Aloha Trout Unlimited members
Happy Holidays and Have a Happy New Year!
I was on Kauai from December 2nd – 12th, 2022, staying up at our Kokee Cabin in Kauai.
This trip was to do some work on the cabin to extend the re-lining the fire place and installing a new hot water heater that serviced the kitchen and bath room. We had a new 2 inch water line installed on Camp Ten Road and I had to make sure the cabin hook-up to the new line was functioning. Once that was done it was time to get some hiking and trail clearing done.
When I was on the Berry Flat trail I ran into Mr. and Mrs. Hans Nielsen, tourists from Utah. They were new to Kauai and I invited them to hike with me to the Alakai Swamp the following day. They jumped at the chance with me acting as their local hiking guide.
We met up at the Kokee Lodge and traveled on Camp Ten Road to the Alakai Swamp Trail Head.
It was a 6 mile hike to accomplish what I wanted to get back in that area. The Nielsen’s loved it, seeing things they had not expected and hiking a trail not normally available to tourists.
Deane on the rim of Kalalau Valley Dec 2022
For them it was an adventure, and for me it was just another day spent in the Alakai photographing and looking for rear birds and endemic plants. No rain that day but HIGH winds all through the islands and Kauai was no exception. The winds at the Pali were hitting 60 mph and it was a “blustery” day.
I did get up to the nursery pool on the Kauaikinana Stream. I am glad to report our wild Hawaiian Rainbow trout population is doing just fine.
My next planned trip to Kokee, Kauai and our cabin will be January 13th – 22nd, 2023.
If any Trout Unlimited members want to come along, contact me via email @ [email protected].
Until next time-
Deane Gonzalez
Treasurer of Trout Unlimited chapter #403 Honolulu, Hawaii
