Soul Kitchen Maui's Music Sensation

Soul Kitchen

Soul Kitchen is a music sensation here on Maui.  Each member is an award winning artist in their own right.  Year 2011 the group formed on Mother Maui at a sing-along in the Sacred Garden.  The three founding members are Tempa, her husband Naor Nave, and Michael Elam.  Today, the group has grown into an eight piece band.  Their music is described as acoustic-infused musical alchemy, both blending and transcending the traditional genres of Cajun, Zydeco, Soul, Funk, Blues, Jazz, Classic rock with Middle Eastern influences.

Soul Kitchen has a faithful fan base.  My girlfriends watch them perform and are inspired to dance wherever they play on Maui.  They invited me to one of their concerts several years ago and I joined in the festivities. Good times!  Tempa refers to these ladies as her “Goddesses.”  She goes on to say, “They are amazing goddess women that just show up and I love their energy.  I have met some amazingly strong, independent women on Maui. I just love them, they make my heart sing.”

Soul Kitchen has performed at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC), Wailuku’s First Fridays, Casanova’s Italian Restaurant, and Fleetwood’s on Front Street.  They play regularly at Mulligan's on the Blue in Wailea.  They are also available for corporate and private events.

Tempa Nave

I asked Tempa Nave for an interview to which she graciously agreed. Curious minds and fans want to know more about this special lady with the beautiful long flowing red hair and soulful voice.  She has won the hearts and captured the attention of local Maui residents and visitors.  Tempa is an award-winning lead vocalist for the Best Colorado Blues Band and honored with Best Soul Album Award.

Kathy:  You have a natural gift.  Were you born into a musical family?

Tempa Nave

Tempa:  My mother played guitar and sang.  She had a pretty good voice.  My uncle was a professional Bluegrass player and performed for quite some time with Ralph Stanley (who was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor and the Grand Ole Opry).   My uncle toured for many, many years and when I would visit, he took me to his recording sessions and gigs.  He was a huge influence on me musically.  I grew up with Gospel music and Bluegrass.

Kathy:  Tell us more about your childhood and the artistic influences that shaped you.

Tempa:  My parents were total hippies and I grew up on a bus with no electricity from the age of 7 to about 16.   We did not have a television or any modern conveniences.  I had a lot of down time so I would sing, read, and farm.  We had goats and chickens to take care of.  We had dinners outdoors and cooked over a campfire that was our life.

Kathy:  That sounds cool and very different.  When you were a teenager did you think this kind of sucks living this way or did you think it was cool when all the other kids were living in a home with four walls and a roof?  Do you look back on those days with fond memories?

Tempa:   We were totally weird as far as society’s norms were.  At times it was hard being a kid because I felt really different.  My mom didn’t allow us to eat meat.  Half the time I loved our life and half the time I hated it and wanted to eat at McDonald’s or have something sweet and sugary, things like that.  Now as an adult I look back on those days and I am so happy I grew up the way I did.   As a young kid, by the age of 10, I was reading Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird instead of watching cartoons.  I recently watched a funny movie, Captain Fantastic, which reminded me of my childhood.  It is a great movie and will give you an idea of how I lived.

Kathy:  You really had to immerse yourself in nature to survive.  If there was an end to our modern society and we had to survive by living off the land I would want you as my neighbor.  I think I could learn a lot from you about how to survive off the aina (land).

Tempa:  Sometimes when people talk about how crazy the world might get I do appreciate the fact that I know how to live off the land and could if I had to.  I love leaving as small of a footprint as possible I would like to leave even a smaller footprint than I do but at the moment this is a struggle within me.  Part of me would love to completely go off grid, not be on Facebook, not do social networking, and all that stuff but it is expected as a musician nowadays.

My big huge wish is that a couple of our songs that we have being reviewed right now will sell, and then maybe I can get closer to that lifestyle I want to live.

Kathy:  When did your musical career begin?

Tempa:  I was a chick singer in various bands with my former husband.  We had recently gotten divorced and I took that time to start my own project at the end of 1999, with my new band Tempa and the Tantrums, which went on to win Colorado’s Best Blue’s Band.  We won a lot of awards and toured a lot.  I ended up playing at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater in Colorado.  It was a great project.  We did a lot of things in that band including touring Israel.

My life changed dramatically year 2008 at the age of 28, I was diagnosed with Lupus. I was hospitalized a lot and still trying to work full-time in a traveling touring band.  We often worked 5 to 6 nights a week.  I became really ill and during this time, I was in my second bad marriage.  I was pretty lost at that time and ended up divorcing again.

Kathy:  You have had Lupus for a long time.  You are a survivor!  Share with us the trials and tribulations you discovered on the road to healing.  Was this a setback in your life or did it make you stronger?

Tempa:  I was constantly getting sick with bronchitis and I was given antibiotics and in three weeks I would be sick again.  I was weak and kept getting sicker and sicker and that is when I had heart surgery for Pericarditis that was caused by my Lupus.  I was 28 at the time.  This condition is caused when the lining of your heart becomes inflamed and fills with fluid and starts compressing your heart so that when you do any normal activities it feels like you had just run a marathon. I was told by my doctors that I shouldn’t have any more children.  Then I had my second son two years later. I have two kids today.  I have a daughter Shayna who is 27 and my son Isaac who is 20.  I lost my first son Sethan when he was 17.  He was gay.  He was Mr. Gay Pride Junior in Colorado.  He was in love with a boy that had some addiction issues and that boy killed himself and three weeks later, my son committed suicide. He had come out finally when he was 15.  It was a hard road for him.  Gay kids are usually bullied and made fun of.  He was really involved in the movement and was a peer counselor for the LGBT community at a place called the Rainbow Alley which was a safe house in Denver, Colorado for gay and lesbian transgender kids who got kicked out of their home.

Lupus made me learn to embrace my wolf.  I had to realize that some parts of having Lupus are probably good because my body tells me when I am stressed. Other people don’t know that they are stressed constantly and then one day, they end up falling dead from a heart attack. When I get stressed I get so sick it is immediate my body just shuts down.  I have learned to really change my lifestyle.  I avoid stress and do certain exercises.  Lupus reminds me when I’m not doing something that is not good or healthy.  It will let me know very quickly.  In a way that is kind of a positive thing.  I think Lupus has taught me a lot on a physical level and definitely on a spiritual level.

Naor Nave and Tempa Nave

Kathy:  When did you meet your soulmate?

Tempa:  I brought my band to Israel.  This is where I met my third husband Naor Nave when I was at my sickest.  He is Israeli and when we first met he was a finalist for the Israeli Idol which is much like the American Idol.  We became involved and had a long distance relationship for about two years.  We were both working really hard in our individual music careers.  My health had actually gotten better since I was with my new husband Naor, but it wasn’t where I wanted it to be.

I had lived in Colorado for over 20 years and that was where my band was based out of.  Naor eventually moved back to Colorado to be with me.  We played our music at mid-national band level and did the touring thing.  Being in a local band got to be difficult, it was hard to juggle it all.  I was burnt out.  I was working so hard in the music business simply to maintain a financial level of being alright that it took away my creativity.  You just don’t have time to keep that outlet flowing when you’re constantly worried about the money.

Kathy:  What brought you to Maui?

Tempa:  My friend Elizabeth hired me as her personal assistant.  I had been working for her for a year.  She went to Maui for a vacation.  We have a mutual friend that is Hawaiian who lived there.  Elizabeth returned and said she wanted to move to Maui.  I said Man I’m sure everyone wants to move to Maui.  She replied I want you to move to Maui with me.  I told her I can’t move to Maui.
I told my husband about Elizabeth’s invitation to move with her and I didn’t think we could do it. Naor gave me his advice, first, why couldn’t we?  Second, if we didn’t would we regret it?  My answer to that question was I might.  I was never a Colorado girl I was originally from Florida and I have always loved the ocean.

After spending a month in Israel playing music, doing gigs, teaching Blues and American music, Naor and I arrived to Maui on December 31st, 2011.  We celebrated by watching the sunrise January 1st at the top of Mount Haleakala.

Michael Elam and Naor Nave

Kathy:  So you came to Maui with your husband Naor to take a chance and start a new life.  What inspired the formation of Soul Kitchen your new music group?

Tempa:  Myself, Naor, and my friend Elizabeth arrived to Maui.  We had only lived on island for two weeks when my friend Chrissy and I went to Makawao to walk the labyrinth at the Sacred Garden.  I was burnt out on music before I arrived to Maui.  I had stopped writing and I wasn’t being really creative anymore.  While sitting in the garden, I looked up to the heavens and said, look higher power if you want me to continue music you’re just gonna have to give me a sign you need to let me know if I should stay in this.  This is all I’ve ever wanted to be in my life was a musician, singer and songwriter.

Naor Nave, Tempa Nave, and Michael Elam

As we continued sitting in the beautiful space of this garden, I heard a sing-along just around the corner from where I was sitting.  I recognized a song they were singing and joined in.  They all turned to look and asked me to sit with them, and so I did. They passed a songbook around and we all went in order. I thought it was cool so I sang and it just so happens that a couple of the guys were radio DJs from Mana’o Radio.  One of the DJs is the President of the radio station, Michael Elam.   He is our piano player in Soul Kitchen.  He asked me to do a radio show and that was my sign from the universe.  Music immediately found me and I had only been on the island for two weeks.  The group Soul Kitchen formed at the Sacred Garden sing-along.  It was really quick and soon Michael Elam, Naor and I started jamming, just the three of us.  We started the Soul Kitchen Trio.  We kept growing and adding new band members.  We did more gigs and have grown into an eight piece group and changed our name to Soul Kitchen.

Soul Kitchen

Kathy:  What are Soul Kitchen’s future plans and opportunities?

Tempa:  We will have our first music video coming out next week.  This will be our first single with the band.

The people in the band are amazing.  We are family and we all love each other so much:

• Sue Wescott is our violin and fiddle player from Alabama.  From 1967-1977 she landed her first professional job with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.  She studied with Ivan Galamian and Sally Thomas and has played with every major tour and major artist you can possibly think of.  She attended Juilliard at the age of 12.  She is classically trained.   
• Bruce Boege is our sax player; he has been nominated for a Grammy.  He is a great jazz guy, songwriter and sound engineer.  
• Michael Elam is our keyboardist and President of Mana’o Radio.  He volunteers his time all over the island.  This is his first big music project.  He just turned 65 and is really excited. 
• Kevin Garland our drummer plays the Cajon.  He is in his thirties and the youngest in our band.  He is also from Colorado and went to school for recording and engineering 
• Kerry Sofaly is our other drummer and plays Cajon, washboard and percussion.  He also performs with the Haiku Hillbillies. 
• We are heading in the genre of Zydeco, New Orleans funk and soul we are making that are main sound that is why we added Marcus Johnson our main bass player.  He has played with everybody and is an amazing jazz player.  
• Tempa Nave lead vocals and songwriter
• Naor Nave guitar, vocals, and songwriter

Soul Kitchen

Kathy:   Will Soul Kitchen release an album soon and when?

Naor and I probably have at least thirty songs in our catalog right now.  We are releasing singles this is the way to go.  After you have six singles you can then create an EP.

The second release will be given to a publicist who has some connections with influential people.  They seem to think the song is a hit.  I did vocals on that ballad.  We will release one more single before that as the band Soul Kitchen.  This second release I wrote and sing lead vocals is a mushy love song called “Kiss Me” It is written for my husband Naor and inspired by a really good friend.  The lyrics tell a story of finally finding that love after thinking it wasn’t really possible.

Kathy:  How is your health nowadays?

Tempa:  My health is pretty good today I would say I am in remission and have completely got myself off of methotrexate.   This is an anticancer medication for Lupus patients.  I am healthier than I have been for quite some time.

Soul Kitchen

Kathy:  Would you say that living here on Maui is instrumental in your healing?  I have heard from other people that Maui has improved their health.  Their lifestyle is different or perhaps there is good mana here?

Tempa:  Maui definitely has beautiful energy to it.  I just don’t do well in high elevations or cold climates.  My body doesn’t hurt like it used to when I was living in Colorado.  I would say I am pretty damn good.

BIG Mardi Gras show on Fat Tuesday, 

February 28th at Mulligan's on the Blue.  

Reservations recommended 808.874.1131.

To learn more about Soul Kitchen and where you can see them perform visit the following sites:
https://soulkitchenmaui.com/home
www.tempasinger.com
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Soul Kitchen You Tube Channel
Tempa You Tube Channel

"Life On Maui" interview with Steve Freid

The magic of synchronicity and playfulness can take you to special places if you are paying attention.  In 2011, I was paying attention.

One day I would plan my move from California to Hawaii. As a single working mother, I waited patiently for the signs. To keep my sanity and remain patient I dreamt about Maui; I immersed myself in books, videos, movies, and TV shows.  I was obsessed with it - this was my way of staying connected to the land of Aloha - a place my heart called home. I write about this in my novel “The Maui Magical Mystical Tour.”  Keeping my dreams in focus eventually led me to Maui.

Steve Freid host of "Life on Maui"

In July 2011, I discovered the Life on Maui Show hosted by Steven Freid on YouTube. I liked it. It offered the kinds of topics I hunger for: inspiration, spiritual teachings, the law of attraction and many more subjects. I enjoyed its informal, casual and beachy settings. I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to meet Steve when I am on Maui?

A year later in July 2012 I moved to Maui. The magic of the Internet guided me to my first home in the mystical Haiku jungle. One day while shopping at Mana natural foods store, I saw the Life on Maui guy – Steven Freid. I introduced myself to him and let him know how much I enjoyed his shows. We became friends, and here he is at Keawakapu Beach graciously sharing his life’s journey with us.

Kathy:  What has been your biggest inspirations that have led you to where you are today?

Steve:  I have always been a film and talk show buff. I grew up in a family of artists.  In our household, there was a great love of literature, film, music, and talk shows. We loved to discuss film and literature.  This love for film inspired me to start a small chain of video rental stores in Pennsylvania in the heyday; 1981 through 1994. I love the art form of movies. By owning the video stores I stayed connected to that love.

Kathy: Why did you decide to relocate to Maui?

Steve:  Before I settled on Maui, I had my eye on many places in the world.  I considered Byron Bay, Australia and a little island off Auckland, New Zealand called Waiheke.  I also thought of San Diego and South Florida. I traveled a lot to Jamaica; I loved it for its culture, music and the spirited, heartfelt people who were simple and beautiful. The food was wonderful too. I also checked out Costa Rica and Mexico, but none of these places fit me right.

I discovered Maui by tagging along with an ex girlfriend who was attending a conference. I spent 10 days on the island. My first blush on Maui was, oh my God this place is developed and full of strip malls.  I returned a year later and this time my feelings for Maui had flipped. I experienced it as a place with first world amenities and third world beauty! Maybe saying that is not politically correct but that is how it feels to me. Maui is the most beautiful, wonderful place in the world!

I moved to Maui 13 years ago just in time for the Maui Film Festival which takes place in June. I came with a clean slate. I had no relationship and no career in mind. I was open to all possibilities.
The first person I met on Maui was this very intuitive woman.  We quickly became friends and one day she said to me, you would be really good at hosting a talk show with your interests, personality and looks. She told me about the Akaku community access TV station and I followed up on it. There I met Bob Steiff and we collaborated on shows for two years. It was a perfect fit; I enjoyed being in front of the camera and he was masterful behind the camera.

Kathy: Do you believe in the Maui Magic?  And if so, what does it mean to you?

Steve:  Yes indeed, Kathy… this place is a place of magic; breathtaking and life-nurturing in every way! It is a small island yet so diverse in climate… from a day at the beach you can take a 40 minute drive 3000 feet up the mountain where you need to wear a sweater. You can hike into Haleakala’s volcanic crater or drive to rain forests and waterfalls. The different sides of the island hold different things. The south side, where I live now, has gorgeous stretches of beach and great hotels. The North Shore where I used to live has a more local culture and instant connection with the Maui family.

Kathy:  Paia is known for the hippy or Bohemian culture.  There are a lot of spiritual, intellectual and philosophical people.  Some don’t have much in the way of possessions, but it doesn’t seem to matter to them.

Steve:  That’s true. There are some people living alternative lifestyles.  I know this guy who lives 100% off the grid… no utilities, no water, no electricity.  He is a creative soul and makes instruments and sells them.  This is his lifestyle and how he chooses to live. A big part of Maui living is the openheartedness and instant connection. For example, Kathy, you saw me on the Internet and then moved to Maui and we meet at Mana Foods. That is instant connection!  You find yourself hugging people and having wonderful conversations even at Costco… that is part of the Maui Magic.  People here on Maui are not standoffish or overprotected, they are more laid back and approachable.  Something drops when you come here.  People become more accessible… that is the nature of this place.

Another thing I love about Maui is the idea that what you have is not a measure of who you are… and that is very meaningful to me.   You can be at the same party with a multimillionaire and someone who has very little and lives off the grid… and there’s no sense of judgment. WHO we are is more important… not what we HAVE. That is big part of the Maui Magic.

Steve Freid

After my 60th birthday, I left Maui for Thailand for a year and a half… I was seeking a relationship and the financial situation was more inviting there. I always wanted to try the “ex-pat” thing. Unfortunately, Thailand never felt like home to me. After giving it my very best shot, I came back to Maui. Upon landing here, I felt like kissing the ground because I knew this was home!. The only question was, how to find the kind of relationship I desired.  I continued to work on myself and did a lot of inner cleaning to open up a space for that to happen. Within six months, I met the love of my life, Radhe.  I have never experienced anything like it before … it was love at first sight!!

Kathy:  Do you ever wonder why you left Maui in search for love when all this time it was in your back yard.  A lot of people go searching far places for peace, joy, love etc. when many times it was always there.

Steve:  HaHa… Even Dorothy had to leave Kansas to find the answer!

Steve Freid and Harold Bloomfield

Kathy:  Who were the first celebrities that you interviewed?

Steve Freid and Joe Vitale

Steve:  I met my first national guest celebrity at the Maui Film Festival; David Welsh,  the producer of the movie the Peaceful Warrior.  I think it was my 6th show.  I really loved that interview.  He had worked with Hal Ashby, the man who directed some of my favorite movies: Harold and Maude, Being There and Coming Home with Jane Fonda.  He had great stories to tell.  I interviewed  Harold (Hari) Bloomfield, MD  - a psychiatrist and New York Times best-selling author who did a whole series of“Making Peace” books… with your parents, your past, yourself, God, etc.  Hari and I became best friends; we are like brothers.  I interviewed him twice; once about his fascinating life story, where he reveals his “dark night of the soul” for the first time publicly. And the second time about the goddess culture on Maui and even the Maui goddesses liked it… HaHa!  I interviewed John Demartini and Joe Vitale from the movie The Secret and wonderful best selling author Marianne Williamson who wrote “A Return to Love" and many other books. Those are some examples; there are plenty of others!

Steve Freid and Marianne Williamson

Kathy:  Two part question: what is your advice for someone who has a dream but feels stuck in life.  And  how did you meet your love Radhe.  How did you open your heart to create the space?  What kind of inner work did you do?

Steve:  Both are fundamental questions. What we want and who we want to be with! We all have gifts. I feel my gifts have to do with healing, entertainment, and communication.  One of my healing gifts was expressed as a professional hypnotherapist when I was 25, and later in life (after owning video stores) another healing gift was to be a massage therapist which I did for 10 years.  I became very successful quickly and worked in chiropractic offices and spas.  I had a thriving home-based practice and went to other people’s homes as well.

Steve Freid and John Demartini

And lastly, there is my passion for communication and entertainment; that is where the Life on Maui Show comes in.  So to answer your question… everybody has a gift. It is a matter of trusting it. We need to trust that gifts are given to us and the possibility for a livelihood comes with them.  We need to identify and cultivate these gifts and share them with others.

Steve Freid and Pali Summerlin

About relationships; we’ve all tried them in many forms… casual, serious, marriage, children, etc. And we’ve all had our disappointments. I have always been somebody who has done a lot of personal growth work.  I did all kinds of seminars and workshops that helped.  Four years ago I met Pali Summerlin. Her method has been very helpful in bringing light and clarity to my life and the lives of many others.  I've interviewed her twice.  Check out “Reclaim Your Attention From What Doesn't Work”, Life On Maui with Steven Freid   I really got in touch with what I wanted… a relationship that works beautifully at every level – body, mind and spirit. We are these beautiful, infinite beings walking around in these finite bodies and I feel it is our mission to get back to that simple truth.  We might call this our innocent child self. The essence of every religion has stated the same thing.  What is heaven?  Heaven is experiencing Peace, Love, Trust, Ease… our true nature! Another foundational influence in my life has been my life teacher, Prem Rawat, whom I met when I was 19.  He taught me what’s truly important in life and how to go within to find it!!  He is the first one to say “What you are looking for is within you” and I have been cultivating that practice my whole life. It’s that beautiful experience we desire… not in an egotistical sense, but by getting in touch with our authentic selves.

Radhe was also doing her part before we met. She was doing “inner cleaning” in her own ways. She was doing a lot of meditation, sun gazing, and inner transformation work.  So when we met, we were two beings who had done a lot of inner work.  When I saw her it was love at first sight… not lust at first sight, but love at first sight!  It was a body, mind, spirit experience and I got it, I really got it.  I was very transparent from the onset and I think that is very important. Being transparent does not mean being rude or being honest in a weird way, it just means being willing to be vulnerable; to be willing to be true to ourselves.  I put all my cards on the table and it worked in the best sense of the word.

Steve Freid and Radhe

My mother made a beautiful ring which I have been holding for 17 years. I knew one day I would give it to the woman of my dreams and I figured at the right time this special ring will fit her finger like Cinderella’s slipper. A year ago, I gave that special ring to Radhe as an engagement ring. It was perfect. We have been engaged for a year now. We don’t have any dates set, however, we are fully engaged; our connection feels complete. It is body, mind, and spirit.  In the past I sacrificed parts of that; we all have done that.  We think we have to settle.  This time there are no sacrifices for both of us … we have it all.  It's also been fun and creative for us to co-host the Life on Maui Show for the past year!

Kathy:  What was Radhe's clearing practice.

Steve: She is very inner driven.  I have tremendous respect for her in every which way.  She also has a guru that she met a number of years ago.  Watch my interview with her:  Bolivia to Brooklyn: Reinventing Myself - A Life Story.  Radhe’s clearing practice was through sitting meditation.  Sometimes she would meditate 4 to 5 hours a day. This was her path.  She had the time to do it; she created that time in her life.

There is a Byron Katie quote, “The worst thing that could ever happen to you is a thought.”  It is really true that people kill themselves over a thought.  We have all experienced that. These thoughts are sometimes our worst nightmares. In her meditations Radhe could recognize her thoughts and not identify with them.  She could separate herself from her thoughts so she could align herself with who she really is.

We all have negative thoughts and emotions.  Radhe would be the first to say that sometimes she would cry for an hour or two in the middle of her meditations releasing old emotional wounds and negative thinking and came to a peaceful place within her.  She had quite an intense childhood in Bolivia.

I am more of a communicator. Even though I meditate regularly and find lot of peace through that practice, it is not my way of processing as much as it is for her.  I like to process in dialogue… I like someone to process with. Ultimately she processes more within and I process more through interaction with her, trusted friends and confidants.  An important part of relationships is self acceptance and acceptance of others.  We all have different ways and there is no right way or wrong way.

 Kathy:  You look fit and young.  You never seem to age.  What keeps you healthy and youthful?

Steve:   Thank you for that.  I have a regiment I follow.  I meditate for at least an hour every day.  I have been doing this for 40 years and almost never miss a day. Here on Maui, I swim almost every day in the ocean.  I come to the beach after 3pm so I don’t get the hot sun. The water is so healing.  I feel that is a big part of what keeps me young.  Plus I have a great diet.  I have been a vegetarian for over 40 years. I eat very healthy and it’s not because I’m trying to eat healthy, I actually like eating this way.  I don’t have a propensity for junk food.  That said, I enjoy the occasional pizza or piece of cake.  I’d say 90 to 95% of my diet is really healthy and 75% of my diet is raw foods.  I start my day with a magnificent smoothie. First, I pulverize 2 tablespoons of whole flax seeds in a blender; then I add organic green vegetable juice, carrot juice, handfuls of kale, banana, pineapple, berry mix and a heaping teaspoon of Spirulina. I drink Yerba Mate too.  It is a South American beverage that is very good for the brain cells and loaded with antioxidants.  For dinner I have an enormous organic salad and a delicious cooked dish.

The four main things that keep me youthful are meditation, nature, diet… and being in love!!

Kathy:  To learn more about the Life on Maui Show, see the links below for a sampling of the programs and how to reach him:
Life on Maui
Facebook Life on Maui TV
Facebook Groups Life on Maui Show
Twitter Steve Freid
Linkedin Steven Freid
Pinterest Life on Maui

Our Newest Show as of 11/25/16: Protecting People, Protecting the Land - Shaka | Life on Maui Show | Beth Savitt

A Return to Love, Spiritual Growth, Activism | Marianne Williamson | Life on Maui with Steven Freid

I Was Never Wrong | Innocence and Forgiveness | Life on Maui with Steve and Radhe

Fine Artist on Maui | Semyon Bilmes | Life on Maui with Steven Freid

A Simple Solution for Climate Change! | Life on Maui with Steven Freid

Maui Vision Rental Commercial - Share the Aloha!

Aloha Friends and Past Guests!  

Mahalo for being our valued Maui Vision customer. We want to assist you, your family and friends with your next trip to Maui. Maui Vision has been in business since 2002 and we look forward to serving you in the years ahead.

We advertise on various sites and see a trend of rising fees to everyone.  To save money and avoid additional cost, book through us direct: http://www.mauivision.com/rentals/kiheiakah.htm

For weekly updates on last minute condo specials, stories and pictures of Maui and the Hawaiian Islands, please like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MauiVisionRentals 

October through December 2016 Specials for available dates only.  Please view our condo calendars below:

Kanai A Nalu #414

NEW offering!  Elegant, Full Remodel Vacation Home!

Two bed, two bath - Top floor. Ocean front ocean view condo on beautiful Sugar Beach! Centrally located twenty minutes to Lahaina and Wailea.  Listen to the sounds of the ocean. View more: https://mauivision.com/rentals/prop1037.htm

Kihei Akahi Resort C313

SALE $99 Oct through Nov 16th (check calendar for open dates only)

One bed, one bath - Beautiful upgraded condo with lush garden views.  This very comfortable home attracts repeat visitors! View more: https://mauivision.com/rentals/prop1002.htm

Kihei Akahi Resort C617

Sale $99 now through Oct 31st (check calendar for open dates only)

One bed, one bath - Asian style decor home.  Great ocean and garden views on the 6th floor. View more: http://www.mauivision.com/rentals/prop1008.htm

Kihei Akahi Resort D402

SALE $125 now through November 15th

SALE $145 Nov 16th through Dec 14th

Check calendar for open dates only

Two bed, two bath - Fourth floor - Extra comfortable space for family of four! Panoramic ocean view from the living room, kitchen, and lanai! View more: http://mauivision.com/rentals/prop1006.htm

SPOTLIGHT!

Derick Yu

 

Click the link below to learn about one of our owners Derick Yu and his wife Jean. They own at the Kihei Akahi, unit C313. 

Derick wrote a book "Strength and Grace" which is about Ashtanga yoga.

Visit my blog and learn more about Derick's story and where to purchase his book.  

http://mccartneytropicalexpressions.blogspot.com/2016/08/derick-and-jean-yu-ihave-known-derick.html

“The Maui Magical Mystical Tour”

Purchase Kindle or
 paperback on Amazon.com

“The Maui Magical Mystical Tour” is a funny and moving spiritual story about a middle aged woman reinventing her life in the mystical Haiku Jungle of Maui.  Author and Artist Kathy McCartney, owner unit C618 at the Kihei Akahi Resort.

Thank you for being a valued customer at Maui Vision and McCartney Fine Art! We hope to bring the Aloha spirit to you. Learn more about our services at http://mccartneyfineart.com.

"Kauai Bali Hai Once Upon a Time"  Metal art by artist
Kathy McCartney visit Maui Hands Gallery Paia, Maui

Kathy McCartney, Author-Artist

Real Estate Salesperson #77317

Owner Maui Vision Rentals

P.O. Box 994

Kihei, HI 96753

Office Number: (808) 989-6369

Baldwin Beach Park Erosion - Save our Beaches

Baldwin Beached Mermaid
(click to enlarge image)

Baldwin Beach Park is a place I return to often to keep my life in balance.  I need my beach time like many others who live here. There is an attraction to be near the ocean for its rejuvenating properties and natural beauty. Why be indoors in a gym to exercise when we have great weather year round on Maui. The best things in life are free.

Beautiful Baldwin Beach normal
conditions (click to enlarge image)

I live less than 20 minutes to this picturesque beach an artist dream location. It is one of my favorites on the island for its aqua blue water and white soft sand. The light blue ocean is constantly in motion along the beautiful shores of the West Maui Mountains with its dramatic entrance into the heart of Iao Valley. The mountain tip ends at the head of Kahakuloa.  It is an ideal place to relax, meditate and exercise. The long sandy beach makes it great for running and walking. It is a gathering place for the locals who come to meet their friends and bring their fur babies to socialize. This beach is for families that come together and play. At the far west end of the park there is a protected area called Baby Beach. It is ideal for all ages especially the little ones because the water is calm. It is a natural salt water swimming pool. Turtles are often seen here. 

Cement block with wiheels
(click to enlarge image)

August 3^rd 2016, I noticed something different about Baldwin. I noticed the erosion seemed excessive, more so than usual. I found new things unearthed by the ocean that day. I found a cement block with wheels (see picture). Over the last few years during my runs on the beach, I never noticed this big object before. Now, there were many more trees, more cement blocks, wires, and old plumbing and pipes too. I thought this was strange. Every visit since that day, I took notice of the shrinking beach cutting my running path short.     

Jack Bunch, Maui lifeguard

I showed the picture of the cement block with wheels to my friend Jack Bunch, who has been a Maui lifeguard for eight years. He thought this might be the remnants from the old lime kiln that used to operate on this beach many years ago. He had never seen it exposed before. 

“Maui Agriculture Co., run by Alexander and Baldwin, constructed the Paia Lime Kiln in 1907. Over much of the next seven decades, sand and coral were excavated from the beach to manufacture hydrated lime for plantation uses, build roads and airstrips and also produce cement during wartime. Railroad tracks and a roadway ran through the area. Portions of the old asphalt roadbed are sometimes visible on the beach today.” Excerpt from article:  http://legacyprojectshawaii.com/2007/2007-04-19.php  

Exposed pipes and building parts

Lifeguard station on shrinking beach

Jack has lived on Maui for over thirty years and moved here when he was seven.  He learned to body surf at this beach and is a fisherman and has seen the changes. He has witnessed a few years of extra heavy erosion and this year 2016 was no exception. He told me the sand on the east side of the beach used to stretch out further. There used to be many more iron wood trees, park benches, a lifeguard storage facility, and a public bathroom. All of that has since been taken by the sea. When the annual cycle of ocean whisks away the sand between August and September on the east side of this park, the beach shrinks and exposes buried trunks of large trees and rooted stumps but not to the degree we are witnessing this year 2016.  This summer, it was more like a forest graveyard with relics of the past revealing itself. 

Shower collapses

I asked Jack what his thoughts were on the matter. He believes it is from the man made sea walls. He has noticed that the water patterns are irregular. These man-made barriers change the flow of the ocean. Jack added that the beach always comes back after those two months, but he has observed overall the beach is slowly disappearing. 

Parking lot meets the sea and more
exposure of pipes and new fallen trees

Mid-August, almost two weeks later, the outdoor shower falls into the ocean and there are

new collapsing trees. This confirmed to me something was out of the ordinary. That same day I saw Heidi, of Ailana Surveying & Geomatics.  I have seen her several times over the years on this beach with her equipment and knew she was monitoring the beach and ocean. I was interested more than ever to find out what was going on. Was this the result of global warming or something else?  Heidi put me in touch with Tara Owens, Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist, University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, and County of Maui Planning Department. Both ladies agreed to share their knowledge for this blog story.  I thank you for your contribution and I hope your story can help us make a difference and bring awareness to this issue.

Question:  What is causing this extensive erosion that we are experiencing this summer on Baldwin Beach?  Should we be concerned?  Will the beach come back? 

The high waves from NW swell 
reaches the pavilion.

Heidi:  As of September 18^th we just had a couple small NW swells that started to bring the beach back to the Cove. The summer erosion at the Cove is temporarily reversed during the winter; however, the long-term trend for the Cove is chronic erosion.  During the 4.5 years of our study this summer 2016 and the summer of 2012 standout as having especially dramatic erosion at the Cove.

Heidi Sherman with her 

survey-grade GPS.

Yes, I think we should be concerned, at least to the extent that we should consider relocating the pavilion and adjacent parking lot farther away from the ocean. In the future we may even want to consider alternatives to leaving the rock revetment in place.

Tara:  Beaches are dynamic systems. Sand is always moving, both onshore/offshore and alongshore. This is the natural function of a beach as it forms the buffer between land and sea. All of Maui's beaches are eroding in the long term.  Generally speaking, the primary driver of this trend is rising sea levels, which forces shorelines to chronically retreat (move landward over time). Additionally, there are seasonal events (i.e. winter or summer waves) and episodic events (i.e. storms) that can cause temporary or permanent changes to the shoreline. Finally, these forces are often complicated and exacerbated by human influences on the sand supply (i.e. sand mining and seawalls or revetments).

Baldwin Beach Parking lot flooded

Speaking long-term, Baldwin Beach has had the highest rates of erosion on the island (up to 5 ft. /yr., compared to an island average of about 0.6 ft. /yr.).  This is a function of natural and human causes. The beaches on the north shore of Maui, particularly Baldwin, were heavily mined for sand (for lime and cement) up until the 1970s. This created a deficit in the sand supply for the beach, leading to chronic erosion. This practice was outlawed statewide with the adoption of the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Act (Hawaii Revised Statues 205A) in 1977.

Parking lot near the gazebo

To add to these chronic trends, there are seasonal trends that are also complicated by natural and human factors. The erosion you are observing right now at the east end ("the Cove") is a common seasonal change, and the beach will recover very quickly when the first winter swells arrive, usually in late September. Our data shows that the beaches will likely return to about average conditions (width and volume) by mid-November.  What happens here is that the seasonal NE trade wind waves (about April to September) create a longshore current that pushes sand from east to west over the summer season. The trend reverses when the NW winter swells arrive (September to March), pushing sand back from west to east, and the cove recovers. 

However, this natural process is further complicated by the presence of the old rock revetment to the east that used to protect a lime kiln used for sugar cane. The revetment disrupts sand transport down the coast from the Paia side, so during the summer sand is pushed away from the down drift side of the revetment, creating a sediment void, which results in extreme shoreline retreat of 100 feet or more. If the revetment weren't there, the seasonal erosion would not be as extreme.

Finally, this seasonal erosion, while typical, has reached a new extreme this year, which is clearly shown in the data (see pictured graphic), and of course by your observations. This is possibly related to strong and consistent trade winds over the summer that may be related to larger climate trends, such as ENSO patterns.  El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a naturally occurring phenomenon that involves fluctuating ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. The warmer waters essentially slosh, or oscillate, back and forth across the Pacific, much like water in a bath tub.

Question:  What is the device Heidi uses to study Baldwin Beach with and what data is she collecting. What made you select Baldwin Beach to study or do you also take readings from the other Maui beaches and if Baldwin specifically, why?  

Tara:The data is being gathered by my friend and colleague, Heidi Sherman. We started this project together in 2012, in support of a Maui College student who was studying the beach changes for one year in pursuit of his Marine Options Program certificate. Since that time, Heidi has single handedly continued the surveys out of interest in scientifically documenting the changes in such a dynamic system.

The surveys were started in April 2012, and have been collected roughly every month with some exceptions. The surveys collect topographic data for the entire beach using survey-grade GPS equipment. The data from each survey can then be compared to look at changes to shoreline location and sand volume over time. After 4.5 years, this data is becoming a very rich set.  If Heidi continues, we may eventually be able to find a correlation to ENSO activity (as expressed by local winds).

Heidi:  I do quasi-monthly beach surveys on the main stretch of Baldwin Beach. Less frequently, I do beach surveys east of the rock revetment to Paia Bay. If we consider alternatives to the rock revetment or expand facilities at Baldwin Beach Park it will be useful to understand beach behavior on the Paia side too. I also do beach surveys at other Maui beaches through our company Ailana Surveying & Geomatics

I studied geology and my husband, Anthony Crook, is a Professional Land Surveyor. We own Ailana Surveying & Geomatics LLC.  I enjoy collecting and analyzing data that show how beaches change seasonally and year-to-year and comparing this with changes in seasonal and year-to-year wave data.  Hopefully the beach data we collect will also support finding smarter solutions to beach erosion issues.

To learn more about Baldwin Beach and the scientific data that Tara Owens and Heidi Sherman are gathering we encourage you to join the Baldwin Beach Study Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/481639085321487/

Or Baldwin Beach Study Google+ community:

https://plus.google.com/communities/101241207529750891959

Please upload your photos and observations of Baldwin Beach.

Question:  Besides your Face Book and Google+ page what other websites or videos can I include in this interview to share with the world?

Tara: There is lots of stuff out there. Here are a few videos/presentations relating to local Maui issues:

For those who want to dive in deeper for the history of this North Shore area, here is an article written by Rob Parsons, currently the County's Environmental Coordinator, 10 years ago, but still very relevant: http://legacyprojectshawaii.com/2007/2007-04-19.php 

Maui Huliau Foundation:  "Restoring the Dunes" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ1k4IWrJE4

"Kahana Bay Erosion Mitigation through Regional Beach Nourishment" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-1qH--7EY

"Kahana Bay Regional Beach Nourishment Project" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn2Q_uX_Uk0

"Managing Maui's Dynamic Shorelines" - http://www.mnmrc.com/managing-mauis-dynamic-shorelines/

Question:  What is your educational background if any? Who sponsors the study?  Are you looking to raise money?  Do you want to bring awareness to the erosion problem?  How can we as people prevent damage to our coast line?

Tara:  I am a coastal geologist for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Program.  My program is based at UH Manoa on Oahu; however, I work and reside on Maui as a liaison to the Maui County Planning Department.  I work side by side with the County's coastal zone management (CZM) planners.  In this role, I serve as a science adviser providing technical expertise that informs County of Maui planning and decision-making activities for coastal resource management and coastal land use.  I also conduct formal and informal education and outreach activities on coastal processes, coastal hazards, climate change, and sea-level rise to educate a wide range of students, community members, and stakeholder groups.  My short bio is here:  http://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/tara-owens

Erosion is widespread on Maui.  There are general trends and causes, but also the exact drivers and impacts can be somewhat site specific. We are always working to build awareness within the Maui community of the problem and the range of response options.

This study is currently not sponsored. As mentioned above, it was started as a student project and Heidi has kept it going for scientific interest. We have sought grant funding one time for additional support, and likely will pursue funding again.

Question:  Where can people volunteer to help clean the beach and protect the dunes?  Can people help fund the projects to nourish and rebuild the shoreline?

Tara:  The group that was featured in the dune restoration video is the South Maui Volunteers (aka Ho'aloha Aina).  They are an amazing team of folks from the community that have dedicated their entire existence to dune restoration. Bob and Lis Richardson lead that group, and they hold workdays every Monday. They mostly work in South Maui in the well-used beach parks; however, they collaborate on other projects around the island as requested. They also work with elementary school groups in South Maui.  There are many more videos on their website:  http://www.southmauivolunteers.com/

We are always trying to encourage and build other steward groups like the SMVs.

Another group that has been very good dune/beach stewards is the Paia Youth and Cultural Center, who have also worked collaboratively with us to restore dunes around their site and the adjacent Park parcels.

Question:  I see saving our coastline is your passion.  How did you fall into this line of work?  Was it a calling early on before attending college?  Or were you guided to this job and opportunity where one thing led to another.  I like to blog about people’s passion for Maui and what drives them to do what they do in life or inspire people to be of service to their Hawaii community.

Tara Owens

Tara:  For me, the short answer is:  This was an early childhood calling that led to opportunities I would have never known existed and then one thing led to another...

The long answer is:  I grew up in landlocked Tennessee.  My parents took us on family vacations periodically to coastal South Carolina, where my passion for the ocean was ignited. My parents tell a story from a visit to Myrtle when I was age 5.  I was recovering from chicken pox and they wouldn't let me swim in the ocean. No matter that I couldn't swim because I was happy to spend entire days digging buckets full of sand crabs in fascination, and my parents knew I was hooked.  Eventually I hoped to find a way to get a college degree in this area, so my parents helped me in high school to find Coastal Carolina University, which at the time was one of only a few undergraduate colleges in the US with a degree in Marine Science.  So, I went.  It wasn't until I got there and was inspired by, and afforded opportunities by, one of my college professors Dr. Paul Gayes, in the more specific focus area of coastal geology.  Before this time, I didn't even realize that the field of "coastal geology" existed and that I could have a career doing it. Dr. Gayes hired me as an undergraduate as a research technician, which is almost unheard of at the undergraduate level.  I worked with him and his team for all four years and loved every moment of it. We went up and down the entire South Carolina coastline collecting data on every single beach.  [Side note:  This just goes to show how important your teachers can be in your life.]  Because of this extensive experience, upon graduation I was offered a Research Assistantship for graduate school at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the prestigious School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology with coastal geologist Dr. Chip Fletcher as my adviser.  My research focused on historical shoreline changes at Waikiki Beach.  After receiving my Master’s degree, I returned to the mainland working first for the USGS and then NOAA.  However, Maui called and I returned in 2010 when this job became available.

Heidi Sherman with her keiki
(click to enlarge image)

Heidi:  I like beaches.  I grew up on Lake Michigan.  When I met my husband, Anthony, we lived on the beach in Durban, South Africa.  I’ve also lived near the coast in Maine and New Zealand.  I studied geology and Anthony studied geophysics and land surveying.  We got married on a beach on Oahu and then decided to move to Hawaii, where we started ‘Ailana Surveying & Geomatics.  Beach studies are a great way to combine interests in geology and land surveying.  I enjoy collecting and analyzing data that show how beaches change seasonally and year-to-year and comparing this with changes in seasonal and year-to-year wave data.  Hopefully the beach data we collect will also support finding smarter solutions to beach erosion issues.

As of today September 19, 2016 the "Cove" on the east side of Baldwin Beach is filling back in nicely and the sand is returning although the beach is missing a few more trees and shower.