Kauai Podcast

Taylor Camp DVD

Taylor Camp, with John Wehrheim

I’m really excited about today’s show, and I think you are going to really enjoy it! Today we are going to talk about Taylor Camp, a “hippie” community which existed on the north shore of Kauai from 1969-1977. It began as a “safe haven” when Howard Taylor (brother of actress “Elizabeth Taylor”) bailed out 13 people jailed for vagrancy and offered to let them stay on his land at Haena. It quickly became a mecca for surfers, hippies, Vietnam vets, artists, and those looking for a different way of life. Taylor Camp really reflected the movement of the 70’s perfectly. It was a clothing optional (but many times not), drug friendly, commune of acceptance and love, an ordered community without rules, and it represented a non-materialistic way of life. It was a true microcosm of people and personalities from all over, bonded by their love of nature, Kauai, and living freely, and it seemed to provide spiritual healing for all of them in one way or another.

A couple years back I picked it up the video, “Taylor Camp”, eagerly watched it, and loved it. I thought it was a very well made documentary, an amazing mix of both incredible pictures of Taylor Camp and its residents in its day, and interviews with camp residents, Kauai locals, and the government officials who wanted them out, thirty years later. It totally drew me in, and because of that documentary, doing a show on Taylor Camp has always been a priority on my list of show subjects.

A couple months back I decided to reach out and contact my “dream interview” for this show, and I called John Wehrheim, the Emmy Award winning producer of the movie “Taylor Camp”. We talked for a bit, and after a short conversation he agreed to come on the show and discuss Taylor Camp with us. He’s not only a great guy, but I don’t think there could be a more perfect person for this show. I’m really excited to have him on and I think you are just going to love this interview.

As discussed in the show I have included the following links:
Website for Taylor Camp
John’s Website encompassing both Taylor Camp and Bhutan projects
Taylor Camp Book
Taylor Camp

The Coco Palms Lagoon

The Coco Palms Hotel, with David Penhallow

If you were to see The Coco Palms Hotel today, you would see tattered buildings and overgrown landscaping. You would sense the broken memories of a place that was once amazing. ... and still it would call to you. Coco Palms was once the premier hotel in all the Hawaiian Islands, and for good reason. Even today, 20 years after being destroyed in Hurricane Iniki, Coco Palms still gives off a magic unlike any other resort.

Today we are going to talk with David Penhallow, author of the book The Story of the Coco Palms Hotel. This great interview will take you back to 1950s Kauai, and Coco Palms in all it’s glory. I am so excited about this show on many levels. I think everyone, whether or not they have seen or even heard of Coco Palms before, should hear its story, and I don’t think there is anyone better suited to tell you the story than David. The story of Coco Palms is not just a story of Kauai History, it’s a story of living and loving life, it’s a story of “spreading aloha”, it’s a story of kindness to others, it’s a story of romance, and it could also be a story told in business schools.

As mentioned in the show, I have included the following links:
The Story of the Coco Palms Hotel: The Grace Buscher Guslander Years 1953-1985Video: The Ghosts of Coco Palms

Resting off Kalalau Beach

Kayaking Kauai’s Na Pali Coast

The Na Pali coast of Kauai consists of 17 miles of gorgeous coastline along the northwest portion of Kauai. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world with 4000 ft cliffs plunging straight into the ocean. All along, it is lined with waterfalls and riddled with secluded beaches, and sea caves. Kayaking the coast is the adventure of a lifetime, and was listed by National Geographic as the number two adventure in America. Today we are going to talk to Adrian Nicholas, an amazing dude, living the life with an incredible job as an adventure guide on Kauai, taking people on kayak trips down the Na Pali coastline. In this incredible interview, we discuss all aspects undertaking and completing of this awesome journey.

As discussed in this episode, I have included several links:
Na Pali Kayak is an incredible company, who I went with on my trip down the coast, and who Adrian works for. They have a great website with a ton of information on their journeys.

Our Na Pali journey was partially recorded by Leo, one of the members on our trip. He sent a video to us afterward with some great clips of the beginning of the coast and the first two sea caves.

Adrian was working with Elements Production, which did many shows including fire dancing. I found a performance show combining belly dance and fire dancing, that is definitely worth watching.

My Ten Day Escape to Hawaii Island

It’s been a while, and I should start by saying that the show is still on a hiatus. However, I just came back from an incredible ten day escape to Hawaii’s Big Island and felt there was a ton of information as well as cool experiences to share. In this “special episode”, I will take you on a journey all around the Big Island, discuss where to stay, give you my honest thoughts as a first time visitor about Hawaii Island as a vacation destination, share some exciting stories, and compare Hawaii Island with both Kauai and Maui.

As discussed in the show, this link will take you to the VRBO page for the home we stayed at while on the Hilo side of Hawaii Island.

The Battle With GMO Companies on Kauai

This episode is a deviation from the fun, vacation style of show I normally like to bring you, because we need to tackle a very serious subject. This month we tackle the problem of GMO companies, which are using Kauai as a testing ground for new products and spraying tons of very dangerous chemicals on the island. I always preach the importance of respecting Hawaii, yet these companies are disrespecting both the people of Kauai and the land of Kauai on a massive scale. They poison them both without concern, all the while hiding smugly behind data which they control and laws which they help mold. Today we will swan dive into this issue with no holding back!

In this episode we are are going to discuss:
The problem and legal battle between the GMO companies and the people of Kauai.

The corruption of GMO company money in politics, and our university system.

The attempts of GMO companies to block information regarding the harmful effects of their chemicals.

My investigation into the companies, which makes a solid case that one of them may very well own a major portion of the responsibility for the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The following links either relate to the podcast, or are great resources for more information:
Joint Fact Finding Study Group, Final Report
US Right to Know
Gary Hooser’s Facebook Page
Report: Public Research, Private Gain