Maui - docked at Kahului

Looking across the abandoned sugar plantations of Maui to Haleakala mountain

We also saw the sugar cane museum and the deserted sugar cane factory.

1820 - 2016 then sugar cane mill closed. Burning sugarcane resulted in "black snow". There were 65000 acres on Maui in sugarcane. 18 - 20 months to grow sugarcane. Alexander and Baldwin made sugarcane industry viable on Maui. Workers came from Japan, China, Korea and many other countries such as the Phillipines and south sea islands. Sugar produced on island was turbinado. Cane took much irrigation to grow in the dry plains. Before harvesting the irrigation was stopped and sugar content in the cane would increase. There was a new city with 900 company houses erected. Maui is famous for brush fires because it is dry.

This sugar refinery has been moth balled. The museum is located where this picture was taken.

Antique equipment used in sugar cane processing.

Caterpillar tractors dating to 1926 and 1932

Monkey trees are flat on the top and remind me of Elm trees in Ontario. They are found throughout Hawaii.

We saw fields newly planted with sunflowers. Coconut takes 12-13 years to fully develop. There has not been a volcano in Maui for 200 years.

Plantation Tropical express tram tour Pineapple field - plants from South America, mainly Brazil. Small - sugar babies immature pineapples. Red was a colour for royalty in Hawaii.

Husk of coconut makes fire starter and mosquito repellant and braid for rope. The core of the coconut has a “face”. The mouth is centre of germination and softest area. Coconut water is a natural laxative. To crack a coconut, follow the line upward from between eyes follow line, hammer all around cocomut until it’s halves separate. Put shells together with rubber band and freeze then thaw to loosen meat. If want to extract oil, put on sun 2-3 weeks.

Flowers, banana trees and mountains to west

Bread Fruit. Captain Cook took a boat load back to England hoping to grow it as a source of carbohydrate, but that failed.

Red Ginger flowers.

A variety of palm with hanging fruit.

A safe way to imagine paddling on the ocean.

aerial view of Tropical Plantation (from internet)

Antonio Salci was amazing on the piano.

Candice Glover was an America's Got Talent winner who sang great R&B

After the tour, we took a taxi to Balwin park. The surfers were out in force, 100 or more with their boards. We took our new snorkels acquired in Hilo hoping to be able to use them but you can’t snorkel at a famous surf beach. The taxi driver took us to that beach because the beach closer to the ship is near the sewage plant and there are a lot of homeless people and addicts there. We were told to beware of needles. Trouble in paradise.

There were hundred or so surfers at Baldwin Beach because the surf was up. (image from beach website)

Ah hooey Ho - until we meet again