'Opaeka'a Falls
N 22° 02.893 W 159° 21.725
4Q E 462637 N 2438208
'Opaeka'a Falls is a waterfall located on the Wailua River in Wailua River State Park on the eastern side of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It is a 151–foot waterfall that flows over basalt from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.
Waymark Code: WM4JPM
Location: Hawaii, United States
Date Posted: 08/31/2008
Views: 25
Below the ridge down into the ravine through which the water falls can be seen the vertical dikes of basalt that cut through the horizontal Koloa lava flows. The name "Opaeka'a" means rolling shrimp, " 'opae" being Hawaiian for "shrimp," and "ka'a" for "rolling". The name dates back to days when the native freshwater shrimp were plentiful in the stream and were seen rolling and tumbling down the falls and into the churning waters at the fall's base.
Visually, this is a spectacular waterfall and is one of the island's few waterfalls that can be seen from the road. It flows year round and therefore is not seasonal. Most of the time it falls in a double cascade but the two sides may become one after a heavy rain. There is a highway overlook which provides a panoramic view of the 40-foot (12 m) wide falls and the valley below. The best time of day to see the falls is in full sunlight when the water sparkles the most. If the day is cloudy the view is less spectacular.
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