Hanakapiai
Encyclopedia
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
in the Hawaiian islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
located on Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
's Nāpali Coast
Na Pali Coast State Park
Nā Pali Coast State Park encompasses of land and is located in the center of the rugged along the northwest side of Kauai, the oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest starting at Kee Beach extending all the way to Polihale State Park. The pali rise as high as...
. The beach is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from the start of the Kalalau Trail
Kalalau Trail
The Kalalau Trail is a trail along the Nā Pali Coast of the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. The trail is very strenuous and runs approximately along the island's north shore from Kee Beach to the Kalalau Valley...
, a very popular hiking trail which is located at Kee Beach. During summer months, Hanakāpīai Beach's sandy shore line is clearly visible; during winter months, dangerously powerful waves and high tides wash away the sandy shore line. The beach is remotely located with no road access. The word Hanakāpīai literally means "bay sprinkling food" in Hawaiian
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
.
Hanakāpīai Beach is a popular tourist attraction; however, like many beaches on the Nā Pali Coast, strong rip current
Rip current
A rip current, commonly referred to by the misnomer rip tide, is a strong channel of water flowing seaward from near the shore, typically through the surf line. Typical flow is at 0.5 metres per second , and can be as fast as 2.5 metres per second...
s, as well as high surf, dangerous shore breaks and other hazardous ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
conditions make Hanakāpīai Beach extremely dangerous. The Nā Pali Coast is especially treacherous because there are no major reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s to hinder potent ocean currents.
Kauai's geography makes Hanakāpīai conditions even more hazardous; in the event that one gets caught in a rip current (or otherwise swept out to sea) the nearest safe shore area is approximately six miles away. There have been confirmed cases of hikers being swept away by large waves while simply wading in the water to relax themselves after the arduous two-mile hike. The currents in the region are so powerful that the bodies of at least 15 drowning victims have yet to be recovered. According to a sign posted on the beach, as of December 2008 at least 83 people have drowned at Hanakāpīai.