Kaneana Cave aka Makua Cave

Hawaiians have the best legends.  Over on the Waianae side, there was a beautiful young woman who had a love affair with a shape-shifting shark god.  Naturally,  a child resulted.  Nanaue was a lovely, charming boy and his mother loved him greatly. 

Unfortunately, he had a birth defect.  On his back between his shoulder blades was a gaping shark's mouth, complete with rows of jagged teeth.

Fearing for her son, the young mother hid this deformity from everyone and fed her son nothing but taro, fruit, and vegetables.  Her hope was that he would never develop a taste for meat. 

One day, she left her son in the care of her brother.  Her brother, not understanding the reason for the diet restrictions, fed the young boy some poi and pork.  This first taste of meat created a craving within the boy.  And then slowly, one by one, villagers began disappearing.

The mother discovered her son had been snacking on the locals.  She knew it is just a matter of time before the villagers figured it out and killed him.

She took him up far up the coast and hid him in a cave.  There he lived out the rest of his life, denying his carnivorous urges.  When the craving becomes too strong, Nanaue goes into the ocean, finds someone who is swimming alone, drags him back to the cave and eats him.

As with many legends, there are variations to this story.  The cave's official name is Kaneana Cave, meaning Cave of Man, although some people call it Makua Cave which means Parent Cave.  To this day, the Kaneana Cave is still considered a holy site.  Visitors are known leave offerings (food, leis, or salt) on the alter near the center of the room.

The main cave only goes back about 100ft.  The left split narrows to a small passage.  If one were to crawl on one's belly, it is suppose to open up into another room and continue for another 250ft. (None of us were adventurous enough to find out.)  The right split dead-ends in this little nook.

Estimated to be 150,000 years old, Kaneana was formed from volcanic rock and carved out by the ocean.  If one looks closely, one can see large veins of obsidian glimmering on the side of the cave.

Conquering Koko Crater

Koko Crater.

From the moment I saw it on the far southeast side of Oahu, I knew I had to climb it--but it wasn't going to be an easy climb.  Jutting 1,208 ft into the air, this ancient cinder cone was used by the military as a defensive bunker in WWII.


To get the supplies up there, US Army built a railroad that ran along the southwest side.  Today, those tracks are used as hiking trail to the top.

 
At first the trail of 1,048 steps isn't too bad.  It's at a steep angle, but totally do-able.  And as long as you don't look too far ahead, you can keep that positive I-can-do-it! attitude pushing you forward.

One section spans a short trestle bridge that goes over a ravine.  There were no handrails and some of the ties are hollowed out by decay.  It made for an interesting crossing.

Someone said there was a side trail for people who were afraid of heights.

Unfortunately, I saw a couple of octogenarians cross it.  Deep breath.  If they can do it, I can do it.  On trembly legs, I crossed the bridge.

 

 After we ascended the final third of the 1,048-step trail with its near-vertical climb, we were rewarded with cool breezes and spectacular views.

Directly below us were two small crater depressions, then the world-famous Hanauma Bay.  In the distance is Koko Head which is a measly 642 ft. elevation.  Koko Head is a tuff cone.  Tuff is made up from sand and silt, and has the consistency of flour.

 

Koko Crater was a circular cinder cone.  It is made up of pumice and pyroclastics.  From up here, it is easy to imagine this once was a bubbling caldron.

A botanical garden now resides inside Koko Crater.
 



 

Gears that once pulled the train up the crater's side.






  

 

 To the left:  A remarkably beautiful cactus.

To the right:  Art or Graffiti?


 

Standing on top of the old gear shed, I am  hot, sweaty, and victorious!  Nothing beats the sense of accomplishment this hike gives you.