Punalu, Black Sand Beach

One of the best reasons to visit Punalu are its denizens, the Hawai'ian Green Sea Turtles. These paleozoic misfits have managed to out-survive many of their sea going and land lubbing bretheren. While their numbers linger dangerously close to extinction these days it is not unusual to find them lounging in the surf, riding in the face of an incoming wave, or simply soaking up the rays on the overheated beach (black absorbs sunlight don'cha'know).

They may not be the most exciting beach combers your likely to meet on the island, but they number as one of the oldest in terms of evolutionary history, some 150 million years. Man, the stories these guys could tell, if we'd only learn how to listen.