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Geological Formations

Honopū Valley

Erosional and Karst Formations

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Honopū Valley is a steep, isolated coastal valley on the Nā Pali Coast of Kauai's northwest shore in Hawaii, reachable only by water since no boat landings or aircraft access are permitted for visitors. Its best known feature is a natural sea arch about 27 meters tall, the tallest natural arch in Hawaii, carved from the volcanic cliffs by erosion; the valley's Hawaiian name, meaning conch shell, comes from the sound produced when wind from the north strikes the arch. A secluded beach about 0.4 kilometers long lies at the valley's mouth, and its fertile volcanic soil supports wild guava and grapefruit. The valley was inhabited until the mid-19th century, and archaeological work in 1922 uncovered artifacts confirmed to belong to its Hawaiian residents.

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