Iliau - Walk There Again

We're going to continue with our Walk There Again Wednesdays by sharing yet another Kauai walk, of which there were several.  For those who are curious as to why we waited to share them until we returned - there are a several reasons.  One is so we can relive things like this after our return to colder climes. Another is because we didn't want to advertise too much that we were away from the farm.  And last is the fact that Rob was trying to give himself a blogging break as part of the overall break the two of us were taking - that's why he shared his favorite 2022 blogs with you during that time.

We took a number of shorter walks early in our trip that probably added up to a fair number of steps for the day, but the one that qualifies most as a "walk there again" post would be the Iliau Nature Loop Trail in the Waimea Canyon State Park.  The loop is named for the native plant, Iliau, that is shown above.  These plants take as much as seven years before they bloom, and once they do, the plant dies.  We saw none actively blooming on the walk (they typically bloom later in the year - May, June or July), but we did see a few dead stalks that were clearly Iliau that had displayed their blooms and perished after.

Tammy and I have this thing for finding waterfalls.  I don't know where this infatuation came from, but we love to pick out evidence of distant water features. So, needless to say, we were pretty happy to find a significant waterfall straight ahead as we entered Iliau.  

This waterfall is the Wai`alae Falls and we actually talked about in a blog about a week ago.  So, you can go there and learn more about it!

We are both very happy to look at the Waimea Canyon for as long as anyone will let us.  So, our walk was interrupted many times while we just stood and stared - a bit awestruck - by the views. It's not good for loosening up the leg muscles or getting some cardio exercise in, but it's good for the soul.

The last time we visited Iliau, it was very cloudy and there was plenty of rain.  We could not consistently see the canyon, so it was easier to just do the walking.  That's probably why, on this day, we stopped TWICE at Iliau and walked the loop each time.  Once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  It's pretty amazing how different the colors look in different lighting.

Based on our observations, the majority of people don't even take the walk.  They go to the entrance, take a few pictures, and then leave.  The rest will typically take a walk around the loop and stop at the overlook points and take their pictures.  Then, there are people like the two of us.  We appreciate the canyon views.  We appreciate the walk.  And, we appreciate the native plants and occasional wildlife we can observe.

There are also the rugged hikers that use Iliau as an entrance to the Kukui Trail, that will lead all the way down the canyon to the Waimea River.  We both might have wanted to count ourselves among them - but repaired Achilles tendons say "no, not this time." Maybe there will be a next time when we can?  I suspect we will need to dedicate ourselves to some rehab and conditioning if want that to happen.

The Koa trees on the island can be found in all sizes.  The wood was once used to make wa'a (outrigger canoes) and these trees are among the largest on the islands with some reaching over 100 feet in height.

We found the trail was littered with Koa seedpods and I am now wondering why I did not take a picture of some of them.  Then I remembered I had taken a picture of them, but they are with the files for another walk. The leaves are rigid and shaped a bit like a sickle.  

In the native language, koa could be translated to "brave, bold and fearless."  After seeing some of the larger koa trees on our Kauai walks, we understand a bit better what "koa" might mean without having to translate the word into English.

A koa is a bold and self-assured tree.  It isn't too worried that it grow a certain way to please others.  It grows as it needs to or as it wants to.  

I have to admit that, at this point, I am still trying to make a space in my brain that readily matches the plants on Kauai with the names.  I don't have the same pattern recognition that I have for oak, maple and spruce.  But, I will happily continue to work on it - and I at least feel like I've got Koa figured out.  Sometimes it's about small victories.

If you look to the right of the picture above, there is an old flower stalk from an iliau and at its base there is a smaller, younger iliau.  But, if you look carefully, you can find many types of plants on this plateau.  There are a number of small signs on the trail that introduce you to the plants.  But, we're not always sure if the sign has kept up with the movement nature sometimes causes to happen with plants dying and new ones germinating from seed.

Usually you can see what the sign describes, but sometimes we left feeling uncertain.

Our work with pollinators on our own farm has resulted in heightened awareness when they show up elsewhere.  So, of course, when this wasp buzzed by and landed on this particular plant, I couldn't help but ask if it would let me take a picture.  

In this case, the wasp did not seem to care either way.  "You can take my picture if you must - but I sure won't work to make it any easier for you."  

And it turned its back on me.  

I still took a picture.

Every once in a while there was a little blue butterfly that zipped around, just like the Blue Azures we have on our farm.  These butterflies are endemic to the island and are referred to as Blackburn's Blue, Hawaiian Blue or Koa Butterfly.

I tried to get them to land for me on and off and it wasn't until late in the second walk that one seemed willing to have me take a picture. It actually sat patiently while I fumbled around to get the lens cap off and camera turned on.  How very kind!

Lichens and moss are, oddly enough, something I like to check out and take pictures of when it seems like I can frame it reasonably well.  Now, ask me how often that happens...    Let's just say, not often.

Lichen often have, in my opinion, interesting shapes and colors.  The fact that they play an important role in our ecosystems is an added bonus.  

"Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms, a fungus and an alga. The dominant partner is the fungus, which gives the lichen the majority of its characteristics, from its thallus shape to its fruiting bodies. The alga can be either a green alga or a blue-green alga, otherwise known as cyanobacteria. Many lichens will have both types of algae." quoted from US Forest Service site 12/23/22

One of the many services lichen performs is that they clean our air of particulates.  They also provide materials for birds to make their nests.  They provide food and habitat for other species.  

All in all, I think they're pretty cool.

There were some different grasses on the Iliau Nature Loop as well.  There were several stands of Kawelu.  I admit that I was not initially certain of the identification until our second walk.  Then, things started to solidify a bit more.  

Repetitions and learning can be your friend!

The Iliau Nature Loop might be one of the best short walks we've taken on Kauai.  It's got incredible views and plenty to look at as you walk on the trails.  It even got Tammy to take extra effort in the farmer selfie we participated in at the end of our second Iliau walk for the day.

Perhaps the best thing I took away from the walk was increased appreciation for the broad range of plants that are native or endemic to Kauai.  The environment here is so diverse, it only makes sense that the plant life would follow suit.  If you are interested in learning more about native Hawaiian plants, I found this photography site to be very interesting and useful.

Thanks for reading.  I hope you have a chance in the not too distant future to appreciate some of the plant diversity wherever you happen to be.  Appreciation leads to greater care for our world and the flora and fauna around us.

Have a good day everyone!