La Perouse Bay

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La Perouse Bay is located south of the town of Wailea-Makena, Hawaii at the end of Makena Alanui Road (State Highway 31) The bay's Hawaiian name is Keoneoio. It was later named for the French explorer Captain Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse. In 1786, La Pérouse surveyed and mapped the prominent embayment near the southern cape of Maui opposite the island of Kaho'olawe. The bay is the site of Maui's most recent volcanic activity.^[1] The rounded peninsula that dominates the northern half of the bay and extends up the coast a short distance was formed about 900,000 years ago by an eruption of basaltic lava that originated in the southernmost landward expression of the Haleakala Southwest Rift Zone. A small string of cinder cones extending inland to the northeast marks the axis of the rift zone.

La Perouse Bay, or Keoneoio, lies directly south of the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve. Fishing is prohibited within the reserve, which is home to numerous endemic fish, marine mammals, green sea turtles, and coastal plants. The area contains many archaeological sites, including fishing shrines, salt pans, and heiau, or religious platforms. The end of the paved road marks the start of the King's Highway^[2], a trail that circumnavigated the island, originally built by Pi'ilani and later improved by Governor Hoapili.

[edit] References

[1] United States Geological Survey 1999.
[2] Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources Na Ala Hele Trail System
Clark, John R. K. (1989). The Beaches of Maui County. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 33-34. ISBN 0824812468.

[edit] Further Reading

Along the King's Trail Article about exploring the trails and marine life near La Perouse Bay. Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine Vol.6 No.3 (Oct. 2002).
Between a Rock and a Hard Place Article about La Perouse Bay and efforts to conserve the natural environment. Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine Vol.8 No.4 (Jan.05).