Not many people know about paddling the Huleia Stream. But that is exactly what I did. Luckily, I talked to some locals in the know, who pointed me towards this hidden gem. In fact, Chris, the general manager of the Kauai Inn, brought me his kayak just so I could go check it out. I really appreciated his enabling, even though it turned out to be a tiny kayak that blew around in the wind like a paper plate. An inexperienced paddler would have turned around immediately, but not me.... up the river I went.
And it was so worth it. I was slightly worried since I was getting blown up the river at a pretty good rate. There wasn't much current flowing down at all, which meant I would have to fight the wind on the way back. But the surrounding mountains were stunning. Mangrove trees lined the river banks. As soon as I turned the first corner of the river, I felt like I had gone back in time. It was almost as if I was the only person on the island, exploring it for the first time. I did have a bit of deja vu as I paddled, because I went right through the scenes of famous movies that were filmed here; Jurassic Park, Jumanji, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, to name a few.
I made it all the way past the huge Menehune Fish Pond, but then had to turn back due to time. I would love to paddle farther up and see just have far I could make it. I'll take an adult sized kayak next time!
Another must do on the island of Kauai.
As always, keep traveling and keep posting!
-Dai Mar
