As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.”
As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.
When is a secret not a secret? The answer is that a secret is not a secret when everyone knows about it. The perfect example of this precept is Uluwehi Falls, commonly known as the “secret falls” or the “sacred falls” of Kauai. Make no mistake about it: Uluwehi Falls is stunning. At slightly over on hundred feet, it is a beautiful example of a classic bridal-veil fall. In addition to the fall itself being stunning, it is surrounded by the calm, rustling jungle of the Wailua River State Park
Haena State Park in Kauai has a number of attractions, including the notorious Kalalau Trail. It also has a number of attractions that don't require as much effort, including Ke'e Beach, and the "wet" and "dry" caves - Waikanaloa and Maniniholo. Both of these caves are located immediately off of the main road; but only Maniniholo can be explored on foot. Although Waikanaloa is a sea cave it is full of fresh water, and is fed by an underground spring. Despite its pristine appearance, swimming in Waikanaloa is not recommended, as the water is contaminated with leptospirosis, a dangerous bacteria. Finally, both Waikanaloa and Maniniholo each have interesting mythological backgrounds, which you can read about here.
As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.
Kauai has many stunning natural features, but the largest, and most spectacular is Waimea Canyon, otherwise known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. As the canyon is over fourteen miles long, and over 3,600 feet deep, it is definitely one of the geologic wonders of the world. The canyon was carved by the Waimea River, which has flowed down to the ocean from Mount Wai'ale'ale over thousands of years. (More information on the geologic history of Waimea Canyon is located here). In my opinion, visitors to Waimea Canyon, like the Grand Canyon should get out and explore the area on foot, but for those who either don't have the time, or the ability to do so, this overlook provides stunning views for everyone; and serves as a great panoramic vista even for people who plan on hiking.
If you like strange spots like Glass Beach, but think that Glass Beach is too mainstream for you, I have another strange and lost spot for you: the old McBryde Sugar Company Cemetery; or, as the Internet knows it the “Japanese cemetery” of Glass Beach. When I was exploring Glass Beach and looking at the various items I could find, I couldn’t help but notice that the hill above the beach had some unmistakable headstones planted on it
Kauai is known as the “garden island” of Hawaii for a reason: it has a plethora of amazing natural features for its residents, and for visitors. It also has one spot that radiates with an unnatural unintentional man-made beauty: Glass Beach. This beach is a little off the beaten path (but not by much), and will probably never be on any list of Kauai’s top beaches, due to its proximity to various industrial facilities. Nevertheless, if you like to visit strange or unique spots like me, Glass Beach is a spot that is worth a visit. The beach is in close proximity to the industrial area of Port Allen, and during the early twentieth century, was used as a dumping area for various items, including a fair amount of glass.
Brace yourselves - it's coming! Just when you thought it was safe to head outside and look at the skies, there's yet another cosmic phenomenon coming that portends doom, gloom, and the end to everything that we know. That's right - I'm talking about the total lunar eclipse of April 2014, otherwise known as (wait for it) the BLOOD MOON (dun dun dunnnnnnn!) . Yes, I know: it's hard to believe that its been three years since the last total lunar eclipse - but, let's be honest - the sun, moon, and other objects in our solar system don't really care about time - they just follow their orbital paths, so to them, three years is nothing. Surprisingly enough, we, the human race, are still here; but don't worry: next week's upcoming lunar eclipse is even more eclipse-y (I know, not a word) than 2011's - because it is the blood moon! I'll talk more about the BLOOD MOON hoopla in a minute (really, it sounds like something from a B-Grade horror movie), but first, let's talk about the facts (what is the eclipse, can I look at it, how to see it, and where to see it):
What Is A Total Lunar Eclipse? A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly behind the Earth, and into its shadow (umbra). When the Moon is in this position, the Earth blocks the sun's rays (light) from striking the moon. This alignment is known as "syzygy"; and only occurs the night of a full moon. For visual people, picture this alignment: sun-Earth-moon all in a straight line.
Can a Total Lunar Eclipse Be Viewed With the Naked Eye? Yes! Fun fact: Unlike a Solar Eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be viewed safely with the naked eye, as you are looking away from the sun. Remember, a lunar eclipse features the alignment of Sun-Earth-Moon, with the eye facing toward the moon, whereas a solar eclipse features the alignment of Earth-Moon-SUN, with the eye facing the SUN, which is not safe to view with the naked eye. Therefore, the lunar eclipse can be viewed with the naked eye, and if you can, you should view it, as they are usually quite spectacular.
When Will the Lunar Eclipse of 2014 Occur? The eclipse will start on April 14, 2014, but for most portions of the viewing area will be visible on April 15, 2014.
When Can I see the Lunar Eclipse of 2014? Mr. Eclipse of Mr. Eclipse.com has a great chart and diagram series with times for all of North America and beyond. I highly recommend it, and suggest if you're interested in seeing the eclipse, you use the times on the chart and plan your eclipse watching accordingly.
Where Is the Best Spot to See the Lunar Eclipse of 2014? Anywhere in North or South America. Sorry, rest of the world, the timing isn't quite right for you to see this eclipse.
How Can I See the Lunar Eclipse of 2014? As with any cosmic phenomena - meteors, comets, and general stargazing, the best way to view the eclipse is to head to any area that is as dark as possible. This means that you want to be as far away from unnatural light sources as possible. In 2011, when I watched the last total lunar eclipse, I headed up to Mt. Laguna, and was treated to some stunning views of the eclipse and the milky way. If you can't make it out of whichever city you find yourself in, try and find the darkest safest spot you can (such as a park), and chances are, unless you are smack dab in the middle of the city, you will see something. Tip: no matter where you are, go outside for five to ten minutes before the eclipse to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness (or as dark as it gets). Also, Space.com has some additional great viewing tips here.
Ok, I've got the sciency stuff down - why is this lunar eclipse called the "BLOOD MOON"? Well, the first full moon of April is called a "pink moon" per North American Native American Traditions; and per Christian tradition, the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox is called the "Paschal Full Moon". This eclipse is being called a "BLOOD MOON" because during the eclipse, sunlight shining through the ring of Earth's dusty atmosphere is bent, or refracted, toward the red part of the spectrum and cast onto the moon's surface, causing it to look red or reddish colored. Spooky, right? In addition to that, the term is getting A LOT of traction in the media based on comments of Texas Pastor John Hagee, and frankly, by the time the BLOOD MOON arrives, I imagine the whole internet will be aflame with all sort of lovely conspiracies and other biblical prophecies that will no doubt involve Godzilla, Planet X, Batsquatch, Sasquatch, Lemuria, Atlantis, and every other secret society and the Mayans. If you're really interested in learning more, my friends at Earthsky have put together a great collection of links relating to it here.
Wait Wait Wait - is the BLOOD MOON related to this TETRAD thingy? Sigh. Short answer: yes. The TETRAD is another term that is being bandied about with the BLOOD MOON as a possible harbinger of yet another predicted APOCALYPSE. What it really is is a series of four consecutive total lunar eclipses that will occur from April 15, 2014 onward that are not separated by partial lunar eclipses that also happen to occur exactly six lunar months apart from each other and also (conspiracy/end of world theorists rejoice) also happen to fall on four successive jewish holidays. Again, I'm not going to address this here, as the internet is already on fire as discussed noted above (BLOOD! MAYANS! PROPHECY! MISSPELLINGS! FUNKY TERMS LIKE TETRAD!). In order to see why its no big deal, you can read any link above, or these links here and here.
Ok, fine - prophecies and internet rumors aside, is there anything else I should know about the April 15, 2014 total lunar eclipse? Yes! It will also be a great time to view the Virgo constellation, as the moon will be eclipsed!
Happy Stargazing, Eclipse Watching, and more - and if you're worried about the internet rumors out there, remember that we heard many of the same things for the 2012 Total Solar Eclipse....and we're still here watching the skies.
