Polihale heiau

[Curt Knight]

Some time ago a question was raised here about Polihale heiau. I have now
had the opportunity to visit there and I can give a brief report.

Polihale heiau is on Kauai, at the end of the road driving around the
island in a clockwise direction. It is at the northern end of Polihale
beach, the longest sand beach in all Hawaii. Just beyond the last day-use
shelter there is a prominent gully running down the pali. The rock there
has a browner appearance. Viewed from the beach, there is a prominent
depression in the talus slope running diagonally to the left from the
bottom of the gully downhill. About midway down the slope, the depression
in the talus slope splits in two. The heiau is between these two
branches, more or less where it is marked on the topo map. Its lowest
level is not far above the beach, but it is quite invisible in the thicket
of kiawe and other brush.

With a little perseverance and minor loss of blood it is possible to
penetrate the brush and find a trail of use that leads to where the stone
work can be seen. The heiau is a multi-terraced structure with three or
four levels and some evidence of a stairway. I was able to reach the
first terrace above beach level, but I went no further as I was wearing
only beach clothes and slippers and the brush was too thick. That terrace
is narrow and long, and is paved. It gave me the impression of not being
in too bad condition, and it wouldn't be an impossible job to clear the
brush away. It's certainly worth the trouble to visit if you
are ever at the beach there.

Curt Knight
Waipake, Kauai

[COLVIN]

Thanks for the report on Polihale heiau. The last time I saw it was 30
years ago, and it was overgrown then. Sounds like it hasn't changed
much......perhaps because it is so far off the beaten path.

In its time, it was very impressive.

kc

Curt Knight wrote in message ...