The Island of Kauai, the Garden Isle
Area: 558 sq mi Land: 549.4 sq mi Inland water: 8.8 sq mi Shoreline: 90 mi Tidal shoreline: 110 mi
Plant: Mokihana
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There is currently no known meaning behind the name of Kaua‘i. Native Hawaiian tradition says that the name came from the legend of Hawai‘iloa, who was the Polynesian navigator credited with discovering the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates how he named the island of Kaua‘i after a son. [Fornander. Polynesian Race 1: 188-209; Col. 4: 370-373, 404-407]
The fourth largest of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands at around 5 to 6. million years. It lies 105 miles across the Kauai Channel.
Sometimes the wettest spot on Earth, Kauai can has an annual average rainfall of 460 inches. The high annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountains.
Summits Kawaikini 5,243 ft Kalalau lookout 4,120 ft Wai’ale’ale 5,148 ft Ha’upu 2,297 ft Namolokama 4,421 ft Nounou 1,241 ft
Waimea Canyon, at over 2500 feet deep, is Hawaii's largest valley. [Ronck’s Hawaiian Annual [ 19…]] |
