Aloha 'oe, Hawai'i

Having been in Hawaii for a week, it was now time to go visit Hawaii. Or as it is known locally, the Big Island. The newest island in the chain at about 400,000 years of age,  (another, Loihi, is forming south of Big Island and will be available for tourists to visit 10 to 100 thousand years from now when it emerges from the Pacific), the Big Island is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands at over 10,000 square kilometres. It is formed from five shield volcanos, the largest of which, Mauna Loa, comprises over half of the area of the Big Island. The highest mountain on earth (if measured from its base to summit at 10,100 metres), is also on the Big Island. Of course Mauna Kea is mostly underwater, so just 4,207 metres is above sea level. Still, this is high enough for the mountain to be snow covered in the winter. Mauna Kea, and Kilauea are the two active volcanos in Hawaii, with Kilauea being the more active and it was erupting - sort of - while we were there. We will visit Kilauea later in this chapter.

Hilo Rain Forest

We flew into Hilo arriving about 10:15 a.m., the largest of the metropilitan areas on the Big Island. Hilo is on the windward side of the Big Island, so it is classified as tropical rain forest. Indeed, with around 275 days of rain and an average rainfall of 3 metres, the vegetation and predominant colour around the area is in a word, green. Hilo houses all have metal roofs presumably to keep moss and other plants from growing on them. We lucked out weather wise, because when we arrived, it was a mostly sunny day. But it was very hot and humid.

We had reserved another Jeep Cherokee SUV for our travels on the Big Island, but when we went to pick it up, all they had left was a very small Jeep and an SUV that would make the FBI envious. All black, and about the length of a rail car, the 9 seat Chevy Suburban sure seemed comfortable when we literally climbed aboard, and with all possible options known to humankind (I am sure it was also amour clad), we decided to take it - what choice did we really have? We asked the rental agent what the gas mileage was like, he said he drove it from time to time and he got about 25 mpg (US gallon) or 9 litres per 100 km. Uh, huh. Never believe a car rental agent as we were to find out.

Rainbow Falls

As we pulled out of the parking lot, I cupped my hands and yelled across to my brother-in-law who was seated what seemed to me to be about 5 metres away that our first business of the day was to get some provisions for our drive before we left Hilo and the built up area. So we checked the GPS and found a grocery store less than a kilometre away. After filling up on snacks and water, we headed for our first destination, just on the northern fringes of Hilo. Rainbow Falls (Waianuenue in Hawaiian) is about 25 metres tall and is right next to the parking lot of Wailuku River State Park. We fell out of our SUV to check it out. We did not see a rainbow, but it was worth a stop. The Hawaiian Goddess, Hina, is said to live in the lava cave behind the falls. We did not see her either. Maybe she needs a rainbow to appear?

Roadside Colours

Since Hina was busy elsewhere, we started our drive out of Hilo along the Mamalahoa Highway (of course in Hawaii it cannot have just one name; it is also called the Hawaii Belt Road and Highway 19) that heads just inland along the coast north towards Waimea. We were going to be based near Kailua-Kona on the other side of the island for the next couple of nights, so we had about 150 kilometres to drive, barring stops along the way to admire the scenery. If we did not stop, this would be about a 2 hour drive as the road that circumnavigates the Big Island is pretty good with a decent speed limit. 

Actually, the highway was too good where we were to see much of anything other than houses, so just outside of town, we veered right onto the Old Mamalahoa Highway which hugs the coast at Onomea Bay (it is hard to know you are close to the coast because the tropical rainforest vegetation is really dense, overhanging the road and blocking the view beyond a couple of metres for the most part). The narrow and twisting road reminded us of the Road to Hana. I am not sure I would classify the road we were on as a highway despite its name. There were lots of flowers in the trees and alongside the road, and some rocks, coconuts and other vegation on the road for added atmosphere with the odd house hidden among the trees. 

What's Shakin'

As it was now early afternoon, our stomachs informed us that it was time to eat. A quick search of the GPS indicated that the only restaurant nearby was a drive-in called What's Shakin'. With visions of hamburgers and milkshakes in our heads, we continued up the Old Mamalahoa Highway for a couple more kilometres to the restaurant. We had the drive-in part right, at least we had to drive into the parking lot. There are picnic tables beside the food prep area located in a small building so it is not a drive-through. (I wonder if there are any drive throughs in Hawaii?). And there were no hamburgers or milkshakes. Instead, we ordered freshly made turkey and fish wraps with avocado picked from the farm behind What's Shakin'. Mango smoothies were also on the menu and were quite delicious. This is definitely worth a stop for lunch if you are in the area. It certainly attracts Canadians; the four people at the table beside us were from Hamilton. Located slightly up a hill, the view out toward the ocean from the picnic tables added to the great food.

Akaka Falls

Completely refreshed, we headed towards our next stop. Billed as 135 metres high, Akaka Falls located in a State Park of the same name, put Rainbow Falls in the small trickle category. The 6 km drive up to the State Park from the Mamalahoa Highway travels through the village of Honomu, fields and orchards. There is a $5 parking fee if you enter the park (many cars were parked on the road before the park to evade the fee). We chose to go in and pay our fee (strangely enough, a park employee was sitting on a chair at the automated self-pay machine, which is a good thing because the machine is almost impossible to figure out). There are two trails to get to the actual falls, the longer 1 km trail goes by Kahuna cascades before arriving at Akaka, the shorter and easier which we took, is about 200 metres long. Both trails go through a dense rain forest and although the shorter was paved, it is slippery from the constant moisture dripping on it from the thick foliage overhead.

While checking out the signage describing Akaka Falls, I noticed that it claimed to be 2 1/2 times higher than Niagara Falls. It very well may be, but how can you take the official State information seriously when the comparison photo of Niagara Falls was labelled Niagara Falls, New York; yet it was a photo of the Horseshoe Falls (which are completely within Canada) taken from an Ontario viewpoint? I wrote to the Governor of Hawaii later to suggest he and his employees correct this mistake in geography and asked for an explanation. I have not received a response to date. Since we know the Governor and his staff don't know where Canada is, they probably will never contact me. So in retaliation, I hereby declare the City of Ontario, in California, from this date forward, to be Canadian.

Laupahoehoe Point

We continued up the Mamalahoa Highway which became very scenic as we headed north. We crossed several deep and narrow river gorges that cut deeply into the volcanic rock. Where the gorges were wide, the road went inland to a narrower part, crossed a high bridge and then swung back out towards the coast on the other side. We stopped on the highway to look at Laupahoehoe Point far below us before heading off the highway to the Laupahoehoe Point Road, a narrow, winding and quickly descending road that dropped down to the coast. At the bottom, a large park with grass, restroom facilities and a campsite greeted us. Several people were picnicing and enjoying the park facilities. And at the end of the road, a protected boat launch has been built into the lava that projects out into the water. The surf was magnificent as it pounded the rocky shoreline, spraying high up into the air. But not as high as the 20 metre tsunami that killed 21 schoolchildren here on April Fool's Day, 1946.

As we continued up the coast, the clouds started to roll in. Clouds in the afternoon is a common occurence in Hawaii. We could see rain cells forming out on the ocean, however, thankfully the rain held off over the land. Speaking of land, the vegetation was now changing from rain forest to open forest with pine trees and fields started to appear. We were heading into cattle country and the leeward side of the Island. 

Waipo Valley

We decided to make one more stop for the scenery and turned off the Mamamlahoa Highway just before it turned west at the town of Honokaa onto the Waipo Valley Road. A 12 kilometre drive brought us to the official end of the Road at the Waipo (it means curved water in Hawaiian) Valley where we enjoyed the spectacular view of the valley and coastline far below us. Once home to thousands of Hawaiians, only about 50 people still live in the valley, farming taro and other crops. Our rental agreement prohibited us from going down into the valley as the single lane road has grades that exceed 25% as it drops 244 metres in less than a kilometre.  As well, signs at the lookout suggested that because the Valley is now a protected reserve with ancient historical gravesites of former Hawaiian kings, heiaus (temples) and homesites, visitors are discouraged from going into the valley unless on official tours sanctioned by the people who live there.

Lava Flow Near Kona

Back at the main road, we turned west once more. We were now crossing the foothills of the Kohala Mountains and the rolling terrain and fields of beef cattle signified we were now deep into cowboy country as we approached the town of Waimea. Indeed, the Parker Ranch, one of the largest privately owned ranches in the US at 250,000 acres, is located here. By the time we got to Waimea, it was late afternoon. We decided to pick up some liquid provisions here for our Bed and Breakfast. 

Descending from the rolling hills just outside Waimea, we went through a desert (complete with prickly pear cacti) and then through several kilometres of lava flows which covered the ground as far as the eye could see, from the cinder cones on the flanks of Mauna Kea to the left of us all the way down to the sea in the distance on the right. Only scrub brush grew here. 

Mango Sunset

After crossing the lava plains, we started up into the hills again, and soon came to the turn for our Bed and Breakfast. Called the Mango Sunset, it is situated on a working coffee (Kona) farm. We were greeted by a couple of the workers, students from the States on farm labour programs. Our hostess soon came by and showed us to our rooms and helped us settle in. The view, from 650 metres up on Hualalai Volcano out over the coffee plants and flowers to the sea far below was stupendous. And later that afternoon as we were enjoying a drink out on the lanai with fellow travellers from Sweden while the sun was setting, we found out why the place has the name it has. Dinner that evening was down the hill in Kailua-Kona at a small Thai restaurant. It had been a long day, but a good one.

Hungry Anyone?

The next morning, breakfast was served out in the gazebo. What a great place to start the day. Fresh fruit, several different kinds of crepes and kona coffee, all made by our host was accompanied by lots of discussion. Since our host was originally from Germany, the other two guests were Swedes and we were from Canada, the discussion tended to revolve around social issues and the virtues of state medicine, pensions and other benefits that the majority of civilized countries offer their citizens. We also talked about Remembrance Day (Called Veterans Day in the US) since it was November 11 and how our respective countries commemorated our war dead. Our hosts' young daughter was dressed in her Guide uniform as she was participating later that morning in a service at the nearby West Hawaii Veterans' Cemetery.

The evening before, while trying to park our SUV land yacht in the small drive at the back of the Bed and Breakfast, we decided to see if we could "trade" it for something a bit more reasonable. Perhaps something less than 4 metres long. So we called the rental agent at the Kona airport and he told us to bring it on down for a swap. Which we did after putting about a million gallons of gas into it at the nearby Costco (and we had only driven 150 km!). I think we should have received two rentals for the trade of the Suburban based on the size of the respective vehicles, but we did end up with a reasonable trade. Then we headed up the coast on Highway 19 (or the Queen Kaahumanu Highway) to find a beach and to see what other adventures we could have on this glorious sunny Remembrance Day. 

Lava lamp mine

Shortly after leaving Kona-Kahlui behind, we passed through another lava field. Alongside the road, people had painted some of the lava rocks white and had arranged them to spell out names, love messages and the odd advertisement. They really stood out against the black lava. This lava field lasted for quite a ways; it went as far as we could see into the distance. From time to time on the ocean side, we passed by exclusive resorts (with golf courses and even a private airport) and several  beach parks. The parks looked inviting with tall coconut palms swaying in the breeze, but we were aiming for Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area which our guide book listed as one of the top beaches on the Big Island and indeed in all of the United States. 

As we turned onto the beach road, we were stopped at the entrance gate. A large sign indicated that parking was free for Veterans Day. A much smaller sign said for Hawaiian citizens only. We had to pay $5. My brother-in-law asked how they knew we were not Hawaiians and the parking attendant pointed at the sticker on our windshield to indicate we were driving a rental car. I guess Hawaiians don't rent cars. And I guess the US does not recognize citizens from other countries that commemorate November 11.

Hapuna Beach

The parking lot was pretty full as Veterans Day is a Federal Holiday in the US. We parked, got our picnic stuff out of the back of the car and headed towards the beach. Hapuna Beach lived up to its reputation. It is a beautiful crescent shaped beach with white sand, a gentle yet fun surf to swim in the day we were there, lifeguards on duty and great picnic facilities. We walked up and down the length of the beach (after liberally applying sunblock), from the rocks of a lava protrusion on the south end, to a large hotel complex on the north end. Then we went for a very refreshing dip in the surf. Fresh water showers at the edge of the beach are provided to remove the sea salt after a swim. We sat at a picnic table afterwards, enjoying the freshening sea breeze and had some snacks as it was getting close to lunch time. 

Pu'ukohola Heiau

Leaving Hapuna Beach behind, we continued up past Mauna Kea Beach and its complex of resorts and golf courses to Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. As mentioned before in this blog, a heiau is a temple, a place that only the ali'i nui (high chiefs), kahunas (priests) and other high class Hawaiians could visit. Most heiaus are still Kapu (forbidden) to non native Hawaiians. The Pu'ukohola heiau was built by Kamehameha I in 1790, entirely by hand, with the red stones used in its construction being passed along a line of people that stretched 17 kilometres from a valley to the east.  Kamehameha ordered this heiau to be built to fulfil a prophecy made by a kahuna that the civil war among Hawaiian chiefs would end if the heiau was dedicated to the war god Ku. At the time, Kamehameha was fighting with his cousin who controlled the east side of Hawaii. Kamehameha invited his cousin to the temple dedication ceremony, supposedly to agree to a peace treaty between the two men. However, his cousin, who probably knew what was going to happen and should have declined the invitation, was captured and killed as part of the dedication ceremony. Thus began Kamehameha's drive to consolidate the islands. 

Comrade Castro

There is an excellent interpretive centre that explained Hawaiian society at the time the heiau was built, so we spent a good amount of time there. Then it was once more time to mount up and turning left at Kawaihae to Highway 270 (AKA Akone-Pule Highway, AKA Mahukona-Niulii Road), we continued along the coast to the tip of the Big Island and the town of Hawi. Nearby is the Kohala Historical Sites Monument which, in addition to another heiau, also portrays the birthplace of Kamehameha I (our GPS thought it was in another location on a dirt road - you can't always trust a GPS). We visited the small town instead of driving down to the Historic Sites, walking up and down its main street, checking out the shops and artist studios and enjoying the laid back lifestyle of Hawaii for an hour or so. At some point a branch of the Cuban revolution must have broken out here as evidenced by the statue to its leader that graces the front of a cigar emporium and general store.

Looking West from Hawi Road

We were now ready to head back to our Bed and Breakfast for afternoon refreshments, so we took Highway 250 (AKA Hawi Rd, AKA Kohala Mountain Rd) up over the Kohala mountains (large hills that are all that are left of the Kohala Volcano). This road between Hawi and Waimea is a beautiful drive and is well worth doing if you are in the area. Very few tourists actually take it, but I am glad we did. The highway climbs to 1200 metres through ranchland, ironwood and pine forests and the views of the Parker Ranch lands, the coastline we had visited earlier in the day, and the Queen Kaahumanu Highway far below was magnificent. I suspect it would have been even better in the morning as now we were staring into the late afternoon sun and glare from the ocean far below, as well as the usual gathering afternoon clouds. On a clear day, from our vantage point, you can see Mauna Kea Volcano inland to the left, and even Haleakala on Maui, over 80 kilometres away across the ocean.

More Lava near Kona

After descending into Waimea, we turned back onto Highway 19 (aka Hawaii Belt Rd, aka Mamalahoa Highway) and headed west. After having a bit of dejá vue as we drove along the main street of Waimea for the second time in as many days, we scurried across the lava plains once more to our Bed and Breakfast where we enjoyed some refreshments and watched the sun go down once again. That evening, we headed down the hill into town to have dinner at the Kona Brewing Company, a very popular (and thus overpriced) establishment. When we arrived at 7:00 p.m. there was still a large line (30 minute wait) to get in for dinner. The beer is good, (the wine was warm), the food mediocre to OK, the company great. We picked up some t-shirts and other Kona Brewing souvenirs for the folks back home before heading up the hill for our last night in Kailua-Kona.

Hulihe'e Palace Sea Front

The next morning, after another breakfast on the terrace, it was time to say goodbye to our hosts, say see you later to the Swedish girls who were going to the same bed and breakfast in Volcano later that day as us, and hit the road (the Hawaii Beltway, AKA .... you get the picture). We dropped down into Kona-Kaiua to visit the Hulihe'e Palace, a favourite summer home of some of Hawaii's former royalty.  Hawaiian Royalty had lived in and around this area since the 17th century and Kamehameha I made it the capital of the Islands after he became King of all Hawaii and before he moved the capital to Lahaina in Maui. The town remained a small fishing village, however, until tourism took off in Hawaii. 

First Hawaiian Church

We did not go into the Palace as it was just opening for the day, but walked around the palace grounds to check them out. Included on the grounds was the royal families personal fish pond, an ingenious square stone structure that allowed fresh water to enter with the tides, but kept the fish from leaving with the tides. Immediately across the road from the palace stands Mokuaikaua Church, the first Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands. The congregation dates back to 1820 (the original congregation is long gone) and the church has been in operation ever since. The current building, constructed from lava and coral, replaced previous wooden structures that burned down. A scale model of the Thaddeus, the brig that brought the first missionaries to Hawaii, is on display inside. Ships are still carrying out this tradition. Out in the harbour in front of the Palace, the cruise ship Celebrity Century was anchored, bringing other missionaries to Hawaii, this time to worship the climate.

After visiting a couple of stores on the walk back to the SUV, we once again headed back up the hill to the Hawaiian Beltway. The road travels high up from the water along the slope of Mauna Loa Volcano. Along the road, there are lots of houses, small commercial establishments, the odd resort and tons of Kona coffee farms. Our next stop was to be the bay where Captain James Cook ended his voyages of discovery. Or where I should say the Hawaiians ended them for him.

Captain Cook had quite a career. For those of us who live in Canada, he has quite a connection. He was involved in the capture of Louisbourg from the French, the Battle for Quebec on the Plains of Abraham in 1759 and spent five years surveying Newfoundland long before he was sent to the Pacific. He also surveyed the west coast of British Columbia on his last voyage to the Pacific.

Can you see Cook? How
about the snorkelers?

So after that brief Canadian history lesson, let's get back to Hawaii and the end of Cook. He visited Hawaii three times during his last voyage to the Pacific, the first time in January 1778 when he landed in Kuai and named the islands the Sandwich Islands (not because of the food he found, but after his boss, the Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty). In 1779, Cook returned to Hawaii from his trip to the west coast of North America, this time landing at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island. Thought to be an incarnation of the god Lono (the festival for this god of fertility was underway when he landed), he remained for a month, exploiting this god status, until one his crewmen died. Now that the Hawaiians knew Cook and his men to be mere mortals, relations became somewhat strained. Cook soon left again to head back to North America (in search of the Northwest Passage). However, a mast on his ship broke soon after he left and he headed back to Kealakekua Bay. Three times unlucky, and with the Lono festival now over, Cook's party had worn out their welcome and was no longer venerated by the Hawaiians. When a dispute broke out about a stolen small boat, Cook tried to negotiate with the King for the return of the boat. Bad move. Shots were fired, a lesser Hawaiin King killed, and negotiations failed. When Cook was on the beach directing his boats to return to his ship, a mob struck him down and stabbed him and other crewmen to death. The crew of Cook's two ships retaliated by firing cannon at the Hawaiians, killing several. Because he had been considered a demi-god by the Hawaiians, they sacrificed his body at the heiau, then had the decency to keep his bones after boiling away the flesh. Now cooked in more ways than one, Cook's crew later received some of these bones from a friendly kahuna and buried what was left of him at sea.

Read the Label

We headed down Napoopoo Road from the village of Captain Cook to Kealakekua Bay to see where all this transpired. Unfortunately, the road does not go to the actual spot where he was killed, but stops across the bay at the heiau. The memorial to Cook, located in Kealakekua State Historical Park, can be reached by boat (or by going down a rough track on the other side of the bay). Local Hawaiians offer rides over to the memorial for a fee in zodiak boats, but we decided to check the memorial out with binoculars.The Hikiau heiau located at the end of Napoopoo Road where you look across to the memorial is the one that Cook visited prior to his death and most likely where his body was sacrified after his death. When talking to the Hawaiians here, we did find out that this bay is one of the best places to snorkel and to see dolphins.

Audrey Lives!

Heading back up Napoopoo Road, we stopped at the Kona Pacific Farms Cooperative. The oldest and largest Kona coffee cooperative in the States, our visit to the coffee mill was really interesting. The store clerk let us taste lots of different Kona coffees as well as fresh fruit from the area and macadamia nuts roasted at the mill. Chocolate covered coffee beans added to the tasting experience. They also have a small display about how Kona coffee is made as well as an extensive fruit tree aboretum that identifies the trees growing along winding paths so we did not have to guess at what they were. No charge to visit any of it. Of course, their tasting scheme works as a good marketing ploy; we did buy some nuts, coffee, chocolate covered coffee beans and other items.

Back up on the Beltway, we turned once more towards our eventual destination, the town of Volcano. But there was still plenty to see on our way there. We were now driving closer to Mauna Loa and we alternatively passed through thick vegation and lava flows that completely scarred the land. As we rounded the bottom of the island, we stopped at the small village of Ocean View. First, we visited the grocery store to acquire beverages and snacks for the evening to come, then we crossed the parking lot to a small restaurant for sandwiches as it was lunch time. 

Blowing in the Wind 

Back in the SUV, our next planned stop was to go see the Green Beach near South Point. South Point (Ka Lae in Hawaiian) is the most southerly point of the 50 United States. To get to it, you drive 20 kilometres out onto a peninsula, past ranches, military establishments (space radio telescopes, some surprisingly from the Swedish Space Administration's Universal Space Network) and a wind farm with its tall wind turbines visible on a ridge close to the ocean. The wind blows here almost constantly as evidenced by the shape of the rare trees that dot the landscape of the peninsula.

Kapu

Believed to be the original landing spot of the first Polynesians to reach Hawaii, most likely from Tahiti, there are several archeological sites along the nearby coast. A large sign at the end of the road reads: 'Kapu. Government Property. No Off Road Driving Allowed'. The fact that it is located right beside a well used trail made by tire tracks would seem to indicate that it is not so Kapu afterall. Unless of course in the government's view, the trail is a road? Apparently local Hawaiians drive jeeps down the Kapu road to the Green Beach for a fee, but none seemed to be doing so while we were there.

South Point Cliffs and
Boat Hoist

When we arrived at the bottom of the road, we found out from folks who had just come back from the Green Beach that you have to hike 4.5 kilometres down the Kapu track (and of course the same back) to get there. So we of the gimpy knees and limited time nixed that idea and instead wandered over to the cliff edge to watch the local fishermen as they fished for ahi (yellow fin tuna). One of the fishermen with whom we struck up a conversation told us that the ahi can reach up to 100 kg in weight. Nearby winches built out over the cliff would attest to the fact that landing such a big fish happens regularly at this spot. The fisherman said none had been caught so far that day, but only one such fish was required to make a successful day. Ahi is on the menu in all fish restaurants in Hawaii, and some is flown to Japan for sushi.

Punuluu Beach

Back up on the main road, we kept going through the small town of Naahelu featuring the Shaka Bar which advertised itself as the southernmost bar in the USA. Since we could not get to the Green Beach, we decided to visit one more black beach, this one at Punuluu County Beach Park. This was to be the last beach we visited on the Big Island although we did not know this at the time. We walked on the sand of the beach and on the lava rock high above one end of the beach as the clouds became progressively thicker. We could feel the rain coming and as we got back into the SUV it started to sprinkle. It continued to do so for the run up onto the south western side of Kilauea, the youngest and most active of the five volcanos that make up the Island of Hawaii. As we climbed, we headed once more into rain forest, punctuated with lava flows that came down from Kilauea. We soon arrived at the village of Volcano and after turning off the highway onto the Old Volcano Road, at our Bed and Breakfast.

Lyman House
Photo by L Chaput

The My Island Bed and Breakfast we stayed at for the next two nights was recommended to us by another brother-in-law who had visited here a couple of years before. And we could see why as soon as we arrived. Located down a small "cottage" type road, deep in the rain forest, the grounds are well looked after with loads and loads of tropical flowers blooming all around. The main house, called Hale Ohu or House in the Mist, was built in 1886 as the summer home for the Lyman family (the Lymans were prominent missionaries in Hilo in the 1800s). We stayed in a secondary structure in well appointed rooms, complete with heaters. Yes, we used them as Volcano lies at an altitude of 1,300 metres, it is very cool at night and it rains here - a lot. The breakfasts were delicious with home made breads, jams and lots of fruit. And at the huge table inside the house where breakfast is served, great conversations break out, including with the Swedish girls we met at the previous bed and breakfast and fellow Swedish friends who also congregated here. The hosts also join in the conversations as they go about bringing food to the table.

After settling in and enjoying a late afternoon beverage, we headed into Volcano village proper to have dinner. Where else would you eat in a town called Volcano than at the Lava Rock Cafe?. With an eclectic menu that covers just about everything, we enjoyed our food and drinks before heading out in search of the volcano in the nearby National Park.

Halema'uma'u Crater

To see a volcanic eruption was the main reason we had come to Hawaii as this was prominent on my wife's bucket list. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks before we got there, Pele, the fire god, had gone on vacation. With no lava flowing, the only spot where you could see the glow of lava was at Halema'uma'u Crater, which is visible from the Jaggar Museum. So this is where we headed. It was a misty night which added to the surrealistic glow of the crater that comes from the molten lava lake. As the active part of the crater is some distance from the museum, a telephoto lens is useful to capture it, particularly at night. Seeing the glow from the lava was a great ending to a long day of sightseeing.

Haleama'uma'u in the daylight

The next day, at breakfast, our host Ki'i and her father Gordon (who has written and published extensively about Hawaii and Hawaii Volcanos National Park) talked to us about what we should do to get the most out of our short time available at the Park. They recommended the Kilauea Iki hike down into the crater of the same name that formed in an eruption in 1959. They and the Park brochure both suggested for the best views, to hike counterclockwise. So we headed back into the Park and took the Crater Rim Drive to a parking area at the head of the trail. We loaded up with snacks, cameras, water, sun block and our rain jackets and set off along the crater rim trail. Far off across Kilauea Iki Crater and the Kilauea Caldera, we could see the plume from Haleama'uma'u rising into the sky. Then, this was lost to view as we headed into the dense rain forest.

The Kilauea Iki trail is 6.5 km long and descends 150 metres from the crater rim to the floor of the crater over fairly rough terrain and at times steep hand carved stone steps. It requires hiking shoes (or closed toe sneakers) as the lava on the floor of the crater can be quite sharp in places. Not to mention tree routes on the portions of the trail along the crater rim. But what an amazing hike it turned out to be. Rather than write about it, I will let you view some photos of the hike. If you want more information about the Hawaii Volcanos National Park click on this link:  http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm  Note that the following group of photos will not expand when clicked like the others in the blog as they are in a 'table' (I can't write HTML code so if someone can tell me how to get them to expand, please let me know and I will edit the blog).

Steam Vents from Crater Rim

Upheaval of the Crater Floor

Rough Start to the Crater Floor

Steam Vents

Three of Us Hiking the Floor

A Collapsed Dome on Crater Floor

On the way back up

Of course, once across the crater lake surface (the steam comes from rainwater that percolates to the still hot rock at the bottom of the now solid, slowly cooling lava lake that is over a hundred metres deep), we had to climb back up the crater wall to the top. At least by hiking counterclockwise we had the benefit of a trail out of the Crater that followed switchbacks as it climbed back to the parking lot area. Very few 'stairs' were involved on this end of the hike, but it took a lot of huffing and puffing and frequent stops to admire the scenery (mostly of our feet as we rested, bent over, to get our breath back) but we eventually made it to the top. Thank goodness we had brought water with us because even with the high humidity, we managed to polish off all the water we had been carrying.

Nahuku Lava Tube

About two and one half hours after starting, we were once more at the top. We noticed that we had emerged from our hike very close to the Thurston (Nahuku) Lava Tube. The trail and walk through the tube is only about 1 km long so we took it. A quick descent down to the entrance to the Tube (it looks like you are being swallowed by the earth as you enter the vine draped dark entrance) makes for an interesting walk. The tube itself is lit, albeit not brightly. I managed to find a light standard with a flat top to rest my camera on while I took a time lapse photo. At the other end of the tube, we emerged once more into the rainforest for the short walk back to the parking lot. 

Holei Pali 1972 Flow

Next on our agenda was a drive down to the ocean along The Chain of Craters Road. So named because it passes several eruption and pit (subsistence) craters, it is a 30 km round trip drive that descends 1,200 metres, eventually ending where a 1986 lava flow buried the highway (the road used to go to the town of Kalapana, but the same flow that buried the highway also buried most of Kalapana). It is a very scenic drive as first you travel through dense rainforest, then cross several different lava flows before making your way down the steep cliff of Holei Pali to the lava plains close to the ocean. 

At one point, at Kealakomo lookout, as observed in the video, we could smell the sulphur being carried on the wind from Pu'u O O, a cinder cone volcano that has been erupting continuously since 1983. Warning signs suggest people with asthma and heart conditions should not be exposed to the sulphur in the air. The lava flow from Pu'u O O, when it is flowing on the surface, descends to the ocean about a 45 minute hike from the end of the road. Or, you can drive another road to what is left of Kalapana and hike in from there. This is the 'new' part of Hawaii, most of it being created from 1970 to today.

Holei Arch

We drove to the current end of the road and parked at the turnaround, then walked to the edge to check out the surf that has already started to erode this newly formed part of Hawaii. A 30 metre high sea arch has been cut into the lava by the wave action. The lava closest to the shore is softer than the part that forms the outer arch leg, thus the arch. Eventually, it will fall into the sea, but others may form along this coast. Of course, they all could get buried by lava again. But as the Hawaiian Islands sail northwards on the Pacific Continental Plate, volcanic activity will most likely gradually subside on the Big Island as it has on the other Islands. But don't despair, future travellers. Because about 35 km off the shore, Loi'hi, the newest volcano is building. Although its top is 1,000 metres below the sea surface, it is already taller than Mt. St. Helens was before it blew its top. It should emerge from the water in 10,000 or so years, so book your trip now to get the best deals.

Steam Vents

We headed back up the road to see the Steam Vents that are on the portion of Crater Rim Drive that is still open to the public (much of this road is closed due to noxious fumes from Haleama'uma'u). After parking, we walked across a small plain where no trees grow because just a metre or so down, the ground is too hot for roots to take hold. The grass and flowering plants manage just fine though. The steam comes from water that percolates down into the ground and emerges through cracks along this side of the Kilauea Caldera. 

Speaking of steam, afer the long morning hike, the visit to the lava tube and the trip down to the ocean, we had pretty much run out of steam so we decided to call it a day and headed back to the bed and breakfast for a rest. Just as we left the park, it started to rain and this rain continued for the rest of the evening and night. As it was our last night in Hawaii, we decided to splurge and went to the the Kilauea Lodge for dinner. The food was excellent, the ambiance great and the wine list quite extensive. After dinner, we went back to the Bed and Breakfast for a nightcap and repacked our bags as we were once more going on airplane rides the next day.

Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo

It was still raining when we got up the next morning, so after breakfast we decided to head to Hilo about 40 minutes down the road in hopes that we would drive out of the rain. Which we did. Our flight back to Honolulu was scheduled for 1:15 p.m. so we went to Liliuokalani Gardens, a Japanese style garden on the ocean front in downtown Hilo. It is a pretty park with paths that wind around and over the small pond and Japanese stone lanterns. We spent a pleasant hour here, then went downtown to the old part of Hilo to browse the shops for last minute souvenirs. Then it was over to the airport for the quick 45 minute flight back to Honolulu.

Haleiwa Surf

As we had about 5 hours to kill in Honolulu before our flight back to North America, we rented a car and after checking our large luggage with the airline for the long trip home, we headed up to the north end of Oahu, to Haleiwa, about a one hour drive in rush hour traffic. Along the coast here and nearby are some of the biggest waves in the Islands for surfing, including the famous Banzai Pipeline a bit further up the coastline. The waves get bigger in the winter and major surfing events start about the middle of November. On the day we were there, surfers were arriving for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, Reef Hawaiian Pro. As it was late in the afternoon so preliminary events and practices had just ended. So we just checked out the huge waves rolling in for a few minutes before it was time to head back to the airport. By the way, if you have seen the film Pearl Harbor, this is the town where the airport existed (gone today) that got the only airplanes into the air to fight the  attacking Japanese. It was not, as portrayed in the movie, a 5 minute drive from Pearl Harbor.

We left Hawaii for the long flight back to Newark at 9:30 p.m. local time. Travel weary we arrived back home the next day at 6 p.m. local time. Thus ended a fun trip and another check mark on the family bucket list. I will end this blog with the title from the famous song composed by Queen Lili'uokalani. Aloha O'e (Farewell to Thee).