(pAH ah) “dry and rocky”

About 8,000 years ago, dunes began forming atop Makawehi as sections of the sandy shoreline accumulated a reddish fossil soil overlay. This area became known as Paa Dunes, meaning “fence of lava rock” or “dry and rocky.” The tradewinds blowing from the northeast or mauka (mountain) side of this area have had the most dominant influence determining the shape of the dunes along this section of coast, with kona winds from the southwest having a minor influence. Erosion of the dunes has revealed land/tree snail fossils in the reddish fossil soils (paleosoils) found between the sand dune deposits. Also found are root casts called rhizocretions, the sand tubes cemented around the root of a living plant (usually the naupaka kahakai).