The story of King Kamehameha I (the Great) is inherently connected with the history and people of the Big Island of Hawaii. Celebrated for uniting the Hawaiian Islands under his rule in 1810, nowhere else on the island does the great leader Kamehameha's mana (spirit) feel stronger than right here in North Kohala. Driving north toward the town... of Kawaihae on Highway 19, you are now entering the North Kohala section of the island, where the beloved King was born around the year 1758. Connect to Highway 270 and you will soon reach active Kawaihae Harbor, where fishing and dive boats depart daily. Pretty Spencer Beach Park is a hit with local families.