Waikamoi Forest with Tree. August 1, 2004

All Around Maui: Waikamoi Forest with Tree. August 1, 2004

Before the forest begins

We have to walk through pasture land for far too long before the interesting native forest begins. Fortunately, there is a gulch to pass through, which has some interesting ferns.

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Some lucky person has a house here, up above the end of the public part of Olinda road.

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Tree deftly navigates the first gate.

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A baby ‘ama‘u fern (Sadleria cyatheoides). This is one of the tree ferns, and one of my favorite ferns because of the intense red color in the new fronds.

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Closeup of the ‘ama‘u

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The large eucalyptus tree at the top of this cliff is losing its support base to erosion. It's going to come crashing down any minute.

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New fern growing out of a mossy wall

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This small fern is common on damp and dark walls.

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A fine moss completely covers the left side of this rock wall.

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Just a nice ‘ama‘u fern

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and detail of the nice ‘ama‘u fern

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Young frond of ‘ama‘u is just on its way out of the red, juvenile stage.

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Young frond of ‘ama‘u is just on its way out of the red, juvenile stage.

The native trees start about here on the hike.

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Large ‘ōhi‘a tree rises above the road.

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This alien ginger is very common along the roadside.

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Alien ginger in an attractive arrangement with native hāpu‘u ferns and ‘ōhi‘a trees.

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Garden of club moss and ferns

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Beginning here we are (gently) hiking on land owned by East Maui Irrigation.

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This is one of the only points on the hike from which you can see the coast and the ocean.

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This looks like a worm, but this is actually Ramphotyphlops braminus, the only snake in Hawai‘ian islands. It is not native.

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Tree and the tree fern, hāpu‘u

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Tree insisted that I take a picture of him with these dead fern pieces he found. He said they were cool, and how could I disagree?

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East Maui Irrigation operates these two large reservoirs and a dam in this forest, along the Waikamoi Stream.

The incredible ‘ape‘ape, Gunnera petaloidea

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The incredible ‘ape‘ape plant, Gunnera petaloidea, grows only in extremely wet soils. The ground is spongy near the base of these plants. This location receives 200 inches per year of rain.

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The leaves on some specimens are a lot larger than these.

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The plant's seeds grow in these large bunches.

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Detail of ‘ape‘ape seeds

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The base of an ‘ape‘ape plant

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The ‘ape‘ape plant apparently sends out aerial roots.

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Another photo of the base of some ‘ape‘ape plants.

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This very tiny new leaf has sprouted from one of the aerial roots. This leaf is about the size of your smallest fingernail.

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This still-folded leaf is the size of a child's fist.

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A fern growing at the site

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Christmas-Tree Club Moss, wāwae‘iole, Lycopodiella cernua. The Hawai‘ian word means "rat's foot".

Waikamoi Stream

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After the peaceful walk of two hours through the forest, you come to this scene that must be seen in the large to be appreciated. Beyond the foreground ‘ōhi‘a trees, a canyon of maybe 100 feet down and 100 feet across presents itself. This is the Waikamoi stream. The stream is nearly dry on this visit, but the canyon is truly an awesome sight.

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Across the lower of two dams, you find this very serious gate, which is the entrance to the spectacular Waikamoi Flume. I hiked this flume two years ago one a day when the gate happened to be open, and I didn't even notice that there was a gate. My photo album from March 7, 2002 shows what's beyond this gate.