Looking southeast along the beach at Ukumehame, west Maui. The south Maui coastline is visible on the horizon. This and other beaches like it on this part of the island all share a western leeward exposure, so the prevailing winds are lighter. The smaller wavesets make these beaches popular with novice surfers and less-energetic bathers. The wide sandy beaches are relatively flat, stable, and free of high dunes, so weekend car and tent campers can set up close to the waterline. - Footprints in Paradise: Photos of Maui & the Hawaiian Islands

This part of the island is dominated by the cloud-capped heights of the West Maui Mountains, the other member of the pair of volcanoes (which includes Haleakala) responsible for the formation of Maui.

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Michael Garrison > View of the Ka'anapali side of the West Maui Mountains from the Au'au Channel, inbound for Lahaina Harbor, West Maui.

Michael Garrison > Ma'alaea Harbor and the town of Ma'alaea are strung out along the beach at the foot of the West Maui Mountains, west Maui.

Michael Garrison > Looking northwest along a rock-strewn beach near Ukumehame, west Maui. The neighbor island of Lana'i is visible on the horizon.

Michael Garrison > Lonely stretch of beach south of Ukumehame State Park in west Maui. The neighbor island of Moloka'i can be seen on the horizon under a towering bank of clouds.

Michael Garrison > Child waiting patiently to be swept out to sea, Ukumehame State Beach, west Maui.

Michael Garrison > The tiny neighbor island of Molokini seems to float on the horizon behind a surfer off one of the beaches near Ukumehame, west Maui. The wavesets here are usually not more than shoulder-height out where this fellow is paddling. This fact, combined with the flat, sandy, boulder-free bottom of these beaches makes them very popular with novice surfers and casual bathers.

Michael Garrison > This old Kiawe tree was a casualty of the big Kona storm that struck the leeward side of Maui in December of 2007. The storm brought heavy sustained rains and flooding for an entire week; the waves and heavy seas scoured the leeward beaches of sand, gravel, and cobbles. Ukumehame, west Maui.

Michael Garrison > Fruit stand at the roadside, Olowalu, west Maui. Mike the proprietor sits in a lawn chair stationed nearby so he can keep an eye on the crates of fresh island fruits and vegetables. Other family members wait on customers and sell fresh-fruit smoothies from the "van"; their fresh cane juice is unbelievably good.

Michael Garrison > Launiupoko State Wayside, about 10 miles south of Lahaina, west Maui. Lanai is visible across the Auau Channel in the morning haze.

Michael Garrison > Paunau Beach Park -- Looking northwest toward Lahaina. One of the many small pull-out beaches south of town. Local fishermen and families with children use this and other parks around Lahaina.

Michael Garrison > Paunau Beach Park, west Maui. A lone fisherman mans his two surf rods on a beautiful April morning.

Michael Garrison > Halloween 2005 in Lahaina.

Don't be fooled by this band's lack of heavy hardware: they were punchin' it out loud and long (and even sounded better and looked more enthusiastic than the Lahainaluna Marching Band). BTW: The ABC Store in the background goes back to the 1960s.

Looking southeast along the beach at Ukumehame, west Maui. The south Maui coastline is visible on the horizon. This and other beaches like it on this part of the island all share a western leeward exposure, so the prevailing winds are lighter. The smaller wavesets make these beaches popular with novice surfers and less-energetic bathers. The wide sandy beaches are relatively flat, stable, and free of high dunes, so weekend car and tent campers can set up close to the waterline.