Story by Marie Stuart
Feature photo by Sandy, other photos as noted
January 19, 2025
Just another day in paradise! I am constantly reminded how fortunate I am to live on Oʻahu. Today was one of those days! It started with an hour and half drive from Hawaii Kai to Lāʻie taking the scenic route along Kalanianaʻole and Kamehameha Hwys. The lush green Koʻolau Mountains on my left and the mesmerizing Pacific Ocean on my right, where surfers and beachgoers were already enjoying the warm waters, made the trip more pleasant.
I arrived at Mālaekahana State Recreation Area around 10am to find other kayakers unloading their gear and heading to the beach area. Stan, the leader, gave a short safety talk, along with some encouraging words, before we launched. There was a small group this time, only 6 kayakers, but it was a fun group! Stan was the lead, while Sandy, Katherine, Debbie, and I followed, and Bill was the sweep. After a short, invigorating, half mile paddle we reached the island. It was a bit rough, for me, with the winds and waves crashing into the boats. But I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had such a great team to go with!
We landed on the western shore of Mokuʻauia and pulled our kayaks onto the beach. After a brief rest, we took a tour of the island. According to Hawaiian legends, Mokuʻauia, which also includes the 4 other islands in the Lāʻie area, was formed when the demigods, Niheu and Kana, killed a giant lizard and threw the pieces into the ocean. It got its English name, Goat Island, because goats once, briefly grazed there when early European explores brought them here in the 18th century.
Mokuʻauia is now a protected bird sanctuary for shearwaters and other burrowing seabirds. Today, we saw 9 Laysan Albatrosses in the vicinity, sitting out in the open or taking flight. It was magical being able to see these amazing birds in the wild! This is my 2nd trip to the island, and things were a bit different. That time we saw a curlew! It is a small island, which holds many hidden treasures that will take more visits to find.
Stan led the tour around the island. He is somewhat of a geologist, as well as an historian! He was explaining how the sand dunes and coastline on the island formed. It was all very interesting! Several of us started picking up bits of trash as we went around the island. Stan, ever ready, had a large trash bag in his kayak for us to use so we did not have to carry it back in ours!
After snacks, it was time to head back. We had been on the island for almost one an a half hours, but no one was ready to leave the beauty and peace of Mokuʻauia! The paddle back seemed faster as the wind was at our backs and the waves were helping to push us to shore. A sea turtle surfaced briefly, but was gone before I could call out to the others.
This was a great kayaking adventure, filled with camaraderie and memorable moments! I even got my kayak seat fixed, thanks to Stan and Bill. What more could a girl ask for!!