Kingston Images

A rare moment of tranquility settles over Kalaupapa's small harbor as sunset breaks through storm clouds on Molokai's isolated northern coast. This concrete pier—a relatively modern addition to the settlement—represents a vital connection to the outside world that early residents lacked. When the first Hansen's disease patients were forcibly relocated here in 1866, they arrived at a rocky, inhospitable shoreline where supply ships could only land in fair weather, often forcing sailors to throw provisions overboard for patients to retrieve from the surf. For decades, unreliable deliveries meant frequent food shortages and hardship. Even today, this modest dock remains the primary entry point for most supplies and one of only three ways to access the settlement, alongside small aircraft and the steep trail descending the 2,000-foot sea cliffs visible in the distance. As darkness approaches, the harbor's calm waters reflect both Kalaupapa's continued isolation and its enduring resilience—a community that survived not only disease but the powerful forces of both nature and human fear.