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There are
many reasons why the
South
Point-Ka Lae area is so
special. Ka Lae (“The Point”) is
believed to be the first place the
seafaring Polynesians made landfall as
early as 400 A.D. (some say 800 A.D.)
The entire southern tip of the Big
Island is a national historical
landmark, with the ruins of
heiau
(temples), fishing shrines and other
cultural vestiges. To get there, turn
onto South Point Road, a 12-mile narrow
drive through open ranch land, and head
towards the sea. You’ll pass by a field
of giant white windmills generating
electricity. Pull over and listen to the
surreal whooshing sounds.
Ka Lae is the southernmost spot in the
United States, with nothing but deep
blue ocean between it and Antarctica.
Offshore, the strong currents and
powerful winds are notorious, and
mariners beginning with the first
Polynesians to today’s residents, have
devised clever ways of plying the rich
fishing grounds without being swept
away. Today, shoreline fishermen use toy
boats or garbage bags to haul their
lines into deep water. There are also
large metal
boat
hoists and ladders, a quicker
way for locals to launch small
watercraft. The actual Ka Lae is a short
walk away in front of the
black-and-white light beacon, where
there are no cliffs. There is also a
small
heiau.
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