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Ninole Loop Road and Punaluu Black Sand Beach

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Ninole Loop Road is an approximately 1.5-mile loop of Hawaii Route 11 located between Mile Markers 56 and 57.  Ninole Loop Road is mostly known for being the access point for Punaluu Black Sand Beach.  Said beach is where numerous endangered species (namely sea turtles) can be found.  The black sand beach in modern times was the southern terminus of the Hawaiian Agricultural Company Railroad which was used to ship sugar cane from Pahala.  Following World War II, the eastern segment of Ninole Loop Road would be developed.  The western loop segment would be built in the early 1970s following the opening the Sea Mountain Golf Club  




Part 1; the history of Ninole Loop Road and Punaluu Back Sand Beach

Punaluu Black Sand Beach lies on the volcanic southern shore of the Hawaiian Big Island.  The black sand the beach is famous for is made up of ground up basalt rock.  The beach has three pre-European contact heiau (temples) located in the immediate vicinity.  The sands are also known to be the birthplace of Henry Opukanaia in 1796.  Opukanaia is one of the first Native Hawaiians to convert to Christianity and is largely attributed as spurring the missionary movement to the Hawaiian Islands.

During the early 1880s the Hawiian Agricultural Company founded the company town of Pahala approximately 6 miles northeast of Punaluu Black Sand Beach.  A company pier and warehouse facility were established at the Punaluu Black Sand Beach for sugar cane shipments.  The pier was connected to Pahala by way of the short line 2'0 narrow gauge Hawaiian Agricultural Company Railroad.  

Punaluu Black Sand Beach, the Hawaiian Agricultural Company Railroad and Pahala Sugar Mill warehouse facilities can be seen on the 1924 United States Geological Survey map of Honuapo.  


The pier at Punaluu Black Sand Beach was temporarily demolished by the military during World War II out of concerns of it being used by the Japanese to stage a landing on the Big Island.  The Hawaiian Agricultural Company Railroad was rendered obsolete by the development of Mamalahoa Highway which would be assigned Hawaii Route 11 in 1955.  

Punaluu Black Sand Beach can be seen connected to Hawaii Route 11 by way of what is now eastern Ninole Loop Road on the 1966 United States Geological Survey map of Punaluu.  


Modern Ninole Loop Road appears on the 1980 United States Geological Survey map of Hawaii County.   


The 1982 United States Geological Survey of Punaluu map reveals The Sea Mountain Golf Club present at western half of Ninole Loop Road.  The course was constructed circa 1969-1972 by C. Brewer & Company.  The company had larger plans to construct a resort but abandoned their endeavors by 1986.  


The Pahala Sugar Mill would shutter in 1996 which saw the warehouse facility at Punaluu Black Sand Beach abandoned.  The Sea Mountain Golf Club closed in 2018, and the property has been in a state limbo.  The golf course has been proposed numerous times to be repurposed into residential and commercial property.  As of 2024 the Windward Planning Commission has paused any new development on Ninole Loop Road.  



Part 2; a drive on Ninole Loop Road and a visit to Punaluu Black Sand Beach

The western start of Ninole Loop Road can be seen below from Hawaii Route 11.  


The western segment of Ninole Loop Road passes by the former site of Sea Mountain Golf Club.  The site has been partially repurposed as the resort called Colony I at Sea Mountain.  As the roadway swings to the coast the first Punaluu Black Sand Beach can be found.  







Views from Punaluu Black Sand Beach.







A historic plaque regarding the myth the sea turtle Kailua.  Punaluu Black Sea beach is a famous nesting ground for hawksbill and green turtles.  



The pond located behind Punaluu Black Sand Beach.  


The abandoned Pahala Sugar Mill pier can be seen in the background below. 


Portions of what I'm to understand are the abandoned Pahala Sugar Mill warehouse.  





The remainder of Ninole Loop Road back to Hawaii Route 11.  





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