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·Haleakala, Maui's National Park
Hale-a-ka-la (House of the Sun) is the name of the great volcano that makes up Maui's south and east coastline. Maui island is named after the demi-god whose legendary feats were used to benefit his people. The story of Maui snaring the sun at Haleakala came about because Maui was asked by his mother Hina to capture the sun in order to slow its progress across the sky, so she could finish her work and dry her fine tapa cloth. Maui journeyed up the slopes of the volcano to the eastern rim of its crater, and waited for morning to come. When Maui could see the first light of the sun peering above the edge, he made his rope into a lasso. Over the rim came the sun's longest leg. Maui, ever the quick one, tossed his rope and caught the leg, pulling the noose tight, then fastening the end to a strong wiliwili tree. The sun was angry now; as he stretched more legs over the crater's rim, Maui swung more rope and caught them fast. The sun roared at Maui, "What brings you here, delaying my journey with your tricks?" Maui answered, "I was with the gods when they planned your course; now you hurry across the sky to get to sleep earlier, and this has caused hardship to mortals. I won't release you unless you promise to travel more slowly." The sun's golden face turned red with fury and he refused. Maui picked up his magic club and swung at the sun, breaking eight of his sixteen legs. "Enough!" cried the sun. Maui said, "Let's come to an agreement. If you swear that you'll go slower across the sky half the year, I'll let you go." "All right," sighed the sun. And that's how it happens that for half the year the sun journeys slowly, creating long summer days, while for the other half of the year, the sun gets back to sleep as quickly as he can. 

The House of the Sun, Haleakala, became an independent national park in 1961. It is comprised of over 30,000 acres of public land, including the upper slopes of the volcano and fragile ecosystems of its varying landscape, the Kipahulu Valley rainforest and scenic pools of 'Ohe'o Gulch. Each year, more and more visitors reach the 10,000-foot summit of Haleakala. Consequently, it becomes increasingly important to preserve the park's ecosystems by minimizing human impact on the endangered species and pristine landscapes. 

Park Superintendent Don Reeser offers these tips for a safe and enjoyable experience in the park: Pay attention to the signs, stay on the marked trails, and don't feed the Nene birds. "It's very crowded at sunrise, so consider coming later. Sunset is particularly nice," he adds. On the Kipahulu side, safety is a big concern because of the danger of flash floods. Watch for the signs - if the water starts rising in a pool or stream, get out immediately. Be alert - it can be sunny along the lower slopes but raining in the Valley, so flooding can occur. 

Good news for this year is that plans have been laid to build a larger parking lot and first class restroom facilities at the Haleakala Visitor Center, and the restrooms will be renovated first at the Kipahulu Visitor Center. This will make camping at Kipahulu more comfortable. 

No permits are required for the Kipahulu Campground, located 1/8-mile south of the Kipahulu Visitor Center; camping is usually on a first come, first served basis. The campground overlooks oceanfront cliffs; be prepared for both sun and rain. Hosmer Grove Campground lies in the cloud belt of Haleakala, just below the 7,000-foot level. Be prepared for rain and cold, especially at night. Both campgrounds are car accessible. Permits are required for the wilderness campsites in the crater, and you must hike in. Camping permits are free and require a 10-minute orientation. The Wilderness Cabins are for visitor camping by advanced reservation lottery - they're very popular. Each person is limited to a maximum of three nights per 30-day period in wilderness area campsites and cabins, staying no more than two nights at any one site. Maximum group size in the wilderness is 12 people, at least one of which must be an adult aged 18 years or older. Each cabin is rented to only one group per night. There are three wilderness areas: Holua, with the closest cabin, lies at 6,940 feet in the shrubland near Ko'olau Gap. Kapalaoa cabin lies at the base of the cliffs on the south side of the valley at 7,250 feet. There is no campsite near this cabin. Paliku, at 6,380 feet, is at the east end of the wilderness valley at the base of a rainforest cliff. The new fee for cabin use is $75 per night, and covers the whole cabin for up to 12 people. Changes to a reservation and refunds can only be made until 3 weeks before the reservation date. Occasionally last-minute cabins are available, at which time the fee is $60. Call (808)572-4459; a valid credit card is needed to secure a reservation by phone. 

Haleakala National Park also offers guided hikes on a regular basis in both the Summit and Kipahulu areas. Waikamoi Cloud Forest Hike begins at Hosmer Grove just inside the park entrance. It's a three-hour, three-mile moderate hike available on Monday and Thursday at 9am. Rare native Hawaiian forest birds can be seen there. The Kipahulu Hike begins at Kipahulu Visitor Center at 9:30 am, Sunday through Friday. It's an easy, one-mile walk through cultural sites. Special hike and talk programs are featured monthly. For recorded updates, call (808)572-4400; for photos and more information, visit http://www.nps.gov/hale

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· Humpback Whale Tips for Tales 
It was 6:04 in the evening as the sun's sparkling rays began their descent in the flourishing stroke of a maestro's baton across the channel behind Lana'i. Against this deep blue canvas suddenly appeared a symphony of humpback whales, their bright bursts of vapor and white water marching up and down, much like black musical notes marking time in Arpeggio against a sheet of white paper. Here comes a train of spouts - mama, baby calf, and two escort whales chugging along. There goes a competition between two males, their knife blade-shaped pectoral fins slicing through the sea. Here, there and everywhere, white plumes punctuated the azure water as if charting a graph made for giants to read. At 6:24pm, the sun lowered its golden globe behind a purple cloud bank. Shadows were stretching across the scene like a curtain dropping on stage. The whales slowly dispersed, bidding a final farewell, aloha 'oe, to the sun and to me. 

Scenarios like this can happen during the height of the whale season in Maui County, usually February and March. Since the humpbacks frolic close to shore, chances are you can witness their playfulness from your hotel room, the beach or a restaurant. If you want to try photographing the whales from a boat or the shore, here are some tips for you to develop a tale of your own! 

With film cameras, ASA 200 or 400 film is recommended, and an 80-200mm zoom lens is helpful. Whether you use a digital, disposable or SLR camera, hold the camera steady and don't try to follow the motion of the whale. Take as many shots as you feel comfortable with to give yourself better odds for the perfect shot. With a video camera, you should avoid excessive zooming and never film into direct sunlight. 

Weather conditions and state of the ocean have a larger impact on your likelihood of seeing whales than time of day does, since the whales appear to be active throughout the day. Signs to look for when searching for whales are: a blow (spout) against the horizon, huge splashes of water caused by tail lobbing, breaching, or fin slapping, and a boat or small group of boats that's sitting still for no apparent reason. Of course, the best whale viewing comes from going on a whale watch tour. There is a wide variety of tours available from Maui, but most dedicated whale watch tours are two hours in length. 

The islands of Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe have long been recognized as the hub of action for Pacific humpback whales wintering in Hawai'i. As the nation's only National Marine Sanctuary dedicated to the humpback whale, the Hawaiian Islands are the primary place where endangered humpback whales mate and give birth. Because of this, it's important to pay attention to and remember the federal and state laws for marine mammal viewing. They were established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees National Marine Fisheries Service, National Marine Sanctuaries, and the State of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources. 

1) Remain at least 100 yards from humpback whales and 50 yards from other marine mammals (dolphins, monk seals and other whales). 

2) Observe turtles from a distance, and do not attempt to touch, ride or feed them. 

3) Limit your time observing an animal to one-half hour. 

4) Marine mammals and sea turtles should not be encircled by or trapped between boats. 

5) If approached by a marine mammal or turtle, allow the animal to pass. Boat engines should be put in neutral and boat movement should be from the rear of the animal. 

Remember to use extra caution while in the vicinity of mothers and young, and in other sensitive wildlife habitat, such as feeding, nursing or resting areas. Pursuit and feeding of marine mammals is prohibited by federal law. 

Some places to learn more about humpback whales, the sanctuary, and whaling are:

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary building
at 726 S. Kihei Road in Kihei.
Open to the public Monday-Friday from 10am to 3pm.

Maui Ocean Center, off Highway 30 at 192 Ma'alaea Road in Ma`alaea.
Open daily from 9am to 5pm.

Ocean Science Discovery Center,
off Highway 30 at The Harbor Shops at Ma'alaea, lower level.
Open daily, select hours.

Lahaina Heritage Museum,
upstairs in Old Lahaina Courthouse across from Lahaina Harbor.
Open daily from 9am to 5pm.

Whalers Village Museum, in Whalers Village
shopping complex on Ka'anapali Parkway, Ka'anapali.
Open daily from 9:30am to 10pm.

·Chef's Corner
A taste of paradise can be brought to your winter dinner menu with this popular chef's recipe, which won first place in the meat category at Taste of Lahaina 2004. 

Huli Huli Lamb Chops & Green Papaya Salad
Chef Michael Gallagher
Sea House Restaurant & Whale Watcher's Bar
at Napili Kai Beach Resort

Huli Huli Lamb Chops

24 Lamb Chops

Marinade:
1 cup, Shoyu (soy sauce)
1/2 cup, Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup, Sugar
1/4 cup, Lilikoi (passion fruit) concentrate
1 Tbsp. Whole Peppercorns
2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp. Minced Ginger
4 pcs. Bay Leaf
1/4 cup, Sweet Thai Chili sauce
1 cup Canola Oil 

Method:
Mix all ingredients except oil in a large mixing bowl until smooth, then thicken with oil and marinate lamb overnight in the refrigerator. Remove chops from the marinade and roast to the desired temperature. 

Green Papaya Salad

3, Green Papayas, julienne
2, Mangoes, julienne
1, Red Bell Pepper, julienne
1, Carrot, julienne
1 tsp. Sambal olek (hot sauce)
1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 cup, Sushi vinegar
1 cup, Mirin
1/2 cup, Sugar
1 Tbsp. Pickled Ginger, minced

Method & Assembly:
Whisk sugar with vinegar, mirin and ginger until dissolved, pour over remaining ingredients, and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Arrange 2 chops over the colorful salad on each plate.