Kaʻula Island, also called Kaʻula Rock, is a small, crescent-shaped island in the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...

Mythology

In the legend of Papa and

Wākea In the Hawaiian religion, Wākea, the Sky father weds Papahānaumoku, the earth mother. The two are considered the parent couple of the ruling chiefs of Hawaii. ''Wākea'' was the eldest son of Kahiko ("Ancient One"), who lived in Olalowa ...

, Kaula is the seventh-born child.

Geography

It is located west-southwest of Kawaihoa Point on

Niihau Niihau (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ), anglicized as Niihau ( ), is the seventh largest island in Hawaii and the westernmost of the main islands. It is southwest of Kauai, Kauai across the Channels of the Hawaiian Islands#Kaulakahi Channel, Ka ...

, and about west of

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

. The island is the top of a volcanic tuff cone that rests on top of a larger, submerged

shield volcano A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more viscous lava ...

. At its highest point, the island reaches a height of . The ocean has carved large sea cliffs on the sides of the island. There is a large cave on the northwest side of the island called Kahalauaola (Shark Cave). The

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

defines Kaula as

Census Tract A census tract, census area, census district or meshblock is a geographic region defined for the purpose of taking a census. Sometimes these coincide with the limits of cities, towns or other administrative areas and several tracts commonly exis ...

411 of

Kauai County, Hawaii Kauai (), anglicized as Kauai ( or ), is one of the main Hawaiian Islands. It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the List of islands of the United States by area, 21st-largest ...

. The 2000 census showed that the uninhabited island had a land area of . Because of

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as Surface runoff, water flow or wind) that removes soil, Rock (geology), rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust#Crust, Earth's crust and then sediment transport, tran ...

, the island is slowly shrinking. Kaʻula, which he spelled as "Tahoora", was one of the first five islands sighted by Captain James Cook in 1778.

Lighthouse

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

was completed on the island in 1932 by the United States Lighthouse Service, which became part of the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

in 1939. The lighthouse remained in operation through 1947.

Military use

The island has been used as a bombing range by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

since at least 1952. Inert ordnance is currently used, although live explosive ordnance has been used in the past. There is a risk of

unexploded ordnance Unexploded ordnance (UXO, sometimes abbreviated as UO) and unexploded bombs (UXBs) are explosive weapons (bombs, shell (projectile), shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, cluster munition, and other Ammunition, munitions) that did not e ...

on the island. Permission from the U.S. Navy is required to land on the island. In 1978, over the objection of the U.S. Navy, the state of Hawaii claimed ownership of Kaula and named the island a State Seabird Sanctuary. A final determination of ownership has not yet been made, and the Navy still uses the southeast point of the island as an aerial bombing and strafing target.

Diving

Kaula is uninhabited, but fishermen and scuba divers frequently visit the island. Five Fathom Pinnacle, west-northwest of Kaula, is also a noted dive spot.Underwater Photos from Five Fathom Pinnacle
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Notes

References

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External links

Offshore Islet Restoration Committee, KaulaKaula IslandNautical Chart Containing Kaula IslandKaula Rock Photos
Photographs of Kaula Island, May 2008 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kaula Niihau Geography of Kauai County, Hawaii Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain Tuff cones Uninhabited islands of Hawaii Volcanoes of Hawaii Pliocene volcanoes Neogene Oceania Cenozoic Hawaii Islands of Hawaii