Naalehu in Hawaii County, Hawaii — Hawaiian Island Archipelago (Pacific Ocean)

Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu'u

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 10, 2018

1. Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu'u Marker

Inscription.
The mystical turtle, Kauila, makes her home in the Ka’u District at Punalu’u Bay. According to Hawaiian mythology, Kauila was empowered with the ability to turn herself from turtle into human form and would play with the children along the shoreline and keep watch over them. The people of Ka’u loved Kauila as the guardian of their children and also for her spring that gave them pure drinking water.

The presence of Kaulia can still be felt today by the sea turtles that inhabit this special place. The Hawaiian Hono (Green Sea Turtle) can be regularly seen in the bay feeding on limu growing in the shallows. In addition the honu’ea (Hawksbill Turtle) sometimes enters the bay at night to crawl ashore and deposit eggs in the black sand. Both species of sea turtles are fully protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and wild life laws of the State of Hawaii. Enjoy watching these marvelous creatures but do not touch or disturb them in any way.

Created in 1995 in honor of the turtles of Punalu’u through the cooperative efforts of the Community of Ka’u, UH Hilo Marine option program, County of Hawaii, NMF’s and the Honu Project made possible by the generosity of the Gummow favily, and artist Dave Zarrilla.

Erected 1995 by Community of Ka’u,

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UH Hilo Marine option program, County of Hawaii, The Honu Project.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Anthropology & Archaeology • Asian Americans • Churches & Religion.

Location. 19° 8.052′ N, 155° 30.328′ W. Marker is in Naalehu, Hawaii, in Hawaii County. Marker can be reached from Ninole Loop Road, one mile Mamalahoa Highway (Hawaii Route 11) when traveling east. Marker is located at the north end of the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach parking lot, beside the walkway leading to the beach pavilion. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 95-0789 Ninole Loop Road, Naalehu HI 96772, United States of America. Touch for directions.

More about this marker. Marker is a large metal plaque, mounted at ground-level on a stone pedestal and monument.

Also see . . . Kauila And The Sea Turtles Of Punalu'u. The Punalu'u area has changed greatly over the years. Originally the site of a Hawaiian village, the entire village was destroyed by a tsunami and subsequent drop of several feet of the island causing the remains of the village to be under water. In more recent times the bay had a dock used primarily for sugar cane. A railroad ran to the far end of the bay and you can still see the cement remains of the old dock structures past the boat ramp. The cement landing was dynamited by the US military during

Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu'u Marker (<i>tall view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 10, 2018

2. Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu'u Marker (tall view)

WW II to keep it from being used as a landing point by the Japanese navy. (Submitted on September 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Additional keywords. Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders

Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu'u Marker (<i>wide view; Black Sand Beach in the background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 10, 2018

3. Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu'u Marker (wide view; Black Sand Beach in the background)

Turtles on Punalu'u Black Sand Beach (<i>view from near marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 10, 2018

4. Turtles on Punalu'u Black Sand Beach (view from near marker)

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park sign (<i>wide view from near marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 10, 2018

5. Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park sign (wide view from near marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,033 times since then and 168 times this year. Last updated on February 2, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1. submitted on September 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.