Category Archives: Hawaii

The Volcano Tour Begins

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Evidence of Volcano Activity  is Everywhere

As we made the rounds to the various resorts we passed remains of past volcanic activity. Lava turns into very rich topsoil but it doesn’t happen overnight.  The Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands. There are six volcanoes that have worked together over the last (give or take) one million years to create the Big Island. These volcanoes formed one after the other and partially overlap. From oldest to youngest their names are: Mahukona, Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Three volcanoes are still active: Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Kilauea is currently erupting while the other two could erupt at any time. Mauna Kea is dormant, Kohala inactive and Mahukona has probably never breached the ocean surface.

The lava flows we passed on the Kona Side were from Mauna Loa’s last eruption is 1984

 

Lava flow to the ocean

Kona Coast

A Snow Capped Volcano

Halfway to Hilo we pulled into a picnic area. This was a former boy scout camp. It was clean and well maintained. The only negative was another tour had arrived before us and took the only handicapped table. Zane, our tour guide , and the young Aussie men pulled another table over to the edge of the paved walk way. This worked to allow our handicapped guest a way to wheel up to a table. Lunch was a excellent boxed lunch. The sandwiches and cookies were amazingly fresh. Zane explained that everything in the lunches from the fruit to the bread to the cookies were all local grown. In fact he had to wait for the cookies to come out of the oven this morning before he picked us up. It was cool while we picnicked. We were in the saddle between the 2 volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. We could see the snow on the mountain tops.

Snow Capped volcano

 

Rainbow FallsHilo and Rainbow Falls

Zane told us that it would rain once we got to Hilo. Hilo is part of the rain forest and it rains every day. We skipped Akaka Falls and headed to Rainbow Falls. Sure enough it started to rain. When the sun is out there are rainbows over the falls caused by the spray, hense the name, Rainbow Falls. We’d just have to settle for the falls today, no rainbows.

tour bus

Touring The Big Island

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A Big Island Tour

After the tremendous rain storm on Monday I decided to look into a Volcano tour. I was feeling lazy and didn’t want to do all the driving again. I had a choice of a Deluxe Volcano Experience or the Grand Volcano Experience.

The Deluxe Experience was:

  • Views of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa
  • Visit Rainbow Falls
  • See the King Kamehameha Statue in Hilo
  • Explore Volcanoes National Park
  • Dine at Kilauea Lodge
  • Experience the Night Glow at Kilauea Caldera

The Grand Volcano Experience consisted of:

  • Kona Coffee Tasting and Tour
  • Visit Punalu’u Bake Shop
  • Look for turtles at the Black Sand Beach
  • Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
  • Dine at Kilauea
  • Experience the Night Glow at Kilauea Caldera

 

My Choice

My choice was the Deluxe Tour. I don’t drink coffee and when we stayed at Sea Mountain Resort we had the chance to visit Punalu’u and see the black sand beach. As for sea turtles, it would have been nice to see them but I was pretty sure I could find some at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park. The concierge raved about the gourmet meal at the Kilauea Lodge I selected a steak dinner. Other choices were fish and a vegetarian choice of Eggplant Parmesan. 

Wednesday Morning Pick Up

Wednesday morning our Mercedes-Benz mini coach arrived right on time.  Our tour guide’s name was Zane like Zane Grey, the author. He said his father was a big western fan. Zane was a geologist by trade and had lived on the Big Island for 10 years so he was very familiar with Kilauea and her “moods”.  Even so I don’t think he anticipated the temper tantrum that started right after I left the island. But more on that in another post.

We had a full tour. We had 2 young men from Australia, a couple from India, a family of 5 from the mainland, a handicapped lady and her friend and me. As the only single I got to sit up front in the “shotgun” seat. Our group was spread out over a number of resorts so we had a series of stops before we were on our way.

 

What a Crazy World!

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What a Crazy World We Live in!

It’s crazy out there! I mean it. Life just takes over and runs away with you. You have no control. Or maybe it’s just me. I go to work each day expecting to put in my 8 hours and come home. They hired 10 more people so I should be able to finish on time but it just isn’t working out that way. No matter how hard I try I can’t get out by 5 pm. I promised my boss on Friday that I would leave on time. OOPS Didn’t happen.  I have 7 commission  statements to send out that are a week overdue So I went in to the office today. I figured it would be quiet on a Sunday but one of my key applications was down so I couldn’t send anything out. 

Rocky my catPosts are coming

I have posts drafted but by the time I get home my brain has turned to mush. I feed Rocky (my cat), fix dinner and fall asleep. Not much of a life to talk about. But I was planning to share highlights from my Volcano National Park tour while I was on the Big Island. Looks like Kilauea is making my visit pale by comparison. When I was there the lava lake had just started to rise and we could see the tops of the lava fountains. From the lake surface to the rim of the crater it was 120 ft. so you can imagine how high the fountains were going if we could see the tops. Now that more than a dozen fissures have opened up in the rift zone the level from the lava lake is sinking.

A Big Explosion

Just to prove how crazy I am the scientists that monitor Kilauea are predicting a big explosion. Maybe a 1 in a century blow up. Guess who wants to be there? Yup me. If I could get away from work I’d be on the next plane. Its sad for the property owners but so exciting to see such an amazing natural phenomenon. The lava doesn’t flow very fast but beware of the air. The sulfur dioxide fumes can become sulfuric acid when breathed in. 

Lava Lake Glow

Posting Schedule

I’ll try to post more often but until work slows down I think I’ll be lucky to get a post out once per week. I don’t want to post “junk” just to have a post. Quality  not quantity is the goal.  I will do my best.

 

 

When it Rains It Pours

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Suddenly the rain started

There was no sign of rain as I left Akaka State Park. By the time I entered Hilo the sky was getting really dark and clouds were rolling in. I was stopped at the light in front of Ken’s Pancake House when BANG! A thunder clap so loud it seemed to shake the car opened up the downpours. I do mean Downpours! This was rain of biblical proportions. It was a deluge. I know Hilo is on the rainy side of the island but this was crazy! I decided to scratch Rainbow Falls and head back to Kona…the dry side. Of course I never do anything easy. I missed a turn somewhere  and found myself down by the harbor. It was breathtaking even in the weather, or maybe because of the storm. The waves were breaking high on a rocky shore. No quiet black sand beach here. 

Hilo swell

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Ken's pancake house

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Ken’s Deserves a Mention

Although I didn’t stop for lunch at Ken’s it was a familiar landmark. When we were on the Big Island in 2007 we ate many meals there. I was good to see it was still operating. From the looks of the parking lot, which was full, they were still doing a brisk business. Ken’s House of Pancakes opened its doors in 1971. It became the first, and only 24-hour business on the East-side of the Big Island. It’s got a huge menu with a wide variety. Just because it says Pancake house doesn’t mean you can’t get a good burger.

The Deluge Continues

Flash Flood

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Back on the right track I decided to head over toward Volcano National park. The rain was showing so sign of letting up but I was hoping it would follow the normal pattern of a brief rain shower and then sun. It wasn’t looking promising.  If anything the rain was coming down even harder. Windshield wipers on high just couldn’t keep up. Cars were pulling over to wait for a break in the storm.  I continued on, slowly. When I reached Volcano National Park and there was no sign of the rain letting up I decided to head back to Kona. I didn’t know that with the new road it was quicker to retrace my steps than to go over the southern mountain. Besides I wanted to see if the road was as scary as I remembered it. After all, I survived the Road to Hana on Maui so this road should be a piece of cake.

I don’t mind the rain

I don’t mind it raining on my vacation. Without the rain there’s be now rainbows. The water falls would dry up and the lush jungle flowers would disappear. Bring on the rain!

Rainbow

After the rain,, the rainbow

 

Around the Big Island

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Big Island Scenic Drive

photo credit Waimea-Parker Ranch Bed Site

Driving around the Big Island has changed since my last visit. There’s now a “Short Cut” as the locals call it that cuts from the Kona Side to the Hilo on the east. It saves quite a bit of time as you don’t have to go to North Kohala or Waimea. Both beautiful areas Waimea is home to the Parker Ranch , a large cattle ranching operation that also offers hunting and ATVing.  

Waimea, just a beauty
(Ke Anu O Waimea, Kuana Torres)

High above sun-drenched beaches and vast black lava fields, between the mountain shoulders of Kohala and Mauna Kea lies a green, rolling country where the cold misty rains blow on swirling winds.  Here, where water is plentiful and forests grow tall in the hills, is the heart of Parker Ranch.”

When you leave Hilo or even Volcano National Park it is still shorter to return this way than to take the winding road over the mountain.

Kona Coast

DCF 1.0

Feral Goats Still Roam

As I headed across the island toward Hilo I thought I saw a goat! A bit further along I spotted another one. I thought they were probably some farmer’s or maybe a child’s pet but as I continued along I saw more and more. I began to wonder if they were wild. After a bit of research I learned that prior to 1778, there were no goats on any of the Hawaiian Islands. It was upon the arrival of Captain Cook and Captain Vancouver that goats were introduced to the islands. It is believed that the first goats were brought on shore in the Kealakekua Bay area of Kona. I made a note to come back another day to get some pictures. They seemed to be very plentiful. So no donkeys but they do have goats!

 

Hilo and Akaka Falls

Big Island Waterfall

Akaka Falls 2007

Just north of Hilo  I started watching for the turn off to Akaka Falls. I took pictures when I was here in 2007 but I wanted to see if I could get some fresh photos with my new camera. The Falls were farther off the main road than I remembered. As I began to approach the state park the road was clogged with cars. They were parked all along the sides of the road. A lemonade stand was doing a brisk business. The parking area was filled ($5.00). Since walking any long distance was an iffy proposition I really wanted to get into the parking lot. $5.00 was a small price to pay but no one seemed to be leaving. I decided to go see if I could fine Rainbow Falls. After that I could come back. Maybe everyone would have gone to lunch by then.