After the initial climb, scan the ocean for humpback whales. They migrate from the North Pacific to Maui, arriving in October and leaving in May. While in the Maui area they occupy themselves calving, nursing, breeding, and generally horsing around.
While descending broad Kealaloloa Ridge, watch for two native shrubs, `ilima and `iliahialo`e, the coastal sandalwood. `Ilima has oblong, serrated leaves, about 1-inch long. The yellow orange flowers strung together have been used to make a regal lei, both in ancient and modern Hawai`i. `Iliahialo`e has oval, gray-green leaves about 1 to 2 inches long and tiny white star-shaped flowers. `Iliahialo`e is partially parasitic, with outgrowths on its roots that steal nutrients from nearby plants. Early Hawaiians ground the fragrant heartwood into a powder to perfume their kapa.
Look for another native shrub, `a`ali`i, in Kaheawa pastures and lower down by the last gulch. It has shiny, narrow leaves and red seed capsules. Early Hawaiians used the leaves and capsules in making lei. When crushed, the capsules produced a red dye for decorating kapa (bark cloth).