Which Island of Hawaii has Barking Sands?
Barking Sands Beach is located on the west side of Kauai on the grounds of the Pacific Missile Range Facility. It is part of the 17 mile beach that extends from Polihale Beach on the Mana Plain to Kehaka Beach near the west end of Kauai's Highway 50 (aka the Kaumualii Highway). Barking Sands Beach is within the perimeter a United States military facility, therefore you may not always be able to gain access. According to Hawaii state law, all of its beaches are considered public but you may still experience access problems at certain times, for various security or military related reasons.
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12 Comments
Dale R
One day while he was at sea and the dogs were tied as usual, he was caught in a very bad storm. For hours he battled the heavy seas until he was finally able to return to land. He was so exhausted that he crawled into his hut, forgetting to untie the dogs. When he awoke the next morning and went outside, the dogs were nowhere in sight. All he saw were three small mounds of sand where the dogs had been tied. As he stepped on one of the mounds, he heard a low bark. Another step brought another bark, still he couldn't find the dogs. Believing the dogs had been buried in the sand because of the storm, the fisherman began to dig. As each shovelful was removed, more sand took its place. He finally gave up, and every day after that when he crossed the beach he could hear the low barking. The dogs were never found and to this day the sands of Mana have been known as the Barking Sands. After a time, the old fisherman died, some say from a broken heart for losing his dogs. Time passed, and in 1921, the land area known as the Barking Sands was acquired by the Kekaha Sugar Company from the Knudsen family. On occasion private planes would land and take off from the grassy field used for pasture.
Carole Benner
I don’t know why others didn’t comment on the - “Typo”
Carole Benner
Should it not have stated “IS Barking Sands”? Or do you mean the sand barks?
Richard D. Boyle
Dale R, Thanks for relating the legend behind the name. It’s a story that I will remember.
Jack Kircher
ARF, ARF!
I don't know what they are either. I just took a chance and lost. I went to Maui and saw the BLACK sand beaches. I thought that was it.
Gardner Johnson
This is fun
Veronica Mccarty
Party time
William Krawchenko
well Dale that is the best fisherman story, but are you sure they were not dog fish, doganit it happened again got to put a musel on the on the dog fish.
Patrick Riggs
Interesting story, however having lived in Hawaii for five years, I've never heard it. The names simy comes from poreious sand which when the wind blows, is said to sound like thunder to dogs barking. There are porious sands all over the world, not just on Kauai. They are also called "singing sands."
Susan Kostenbauder
Thanks Dale, Sad but interesting. ..
Pat Spinelli
Very interesting thanks Dale
Patricia Beaudry
Why is it called barking sands?