Waihe'e Tunnel

Monday, 30 May 2005

This morning, the whole family went on an excursion to Waihe'e Tunnel, located in Kahalu'u, on the Windward side of O'ahu. Waihe'e Tunnel is a dike water source that supplies water for Windward O'ahu from Kahalu'u to Kailua. Bernice's friend Denise, who works for the Board of Water Supply, leads tours of people through here occasionally, as it is closed off to the public. Since water sources are sacred as healing sources to native Hawaiians, we planned to take this trip with my dad. The last time he went there was in September, when he thought he was having trouble walking due to a back spasm. Only a month later was he initially diagnosed with ALS.

With flashlights in hand, splashing through cool, fresh water running down along the floor, we walked down the dark 1500 foot long observation tunnel (definitely not an excursion for those that are claustrophobic). The tunnel, which sits about 200 feet below the ridge of the mountain, holds about 5 million gallons of water each day. Built in 1951, with a gravity flow system, even if the power goes out, the tunnel can supply water to homes in the area. Waihe'e Tunnel is unique because it is the only tunnel that has been successfully bulkheaded for storage. Water stored here during the winter months is used during the dry summer season.

We first reached the dry bulkhead, where there was water dripping down through cracks above you. Then, we walked another 200 feet or so to the wet bulkhead, with harmonious leaky faucets coming down from above. We had brought about 5 or 6 bottles to fill up with the healing freshwater, and we each took a drink of water before turning off our flashlights, holding hands, and doing a ceremonial Hawaiian chant, followed by our own silent prayers, some picture taking, and then heading back out into the daylight. As we ate our bento lunches outside, my dad quizzed us on the names of all the native Hawaiian plants surrounding us. We enjoyed our lunches and drove back into town, past the Valley of the Temples, a huge cemetary where people were paying their respects, bringing lots of colorful tropical flowers on this Memorial Day.