 1968). Between 1949 and 2004 the average yearly precipitation at Mt. WaiÊ»aleÊ»ale was 374 inches (9,500 millimetres)

Not only does KauaÊ»i hold a record in average yearly precipitation, it also holds a record in hourly precipitation. During a storm on January 24â€"25, 1956, a rain gauge at KauaÊ»i’s former Kilauea Sugar Plantation recorded a record 12 inches (300 millimetres) of precipitation in just 60 minutes. The 12-inch (300-millimetre) value for one hour is an underestimate, since the rain gauge overflowed, which may have resulted in an error by as much as an inch. An accurate measurement may have exceeded Holt, Missouri's world record 60-minute rainfall of 12 inches in 42 minutes on June 22, 1947.

History

In 1778, Captain James Cook arrived at Waimea Bay, the first European known to have reached the Hawaiʻian islands. He named the archipelago after his patron the 6th Earl of Sandwich, George Montagu.

During the reign of King Kamehameha, the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau were the last Hawaiʻian Islands to join his Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Their ruler, Kaumualiʻi, resisted Kamehameha for years. King Kamehameha twice prepared a huge armada of ships and canoes to take the islands by force, and twice failed; once due to a storm, and once due to an epidemic. In the face of the threat of a further invasion, however, Kaumualiʻi decided to join the kingdom without bloodshed, and became Kamehameha's vassal in 1810. He ceded the island to the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi upon his death in 1824.

In 1815â€"17, KaumualiÊ»i led secret negotiations with representatives of the Russian-American Company in an attempt to gain Russia's military support against Kamehameha. After it was revealed that they did not have the support of Tsar Alexander I; however, the negotiations folded, and the Russians were forced to abandon all of their sites on KauaÊ»i, including Fort Elizabeth.

In 1835, Old Koloa Town opened a sugar mill. From 1906 to 1934 the office of County Clerk was held by John Mahiʻai Kāneakua, who had been active in attempts to restore Queen Liliuokalani to the throne after the United States takeover of Hawaiʻi in 1893.

Economy

Tourism is Kauaʻi's largest industry. In 2007, 1,271,000 people visited Kauaʻi. The two largest groups were from the continental United States (84% of all visitors) and Japan (3%). As of 2003, there were a total of approximately 27,000 jobs on Kauaʻi, of which the largest sector was accommodation/food services (26%, 6,800 jobs) followed by government (15%) and retail (14.5%), with agriculture accounting for 2.9% (780 jobs) and educational services providing 0.7% (183 jobs). In terms of income, the various sectors that constitute the visitors' industry accounted for one third of Kauaʻi's income. Employment is dominated by small businesses, with 87% of all non-farm businesses having fewer than 20 employees. As of 2003, Kauaʻi's unemployment rate was 3.9%, compared to 3.0% for the entire state and 5.7% for the United States as a whole. Kauaʻi's poverty rate was 10.5%, compared to the contiguous 48 sta tes at 10.7%.

As of mid-2004, the median price of a single-family home was $528,000, a 40% increase over 2003. As of 2003, Kauaʻi's percentage of home ownership, 48%, was significantly lower than the State's 64%, and vacation homes were a far larger part of the housing stock than the Statewide percentage (Kauaʻi 15%, State 5%). The housing prices decreased significantly in 2008. As of Spring 2014 the median price had risen to about $400,000.

From the 1830s through the mid-20th century, sugarcane plantations were Kauaʻi's most important industry. In 1835 the first sugarcane plantation was founded on Kauaʻi, and for the next century the industry would dominate the economy of Hawaiʻi. Most of that land is now used for ranching. Kauaʻi's sole remaining sugar operation, the 118-year-old Gay & Robinson Plantation, plans to convert its operation to cultivating and processing sugarcane ethanol.

Land in Kauaʻi is very fertile; farmers raise many varieties of fruit and other crops. Guava, coffee, sugarcane, mango, banana, papaya, avocado, star fruit, kava, noni and pineapple are all cultivated on the island.

Island facts

Hawaii Standard Time is observed on Kauaʻi year-round. When most states are on daylight saving time, for example, the time on Kauaʻi is three hours behind the West Coast of the United States and six hours behind the East Coast.

The city of Līhuʻe, on the island's southeast coast, is the seat of Kauaʻi County and the second largest city on the island. Kapaʻa, on the "Coconut Coast" (site of an old coconut plantation) about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Līhuʻe, has a population of nearly 10,000, or about 50% greater than Līhuʻe. Princeville, on the island's north side, was once the capital of Kauaʻi.

Kauaʻi is home to thousands of wild chickens, or moa in Hawaiian, who have few natural predators, as the mongoose was never introduced in Kauaʻi as it has been on other Hawaiian islands. Kauaʻi's chickens originated from the original Polynesian settlers, who brought them as a food source. They have since bred with European chickens that have gotten free from farms and cockfighting breeders.

Kauaʻi is home to the U.S. Navy's "Barking Sands" Pacific Missile Range Facility, on the sunny and dry western shore.

HF ("shortwave") radio station WWVH, sister station to WWV and WWVB in Fort Collins, Colorado, is located on the west coast of Kauaʻi about 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south of Barking Sands. WWVH, WWV and WWVB are operated by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, broadcasting standard time and frequency information to the public.

The Kauaʻi Heritage Center of Hawaiʻian Culture and the Arts was founded in 1998. Their mission is to nurture a greater sense of appreciation and respect for the Hawaiʻian culture. They offer classes in Hawaiʻian language, hula, lei and cordage making, the lunar calendar and chanting, plus trips to cultural sites.

Kaua'i is home to many shave ice shops, a tradition in the islands. It is customary to leave the shop before you start to eat your shave ice, as not to drip on the floor. Typically, a scoop of ice cream - either macadamia nut or vanilla - is put at the bottom of the shave ice, something locals swear by. Sweetened condensed milk and li hing mui powder are both popular toppings.

Important towns and cities

Cities and towns on Kauaʻi range in population from the roughly 9,500 people in Kapaʻa to tiny hamlets. The list below lists the larger or more notable of those from the northernmost end of Hawaii Route 560 to the western terminus of Hawaii Route 50

• HaÊ»ena State Park
• Wainiha
• Hanalei
• Princeville
• Kalihiwai
• Kilauea
• Anahola
• KapaÊ»a (largest town by population on KauaÊ»i)
• Wailua
• Hanamāʻulu
• LÄ«huÊ»e (second-largest by population)
• PoÊ»ipÅ«
• Kōloa
• LāwaÊ»i
• Kalāheo
• Ê»EleÊ»ele
• HanapÄ"pe
• Kaumakani
• Waimea
• Kekaha

Transportation

Air

Located on the eastern end of the island, Lihue Airport is the aviation gateway to Kauaʻi. Līhuʻe Airport has direct routes to Honolulu, Kahului/Maui, the United States mainland, and Vancouver, Canada.

Highways

Several state highways serve Kauaʻi County:

• Hawaii Route 50, also known as KaumualiÊ»i Highway, is a thirty-three mile Roma" that stretches from Hawaii Route 56 at the junction of Rice Street in LÄ«huÊ»e to a point approximately 1/5 mile north of the northernmost entrance of the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the far western shore.
• Hawaii Route 58 stretches two miles (3.2 kilometres) from Route 50 in LÄ«huÊ»e to the junction of Wapaa Road with Hawaii 51 near Nawiliwili Harbor on KauaÊ»i.
• Hawaii Route 56, also known as Kuhio Highway, runs 28 miles (45 kilometres) from Hawaii Route 50 at the junction of Rice Street in LÄ«huÊ»e to the junction of HawaiÊ»i Route 560 in Princeville.
• Hawaii Route 560 passes ten miles (16 kilometres) from the junction of Route 56 in Princeville and dead ends at KeÊ»e Beach in HaÊ»ena State Park.

Other major highways that link other parts of the Island to the main highways of Kauaʻi are:

• Hawaii Route 55 covers 7.6 miles (12.2 km) from the junction of Route 50 in Kekaha to meet with Hawaii Route 550 south of KokeÊ»e State Park in the Waimea Canyon.
• Hawaii Route 550 spans 15 miles (24 km) from Route 50 in Waimea to KōkeÊ»e State Park.
• Hawaii Route 540 goes four miles (6.4 kilometres) from Route 50 in Kalaheo to Route 50 in EleÊ»ele. The road is mainly an access to residential areas and KauaÊ»i Coffee.
• Hawaii Route 530, also called Kōloa Road, stretches 3.4 miles (5.5 km) from Route 50 between Kalaheo and Lawai to Route 520 in Koloa. The road is mainly an alternative to Route 520 for travel from the west side to PoÊ»ipÅ«.
• Hawaii Route 520 runs five miles (8.0 kilometres) from the "Tunnel of Trees" at Route 50 to PoÊ»ipÅ« on the south shore.
• Hawaii Route 570 covers one mile (1.6 kilometres) from Route 56 in LÄ«huÊ»e to LÄ«huÊ»e Airport.
• Hawaii Route 580 spans five miles (8.0 kilometres) from Route 56 in Wailua to where the road is no longer serviced just south of the Wailua Reservoir.
• Hawaii Route 581 passes five miles (8.0 kilometres) from Route 580 in the Wailua Homesteads to a roundabout just west of KapaÊ»a Town.
• Hawaii Route 583, also known as Maalo Road, stretches 3.9 miles (6.3 km) from Route 56 just north of LÄ«huÊ»e to dead-end at Wailua Falls Overlook in the interior.

Hawaii Scenic Byway

• Holo Holo Koloa Scenic Byway, this state designated scenic byway runs over 19 miles (31 kilometres) and connects many of KauaÊ»i's most historical and cultural sights such as the Maluhia Road (Tree Tunnel), Puhi (Spouting Horn), The National Tropical Botanical Gardens, and the Salt Beds.

Mass transit

The Kauaʻi Bus is the public transportation service of the County of Kauaʻi.

Places of interest

• Alakai Wilderness Area
• Allerton Garden
• Bell stone
• Camp Naue YMCA
• Fern Grotto
• HaÊ»ena State Park
• Hanalei Bay
• HoÊ»opiÊ»i Falls
• HonopÅ« Valley
• KōkeÊ»e State Park
• Limahuli Garden and Preserve
• Makaleha Mountains
• Makauwahi Cave Reserve
• McBryde Garden
• Moir Gardens
• Moloaa Bay
• Na 'Aina Kai Botanical Gardens
• Nā Pali Coast State Park
• 'Opaeka'a Falls
• Pao'a Point
• Poipu Beach Park
• Polihale State Park
• Queen's Bath
• Sleeping Giant (Nounou Mountain)
• Spouting Horn
• Wailua River
• Waimea Canyon State Park

In films

The island of Kauaʻi has been featured in more than seventy Hollywood movies and television shows, including the musical South Pacific and Disney's 2002 animated feature film and television series Lilo & Stitch, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, Stitch! The Movie, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, and Leroy & Stitch. Scenes from South Pacific were filmed in the vicinity of Hanalei. Waimea Canyon was used in the filming of the 1993 film Jurassic Park. Parts of the island were also used for the opening scenes of the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Other movies filmed here include Six Days Seven Nights, the 1976 version King Kong and John Ford's 1963 film Donovan's Reef. Recent films include Tropic Thunder and a biopic of Bethany Hamilton titled Soul Surfer. A scene in the opening credits of popular TV show M*A*S*H was filmed in Kauaʻi (helicopter flying over mountain top). Some scenes from Just Go with It and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides were also filmed in Kauaʻi. A Perfect Getaway is set in Kauaʻi.

Parts of the 2002 film Dragonfly were filmed there (although the people and the land were presented as South American) and the producers hired extras (at least three with speaking parts) from the ancient Hawaiʻian native population, which seeks to preserve its cultural heritage, including the pre-USA name of these two islands, Atooi or Tauaʻi.

Major acts of two Elvis Presley films, 1962's Blue Hawaii and 1966's Paradise, Hawaiian Style, were filmed at various locations on Kauaʻi. Both films boast scenes shot at the famous Coco Palms resort. Hurricane Iniki destroyed the Coco Palms and it was subsequently never rebuilt. However, Paradise Hawaiian Style in particular, showcases the resort at its peak for posterity's sake. Coco Palms resort is now in the process of being torn down and rebuilt.

The Descendants, a film by Alexander Payne released in November 2011 and featuring George Clooney as lead actor, has major parts shot in Kauaʻi, where the main character and his cousins own ancestral lands which they are considering selling. The film is based on the 2007 novel by the Hawaiʻian writer Kaui Hart Hemmings.

Cultural references

Comedian Marc Maron does a routine on his vacation to Kauaʻi in the Netflix show "Marc Maron: Thinky Pain".

Rapper Donald Glover released a mixtape/extended play entitled "STN MTN / Kauai" on October 2, 2014 which features a song titled "Late Nights In Kauai" featuring Jaden Smith .