Makapuʻu
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Makapuʻu is the extreme eastern end of the Island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands, comprising the remnant of a ridge that rises 647 feet (197 meters) above the sea. The cliff at Makapuʻu Point forms the eastern tip and is the site of a prominent lighthouse. The place name of this area, meaning "bulging eye" in Hawaiian, is thought to derive from the name of an image said to have been located in a cave here called Keanaokeakuapōloli. The entire area is quite scenic and a panoramic view is presented at the lookout on Kalanianaole Highway (State Rte. 72) where the roadway surmounts the cliff just before turning south towards leeward Oʻahu and Honolulu.
Features of special interest in this area are:
- Sea Life Park – A large commercial park and aquarium featuring displays and shows of Hawaiian marine life.
- Makapuʻu Lighthouse – U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse, now automated. Reputed to have the largest lighthouse lens in the U.S.. A popular day hike along the access road to the lighthouse begins at a parking lot located south of the Makapuʻu lookout on Kalanianaole Highway (see State Wayside below).
- Makapuʻu Point State Wayside is that part of eastern end of the Island encompassing Makapuʻu Head and the lighthouse at Makapuʻu Point. A paved road (open to the public for foot traffic) leads out to the lighhouse—a not particularly strenuous 1.75 mile (2.81 km) hike. The road rises mostly heading towards the south along the land-side of the ridge and curves around Puʻu o Kīpahulu (southern end of the ridge), then traverses the ridge bearing right towards the lighthouse, which is closed to the public. A trail leads up from the former Coast Guard residential area to a summit (high point in photo at right) from which the island of Molokaʻi may be seen across the Kaiwi Channel. Of interest to hikers visiting the wayside park is the possibility of seeing Humpback whales in the waters offshore between about November and April. A telescope is available to the public at the summit lookout. There are so-called blowholes along the rocky shore below Makapuʻu Head which are sometimes active.
- Mānana Island – An offshore tuff cone known as Rabbit Island because of its resemblance to a large rabbit's head rising out of the sea and because it was once inhabited by introduced rabbits. A State Seabird Sanctuary.
- Kāohikaipu – A low volcanic islet off Makapuʻu Beach Park; also a State Seabird Sanctuary.
- Makapuʻu Beach Park and Kaupō Beach Park – All of the rocky shoreline and pocket beaches between the sea cliffs at Makapuʻu Point and the State Research Pier (Makai Pier) are beach parks open to the public. Wave conditions at Kaupō (western end) are more suited to young beach-goers and poor swimmers. Makapuʻu Beach is a popular body-surfing beach, but the shore break can be dangerous.
- Makai Pier – A long, concrete pier built by the State of Hawaiʻi to support marine research efforts in the Hawaiian Islands. This pier houses several commercial marine engineering firms and HURL (Hawaiʻi Underwater Research Laboratory).
The Makapuʻu area is reached approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of Waimānalo Beach on Kalanianaole Highway (State Rte. 72) or from the Honolulu side (south shore; Hawaiʻi Kai) travelling east along the same highway beyond Sandy Beach. The Wayside Park (road for hiking in to the lighthouse) is about midway up the draw on the right-hand side coming from the Honolulu side.
