 | Kauai Warnings or Dangers 
 
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Popular Warnings or Dangers | Miscellaneous Warnings or Dangers Tips | All Tips (32)
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 | Hawaiian Monk Seals - endangered species |   |  |
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 |  on June 12, 2005 |
Please be aware of the most beautiful creatures next to the humpback whale - the Hawaiian Monk Seal. There are only 30 around the island of Kauai. Occasionally you will find one on the beach sunning itself so please give the animal space and respect. There is a $25,000 fine for bothering these animals. We were fortunate enough to see these animals two times on the beach. The second time I had my camera with me. I used my zoom lense to take closeup pictures and give her privacy. This one pictured here came upon my husband while his back was facing the water. He heard a grunt and turned to see this seal coming out of the water about 5 feet from him! Matt decided to stay where he was and the seal kept eyeing him, I guess measuring him up. When she found that Matt was not a threat she moved further out of the water to work on her tan. |
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| No Need for "Wiki Wiki" | | |
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 |  on June 4, 2006 |
Anyone who will be driving on the island of Kauai must take heed of the speed limit signs. The police strongly enforce the posted speed limits. Now anyone who drives on the mainland freeways or internationally as on the Autobahn will find these limits extremely slow. You may be tempted to push it a bit but rest assured, the Kauai police force is out on the side of the road with a radar gun and will pull you over should you exceed these posted limits. While you are at it make sure your seat belt is buckled as it is a $92 fine for not "sticking and clicking" The highest speed you can travel on Kauai is 50 mph but generally the posted speed limit ranges from 25 to 35 mph and on residential streets 5 to 15 mph! So hang loose, slow down and enjoy the beautiful scenery. No one wants a speeding or no seat belt ticket. |
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| Big waves | | |
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 |  on April 20, 2004 |
We found out waves are very strong in Kauai. We were there in December and most beaches on the north shore that weren't shilded by reefs were not swimmable because of the high surf. Near Hanakapi'ai beach on Kalalau trail they had posted a list of people who drowned there in the last five years. The list had a few open bullets (quite creppy but I'm guessing an efficient mean of persuasion). The waves were maybe 2 meters high. I was in the water knee deep and I could feel the ocean pulling me. |
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| Episode II: Attack of the chickens | | |
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| on December 6, 2003 |
The island is full of wild chickens. They were once in cages but hurricane Iniki freed them back in 1992. Now they're everywhere, you can see them by the sides of the road, in parking lots etc. They don't really attack you; rather I chased them off trying to take a picture. Our travel guide said that they can be noisy and that if they camp under your window it can unpleasant. But that didn't happen to us so we're left with nice memories of the chickens ;-) |
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| Leptospirosis |  | |
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 on September 14, 2003 |
Leptospirosis is a disease that may be transmitted from animals to humans. Transmission usually occurs by contact with soil or water contaminated with the urine or tissue of an infected animal (wild goats, pigs, rats). Symptoms of the bacteria infection are not immediate, and usually begin to appear 7-10 days after the initial contact with the contaminated water or soil. Early symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscular pain and gastrointestinal disturbances. If left untreated, the central nervous system, kidneys and liver will be also be affected. The mortality rate is low (10%) if left untreated with kidney failure being the most common cause. Drug treatment: Penicillin |
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| Beach Safety | | |
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| on June 7, 2006 |
The beaches on Kaua'i are most enjoyable but it can be dangerous if you do not take heed of what type of currents and tidal forces exsist in the ocean. Swim only where lifeguards patrol, watch the ocean at least 20 minutes prior to entering the water, do not swim or snorkel alone. One current that is most common is the "riptide current" here is what you should know if you ever get caught in one. *Remain calm--don't panic. Panic can sap your strength and energy *Swim across the current or perpendicular to the current's direction *Swim parallel to the shoreline and wait for the current to release you--be aware that you may end up 30 to 40 yards downstream--once you are relaesed make it in to shore. |
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| Don't Depend on the Railing!! | | |
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 |  on February 25, 2007 |
Hideaways Beach is gorgeous, but as you can see from the pictures, it is a STEEP pathway that leads down to the beach. We were trying to do this in flip-flops (we had no idea it was this steep). We were holding onto the railing for dear life when it broke and we slid for about 10 excruciatingly long feet down the hill. It is so worth it once you get down, but please be careful! |
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| Hiking the Kalalau Trail | | |
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 |  on November 17, 2003 |
The trail can be wicked... especially if it is raining. We wouldn't have gone on the trail that day if we knew what was in store. Ke'e beach was sunny and gorgeous. About 1 mile in, it started raining on the trail. The trail is already so difficult... add in some rain, and it can be really scary! Wear cleats. Or bare feet. Have a walking stick, and plenty of water and snacks. |
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| Most Deadly Beaches | | |
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 |  on April 11, 2008 |
Kaua‘i has the most visitor drownings than any other island in the State. What makes this statistic even worse is that Kaua‘i has the forth highest visitor count. It has only one-forth the visitor traffic of O‘ahu, just a little less than one-half the visitor traffic of Maui, and about two-thirds the visitor traffic of even the Big Island. This says a lot about just how deadly the beaches are. To learn more about the various beaches and the hazards associated with them, go to this website(http://www.kauaiexplor |
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| Take Special Care around High Surf | | |
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 |  on November 27, 2005 |
Here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean the surf can sometimes be calm (pacific), but at other times, and especially in the winter, it might be dangerously high. On the north shore of Kauai during our November visit we saw raging surf that only a fool or an idiot would go near. Always study the waves carefully before entering the water, and inquire locally about safe places to swim. Sometimes a dangerous beach can be only a short distance from a safer, more sheltered one. Take a look at the signs in the accompanying photos. One of them notes that 82 people have drowned at a single small beach along the Na Pali Coast. Not all of them were swimming. Some were simply too near the shore when an unusually large rogue wave overcame them and swept them away. |
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More Kauai Tips
| Overview | General Tips Tips: 56 - Photos: 46 |
| Restaurants Tips: 119 - Photos: 77 | Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 66 - Photos: 44 |
| Things To Do Tips: 302 - Photos: 284 | Nightlife Tips: 16 - Photos: 9 |
| Off the Beaten Path Tips: 69 - Photos: 64 | Tourist Traps Tips: 11 - Photos: 4 |
| Warnings or Dangers Tips: 32 - Photos: 25 | Transportation Tips: 27 - Photos: 15 |
| Local Customs Tips: 22 - Photos: 18 | Packing Lists Tips: 16 - Photos: 10 |
| Shopping Tips: 23 - Photos: 14 | Sports Travel Tips: 17 - Photos: 15 |
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