R. Stu, Author at Maui Thirty Magazine

Baldwin Beach Park

Located off the Hana Highway just minutes from the airport and in walking distance of Paia Town is H.A. Baldwin Beach Park. “Baldwin Beach” is Maui’s most popular north shore park. Named after Henry Alexander Baldwin (1871-1846), the park was donated and dedicated in the year following his death. H.A. was the grandson of Dwight Baldwin, one of the early missionaries to the island of Maui.

H.A. Baldwin was a sugar cane plantation manager, business owner, and politician during the U.S. takeover of the Hawaiian islands. Baldwin served as a Senator in Hawaii’s early Territorial Government. He was also a member of the House of Representatives and a Congressional Delegate.

Baldwin Beach Park was the site of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.’s recreation area and was dedicated to Henry Baldwin by the company. Consisting of 17.2 beautiful acres and highlighted from the highway by a magnificent row of very tall palm trees, it has a pavilion that has been modified and maintained by Maui County throughout the years for picnics and events.

The beach has a lifeguard tower for the oftentimes rough surf that can pound the shoreline, especially in wintertime when swells from the north can make this water dangerous.

Next door and quite visible from the park is the Rinzai Zen temple founded by the Reverend Nashin Okamoto in 1932. The temple that now stands was built by Okamoto’s pupil, Reverend Kiyoshi Oshira after the original one was destroyed by the 1946 tsunami. The bell and campus are all visible from the park and are accessible to the public. Just be sure to check their schedule of events.

Rinzai Zen Mission (photo: rinzai-maui.org)

I most like visiting this stretch of beach in the early morning. It offers fantastic sunrise views as well as spectacular views of the West Maui Mountains and the entrance to Iao Valley, all highlighted by the early morning sun.

Baldwin is also a great spot for dog walkers. Sometimes the heat is intense, but there’s plenty of cool sand by the shoreline. A calm surf day makes for a fun easy stroll. Large crowds fill this beach as the day progresses, so mornings can be best for pups too.

For more about Baldwin Beach Park’s facilities, visit the County of Maui website.

Kula’s Waiakoa Gymnasium

The Waiakoa Gymnasium in Kula got its start through the vision of a teacher named Joaquin Vincent. Only six years old when he arrived in Honolulu with his parents from Madeira, Portugal in 1883, Vincent moved with his family to Maui in 1900. Here he spent forty-one years teaching and ultimately became the Principal of Kealahou School, which is now home to the Haleakala Waldorf campus. In the mid-1930s, Vincent began going door to door raising money from residents and local businesses for the construction of a gym. He wanted the local youth to have a place to congregate after school and participate in athletic activities.

The land for the gym was donated in 1936 by Violet Harris. The building was finished and opened in April of 1939. Some years later, the County of Maui began maintaining the gym. After leasing the property for over forty years, the County bought it outright in 2016.

The Waiakoa Gym (or “Kula Gym”) is still used today by youth and adult sports leagues along with schools and local organizations. It is also a popular spot for pickup basketball games.

The gym is located on Lower Kula Road near Copp Road. The building features an indoor basketball court, restrooms, locker rooms, and an ADA accessible ramp. For more info, visit the County of Maui website.

Tim Gunter’s Trash Wonderland

Arriving at Tim Gunter’s house, first you’re overwhelmed with the variety of blooming plants outside. Next you notice that amongst almost all the plants sit objects that draw your attention. Is it a piece of junk? Is it supposed to be there? It looks like an elephant!

Everywhere there’s a space, there sits some animal or art design made of trash. Tim’s yard is a literal wonderland…and it’s made of recycled items that many people would toss in the rubbish.

The inside of his house is much the same, an artist’s gallery of discarded materials that have been given new life.

The message of Tim Gunter’s artwork is all about repurposing. “To me, everything looks like art if you get the right angle, or close one eye, or draw a face on it,” Tim explains. From an early age, he always liked turning something that someone didn’t want into something different.

“Think twice or three times before you throw it away,” he says. He feels better when he does have trash because he always knows he’s looked at it long enough to decide if it’s not usable to him.

He is making artwork all the time, partly so that he doesn’t end up with so much stuff. “It is also fun to see people shake their head when looking at some of the art,” he says. Right now he’s working on a full size person made out of broken auto glass, a project that is three years in the making. He’s hoping to finish that one by next year.

He creates works in other mediums too. “I also like to use wood and rocks, mostly for my own enjoyment.”

Gunter often shows his pieces in the Art of Trash annual exhibit, winning juried awards and delighting viewers with his fun take on reinventing.

E-Cycling’s Marty McMahon congratulates Gunter on his Art of Trash win (2014)

Tim Gunter with his piece “Dream Boat Annie”

Art of Trash 2012 Third Place Winner “My Plants are Falling Down and My Growing Hurts”

Tim Gunter with his Art of Trash prize (2012)

Look for more interesting artwork by Tim Gunter in upcoming Art of Trash shows, and remember to think about your own inspirations as you’re sorting through your junk pile. There might just be something different waiting to be transformed.

The Art of Trash is an annual exhibition of repurposed materials transformed into art by Maui County artists. This year’s show runs from April 7th through the 28th at 1980 Main Street in Wailuku. Don’t miss Opening Night and the Maui Trashion Show on Wailuku First Friday, April 6th at 6pm. For more info visit Art of Trash on Facebook.

Chickens Everywhere

I remember seeing chickens in the rental car lot at the airport when I first arrived on Maui twenty-one years ago. I commented to the person behind the counter that I didn’t expect to see that when I landed, and they said, “You’ll see more.”

I did.

Since then I have lived all over the island, and every place had chickens. Lots of chickens.

The Polynesians brought red junglefowl over when they settled the islands over a thousand years ago. These were cross-bred with domestic chickens after Captain Cook’s arrival in 1778. Nowadays it seems like chickens have just about taken over.

On Kauai, domesticated chickens and lots of roosters bred for cockfighting were released after hurricane Iniki destroyed coops all over the island in 1992. These birds ended up cross-breeding with the local chickens and they have now exploded in numbers. Kauai is the one island where Mongoose were not introduced, so that has a profound effect.

Everywhere I have lived AND worked had chickens hanging around. So, occasionally I would feed and befriend one from the group and get it to come when I would call. Some would sit on my arm or my knee when directed to and some would eat from my hand.

For many folks that move here, chickens can be a source of never-ending annoyance. They’ve been known to ruin many a good sleep as roosters crow at any hour throughout the night. The thing about chickens only crowing at dawn is an old wives’ tale. Most stores here stock earplugs.

Where I currently reside, there are usually around ten or twelve chickens that hang around the yard full time because I feed them scraps and leftovers. They never forget that. If you feed them, they will forever associate you with food. This can be problematic…like having chickens march into the house whenever a door is left open for more than a couple minutes, or them climbing into the open window of my truck.

We have a severe feral cat problem on Maui, and some folks wonder why they don’t eat the chickens. Well, a cat might get a chick, but I have never seen one go for an adult. In fact, you will often see them eating side-by-side at some of the cat feeding stations around the island. I think there’s a mutual respect that exists between the two.

Another side of chickens here on Maui is the ongoing popularity of the cruel sport of cockfighting. While it is illegal, it’s still considered a cultural tradition in many communities. Undercover busts of cockfighting operations are in the news from time to time.

A positive side to the chicken situation is that lots of folks have coops here, so there is a constant source of fresh local eggs! Wherever you are on Maui, you are certain to see the results of this introduced species gone wild.

Hawaii’s Urban Birds

While Hawaii is known for its share of exotic tropical birds, it is also the home of many urban birds that originally were introduced through the years as pets or in an attempt to control other pests. These are the birds we see every day, almost everywhere on Maui.

Mockingbird
Yep. The good old Northern Mockingbird has a place here in Hawaii mimicking other birds and providing myriad other sounds.

Pigeon
Found everywhere. Some folks raise them. You can tell this is a pet by his banded leg.

Pacific Golden Plover
This bird is most often seen during our winter here in Hawaii, but it actually spends half its year in Alaska or the Siberian Tundra. These birds, like Sanderlings and several other species, are capable of non-stop flights from their winter breeding grounds to the Hawaiian Islands for a warmer season! The Plover is called Kolea here.

Sanderling
Another wintertime visitor that people are likely to see is this shorebird that spends half its time in the tundra up North as well. The Sanderling can be seen running around on our beaches looking for treats in the sand.

Night Heron
They may have night in their names, but these birds are seen anywhere and any time of the day hanging around swampy or marshy areas.

Sparrow
No shortage of these little guys.

House Finch
Quite often seen in your garden just outside. The females lack the reddish color and most resemble Sparrows.

Java Finch
These cute little birds are kin to Sparrows, but they don’t look like them at all. Originally introduced from Indonesia, Java Finches are the bane of many homeowners as they are the most effective bird for gaining entry to and nesting in your attic space.

Muscovy Duck
Easily recognizable. These guys occupy many of the ponds and canals around the island with the other introduced species of ducks.

Red Crested Cardinal
Originally from South America, these are my favorite urban birds. We also have the well-known Northern Cardinal in his all red attire.

Grey Francolin
Originally from the Middle East. These birds are often seen running more than flying, and they have the reputation of having the loudest and most obnoxious call…usually issued in the mornings, but can be heard throughout the day as well. Once heard, never forgotten.

Japanese White Eye
These guys move fast and they are quite small, but are fun to watch as they fly about your garden catching insects. Originally from Japan.

Spotted Dove
Originally introduced from Asia, these guys are the ultimate urban bird along with their cousins, the Zebra Dove.

Zebra Dove
Most folks are familiar with these guys because they are practically everywhere. These birds are quickly trained to take food from you.

Mynah Bird
These obnoxious and loud birds are found everywhere around the island. You will see them whether you want to or not. What’s most amazing about these birds is that they can be taught to speak a limited vocabulary!

Egret
Any urban bird list of Maui would be incomplete without these critters. Almost a pest, these guys enjoy hanging out with horses and cows, but are especially inclined to swarm landscapers and mowing crews. They can be seen following lawn mowers and picking out the newly displaced insects and lizards. I have seen literally 50 birds following a commercial mower along the roadside.

Chicken
And the winner for most seen and heard bird on Maui is the Guinea Fowl, or Chicken as they are most commonly known. As soon as you land at Maui Airport, you will see these guys running around the parking lot.

Rooster
The Chicken’s noisy counterpart…of course there are plenty of Roosters here too. This guy is up pretty early at our house and insists on crowing just outside our window at 4am every day.

Here on Maui, we can watch a variety of birds from just about anywhere. Whether you’re checking out the natural beauty of the island or just cruising around the city, don’t forget to keep a lookout for some of these urban birds of Hawaii.

Jacarandas in Bloom

Signaling springtime on Maui are my favorite trees, Jacarandas. Originating in Central and South America along with the Caribbean, they’ve now been spread throughout numerous tropical and sub-tropical climates around the globe, especially in South East Asia. It is believed that the trees were introduced to Hawaii in the late 1800’s and planted on the slopes of Maui by Portuguese ranchers.

Thanks to efforts by Maui’s first Mayor Elmer Cravalho, rows of these beautiful trees line the roads Upcountry. Raised in Kula’s Keokea area and of Portuguese descent, Cravalho worked as a legislator in the 1950’s to direct the planting of jacarandas along the Kula and Pukalani highways.

The name jacaranda means “fragrant” in Guarani, an indigenous language widely spoken in South America. Jacaranda mimosifolia are the variety best known Upcountry. All along the landscape, bright purple blooms stand out against the greenery. Blossoms rain down until there is a colorful ring completely covering the ground around the base of the trees and even in places on the roadway.

Jacaranda season begins in Spring. Lower elevations tend to bloom first with Makawao and Pukalani in full splendor in April. The colorful display works its way up the slopes of Haleakala, with Kula and Keokea blooming from April into May.

Here on Maui, the arrival of purple blossoms means lots of photographers and painters will be parked on the sides of the roads, vying for the perfect angle on many of the trees. Drive carefully during peak season as tourists and locals alike can be seen walking near the highway to get their own photo of a lifetime.

Guava Season

Look off to the side of the road this time of year on much of the wetter (Northern) side of the island and you are sure to see lots of bright yellow Guavas (Psidium Guajava) ripening. You can also smell the pungent scent of the fruit that falls to the ground and creates a bounty for birds, pigs and insects alike.

While considered to be an invasive species, guavas have been an important food source on the islands since their introduction. Native to Mexico as well as Central and South America, guavas have been growing in Hawaii dating back to at least the late 1700’s. You can see how thick stands of these trees easily crowd out all others around them.

Though they may be plenty, due to their very short shelf life and fragility when ripe, a lot of folks have never had a guava, except perhaps in juice form. Indeed, guavas are one of the three fruits that comprise the famous POG juice (passionfruit, orange, guava).

Some Guava trees seem to produce sweeter fruit, while others can produce a very tart flavored fruit. The ones pictured here are from a particularly “sweet” tree.

The fruit can be eaten raw or juiced, and it’s great for making jam or jelly. Jars of the same can be seen on supermarket shelves everywhere on island. Wood from the guava tree is also used locally for smoking and cooking meat, and is favored over kiawe by some for its sweet scent.

Common guavas are ripe and ready to eat when they turn from green to yellow, and they’re in their prime with a bit of pink coloring on the skin. Ripe guava should smell sweet and musky, and you’ll have about a two day window to eat the fruit once it’s picked. You can scoop the center out or try them whole, skin and all. One thing is for sure though, the seeds can break your teeth, so be careful when eating a guava. There’s nothing like the flavor of this unique fruit, so enjoy it while it’s in season.

Honu: Hawaii’s Green Sea Turtles

Along the shores of South Maui, particularly in Makena, within a few minutes of gazing at the ocean you’ll often see a turtle head pop up to grab a breath. Over the years, I have had hundreds of close encounters with honu (the Hawaiian word for turtle) while snorkeling. Protected by the Endangered Species Act since 1978 with worldwide numbers on the decline, their population in Hawaii has since increased by 53%.

While their status dictates that they should not be approached when snorkeling or diving, the turtles apparently never got the memo as they aren’t very shy about approaching you. In fact, I have had many moments with them in shallow water simply bumping into me as they lazily swim down the length of the beaches in the mornings to the next point of rock or reef covered in their favorite food: seaweed. When they aren’t eating, they can often be found sunning themselves on South Maui’s shoreline.

It is estimated that 90% of Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Hawaii nest in the Northwest Hawaiian Island chain at the French Frigate Shoals (Hawaiian: Kānemilohaʻi) that lie within The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. A few will choose to lay their eggs here on Maui beaches. When a nest is found, it is monitored and watched over by volunteers until the little ones hatch and go to sea.

An adult Green Sea Turtle can be forty inches across its back lengthwise and weigh between 200-500 pounds, so it is always a little unnerving to have one swim up to your “blind side” and surprise you when in the water. I remember one time I was looking at the largest cowry shell I had ever seen and suddenly a turtle’s head filled my view as it reached in to grab a bite of seaweed.

Unfortunately these turtles can eventually find themselves caught in nets or fishing line. I come across them all too often. When encountering an entangled or stranded sea turtle, it’s best to call the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for help at (808) 725-5730.

I have always been fascinated by turtles, but the ones I grew up around in the South were the snapping kind…not nice at all. Out here in the islands, I never get tired of seeing these green giants of the sea. I come across them all the time and I still act like a kid everytime I spot one. For more information about honu in Hawaii, visit the NOAA website.

Cherimoya: The Custard of Fruits

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola), often referred to as “Soursop” to local folks here, is a wintertime fruit from a leafy evergreen tree that is believed to have originated from Ecuador and Peru and to have first come to Hawaii around the 1790’s. It tastes kind of like banana and pineapple with a little strawberry thrown in, but some palates won’t have the same taste experience and find them more or less flavorless. Cherimoya is a large, grapefruit sized, heart shaped fruit with an inedible hard and pointy green skin. The seeds are basically poisonous, and the trees won’t grow where it is too warm or too cold.

These photos are of a tree located in the temperate zone of Kula at 3,000 feet on Haleakala.

When they are very ripe, but not yet spoiled, they can be of a custard like consistency. When chilled, they’re eaten with a spoon and I have heard many older locals here tell stories of how they were seen as an ice cream substitute back in the day.

Determining ripeness involves a similar experience to that of determining the ripeness of avocados. There seems to be a very small window for success. The pointy parts of the skin begin to round off and the skin begins to give slightly. This is the time to pick and then let ripen on the counter.

Just when they begin to get soft, chill them, cut open and enjoy!

Coqui Frogs on Maui

Imagine a creature the size of a quarter that can negatively affect real estate values with its call alone. That’s a coqui frog, an invasive species in Hawaii that is said to have arrived in the late 1980’s from Puerto Rico. I grew up in the South and was accustomed to hearing crickets and cicadas (oftentimes very loud) at night in the summertime, but a colony of coqui frogs can cause entire neighborhoods to need earplugs just to sleep. In fact, their presence on or near a property is even a disclosure requirement for real estate transactions.

Without a natural enemy or predator to keep coquis in check, they can come into a neighborhood or resort area in plants from nurseries. I remember a nursery in Kihei a few years back that had a colony, and people in the area were ready to take legal action over the nightly commotion. Here’s a sample of just one frog’s obnoxiously loud call…now think about trying to sleep with a whole army of these guys screaming at you:

Besides the noise factor, coquis are also a threat to insects that are needed for pollinating and to the balance of native ecosystems. In addition to the impact on real estate, they can also affect tourism and negatively affect plant selling businesses.

The folks at MISC (Maui Invasive Species Committee) are Maui’s frontline defense against the many coquis invading the island. They use an ecologically safe mixture of citric acid to help eradicate the little monsters. I have trouble killing anything other than mosquitoes and centipedes, so I’m glad these folks aren’t afraid to get the job done. It’s tough work too, traversing thick rainforest gulches in the dead of night to reach the areas overrun by screeching frogs.

Some islands have managed to get their coqui frog populations under control, but Maui still has a definite problem. There are several known colonies in natural areas as well as those at residences, hotels, and nurseries. MISC offers tips on helping to keep your property coqui-free. Some things you can do include maintaining the yard by mowing cane grass, thinning out plants and trees, removing dead leaves, and not growing bromeliads. They also have information on the best ways to catch and spray coquis, mix your own citric acid solution, build a barrier, and report your control efforts on Google Earth.

If you think you might have a coqui problem, go to Coqui-Free Maui to help identify what you see and hear. They have an online form to report your findings and request follow-up contact from the coqui crew.

Thanks to the good folks at MISC and all of the educated and proactive landowners who are putting in the effort to make coqui frogs on Maui a thing of the past. For more information, visit the Maui Invasive Species Committee website.