Life on the Plantation. Here comes the Rooster.
Although this is my 4th trip to Hawaii (over the last 30+ years), I have only been to Kauai. And I’m good with that. But there is one thing all visitors should know (and thanks to the internet, there is no reason not to). But first, let’s take a quick walk back through history.
Kauai is the oldest, northernmost, and fourth most prominent in the Archipelago. The island of Kauai is just half the size of Delaware. Nicknamed the “Garden Isle” for its magically lush appearance, Kauai is considered one of the rainiest places on earth. Over 460 inches of rainfall annually on this tiny pile of volcanic rock, making it prone to flooding many times throughout the year.
The reason for this high rainfall is that the northeasterly trade winds are forced to rise by Kauai’s mountainous profile. This ascent causes the air to cool. Because colder air can hold less moisture, clouds condense, and precipitation falls. And falls. And falls.
So, the windward side and high interior of Kauai are pretty wet. Despite summer and winter being differentiated as the dry vs. wet seasons, windward rainfall at middle to high elevations on Kauai is common throughout the year. Average rainfall increases rapidly up the northern and northeastern slopes of the island, which receive about 70 to 200 inches a year. And, again, the interior Waialeale heights are getting 400-plus inches.
But because the journey up and over Mount Waialeale wrings out the trade winds, the leeward flank of Kauai is much drier. Much of it gets less than 40 inches of rainfall per year. Less than 20 inches fall on the far west and southwest coastal strip. So this basic trade-wind pattern shakes out to the windward side of Kauai being cloudier and wetter and the leeward side sunnier and drier. Result: every dinosaur movie you can think of was filmed here.
Our timeshare building here has what I call ‘plantation-style’ HVAC. Because of the tropical climate, there is only one fixed (and partial at that) closed window in the entire building.
The rest are all glass shutter-like slats with window screens to keep out the no-see-ums. The result, when you factor in all of the screen doors, is phenomenal ventilation.
Even in the bathroom. Where such natural air is always welcome. Although the slats were frosted, I still kept them open during morning business meetings just to wave to the golfers out on the course.
It’s a great house to watch the storms come and go when safely tucked inside. You can stay dry and watch the world swirl around you.
Or even drag the deck chairs out on the fairway and enjoy the late afternoon sun.
Or watch the full moon rise over our humble little fortress of tropical solitude. And a five-planet solar system alignment with some of the darkest skies known.
The different jungle creates here are pretty cool. There is the auto insurance company icon (that was trying to sip the condensation off my beer glass).
Even some of our little sticky and icky friends (that only the French would think of eating).
And of the 87 birds native to the islands, it’s time to talk about the one that stands out. The proverbial elephant in the room. The King of Cocks. Yes. The famous Kauai rooster.
Now the first wave of wild chickens came ashore with the Polynesians over 1000 years ago. Then, in 1982 Hurricane Iwa battered Kauai severely. The winds destroyed most of the island’s coops and blew countless chickens out of farms, scattering them from coast to coast. Ten years later in 1992, massive Hurricane Iniki flung the fowl further.
The result? Currently, there are an estimated 450,000 feral and very wild chickens on the island. With a people population of only 73,000, that is a six-to-one ratio. Come to Kauai, you WILL see chickens. They are protected by law. You will start humming an old Alice in Chains song that suddenly has a whole new meaning.
Why so many roosters? Other than dogs, cats, and automobiles, they are free to propagate without hindrance. the birds enjoy life here with few predators. No snakes of size. But hurricanes have hit the other islands. They have chickens that got loose that didn’t take over. What is different about Hawaii?
Let’s call it the Great Mongoose Projet of 1883. The reason our vacation stay is in a plantation-style house is that….. Kauai was a major sugar cane grower for export since about the 1830s. Big money. That also explains why there are many people of mixed Hawaiian descent (Philippines, China, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia). The migrant labor needed to run the sugar plantations had to come from somewhere, commonly the West.
An army of mongooses was released into the wilds of the Hawaiian islands to control rats in the sugarcane fields (which found their way ashore from early sailing vessels). These Indian mongooses also fed on chicken eggs, which naturally meant fewer chickens. Kauai was apparently the last in line (being the farthest western island), and didn’t get their mongoose allotment before the island nation found out their furry pals from India were doing more damage than good.
So what is the final result of all this harmless free-range poultry wandering the lush Kauai countryside? You be the judge. Here is a quick video of one in the back of our cottage.
No biggie. I like the rural sound they make. And it seems like there are two of these guys for every hen. But we all know what roosters do. They sing in a brand new day. Cool. I like getting up at 6 am or so, even when on vacation. Nice time to take carefree sips of my coffee.
With the plantation window slats, it feels like I am sleeping outside in the wonderful lush tropical forest while nice and snug in a real bed. Outside living without being in a tent on the ground! Listening to every sound nature has to offer.
The first night I fall asleep after a long day of travel. Light warm rain and that wonderful soft sound of drops falling on tropical vegetation. And sure enough, I hear my little friend (from not very far away) cooing me awake with his morning revile. I check my watch. 3:20 AM. WTF?
OK. I know with any gene pool there are some Forrest Gumps out there. But really? Three hours before sunrise? Maybe a bad dream? Maybe the henwife sitting on too many eggs? Maybe he’s is just a dick? And after giving him the benefit of a doubt, this is what I get in full daylight. Up on his podium. Pointing at my bedroom window.
Of course, you get used to it. Especially when you get a dozen of them trying to outdo each other in a hundred-foot radius around the place you formerly have been trying to sleep. And if you are me, maybe stir in a little anger to balance out a peaceful tropical day. Especially when Nancy slows down for them on the road.
I don’t think they distract too much from the island and even add a little panache. I’m not the only one in this mindset, as I bought his wonderful souvenir shirt. Many have felt my pain, and many more who stay here will. But at the end of the day, I get to stay in a beautiful place for a week and have a wonderful story to tell/complain about.
So there you go. Some Kauai history. Wonderful pictures. And a hint of what it is to be on one of the more remote and rural and beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands.
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[…] Storms came and went quite frequently. But it never got cold. And humidity is a thing you learn to live with (like the roosters). […]