Taken by Kris Nelson on February 20th, 2009
Location: Iao Valley State Park, Maui
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Of all of my photos from our last trip that I’ve been able to sit down and go through (about half so far), this is my absolute favorite, hands down. It was taken along one of the hiking trails at the Iao Valley State Park, and is a shot of the stream down below of the Iao Needle that most people come to visit.
The legend behind the Iao Needle is one of romantic tragedy, and the areas surrounding it are said to have a more magical, romantic aura it. Not scientific, of course, but I will say that while we were hiking through the trails (both marked and unmarked), there certainly was something more magical, more intimate about what we were seeing.
Taking this photo in particular, for example, was pure magic. We were completely surrounded by tree cover, and the sound of the rushing stream practically echoed in your head, if not actually echoed out loud. The rocks in the water were so welcoming, and I managed to find one large enough for me and my camera, and safe enough from the water, to take a few shots like this one.
We were viewing a part of the island that had been mostly untouched for centuries, and aside from the 3-pound piece of 21st century technology I had in my hands, it felt like we were viewing the stream the same way the ancient Hawaiians had seen it themselves so long ago. That was pure magic.
If you like this photo, you can see more in our Sunday Photos series here at the blog. Our website also features daily photos on the Today’s Photos page, and you can also get a new photo from Maui everyday on your Google home page. Check out our Maui Photo Day Calendar for more details.
Tags: aloha09
