Blown away by the Nakalele Point Blowhole in Maui, Hawaii

In West Maui, you can take the Kahekili Highway down to the Nakalele Point Blowhole. As you would expect from a blowhole, its a hole in the ground or in the rock by the oceanside, through which a large jet of water expels every few minutes, come high tide. In case of the Nakalele point blowhole, this jet very often goes over fifty feet. Its quite a show.

Keeping our eyes peeled for rocks and things on the Kahekili Highway, we drove towards the north-most tip of West Maui, or the Nakalele Point. There are two parking lots to get there, the second one being closer to the blowhole, and we parked there. It was a bit of a climb down to the area where the blow hole is, and we could see its large spray from the distance. 

The area around is filled with weather beaten rocks, and is locally known as the "Acid War Zone". Yes, it does look a bit like the ground had some severe erosion there.

The ocean was rough, and the water was coming in through the lava tubes near the shore, and spraying up the blowhole to a height of perhaps 40-50 feet or so. It was an amazing sight. There were the usual clutch of intrepid souls (mostly teenagers), who hung around as close to the blow hole as they possibly could, and even contemplating to jump across it. Thankfully, good sense prevailed at the end, and no one tried the stunt.

People have been swept into the blowhole every few years, and have, in all cases, lost their lives. Once you fall into the blowhole, there really is no escape. There are no guardrails around the blowhole, and everything depends on your notion of what is safe and what is not. Simple precautions, such as getting not to near the blowhole, not standing on the rocks between the ocean and the blowhole, and, most importantly, not to turn your back to the blowhole, are likely to keep you safe in most circumstances. Also avoid the area in case of bad weather.

Enjoy it by all means, but stay safe.