Volcano Park - Youth Edition

This weekend we signed up for a spot on one of the fifteen passenger Mission Builders vans  for another "field trip".  It was great to leave the driving to someone else, and settle into the first row of bench seats. We retraced some of the same road we`d travelled on before, but approached the Volcano Park from a different angle, crossing the Island on the Saddle Road between Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa, two other volcanoes.
First stop--Hilo, on the east coast, the wettest area of Hawaii Island. 

The Bayfront park used to be the main Japanese district

This area was hit by a tsunami some years ago

"We're going to stop at a cafe to have a famous local specialty," we were told.

It was called  LOCO MOCO.  The traditional version consisted of a hamburger patty on white rice with a fried egg on top.  Opting for the fish version, I was pleasantly surprised to be given, not only the choice of fish, but also a choice of white or brown rice.  As a fast food, it turned out to be relatively healthy, as well as delicious, not to mention cheap.  I had grilled mahi-mahi.
Next stop: the Volcano park again.  The sign by the big crater said, "Air quality is poor today", and the doors to the museum were closed instead of being wide open.

 As well, this big sign warned against getting too close to any cracks or holes in the ground.  This time we looked around the museum.  This is Pele, the goddess of the volcano. 

This is called Pele's hair, spun lava that actually looks like real hair.

One of the young people got us to pose walking down the path together. A beautiful path, with a intertwined canopy overhead and lush fern growth everywhere.

Fiddlehead

Lehua blossom of the 'Ohi'a tree

The young people could hardly wait to get to South Point, the most southerly point in the United States.  They weren't interested in this geographical fact, but in the FUN factor.  Or was it the FEAR factor?

 They wanted to jump off the 30 foot cliff into the sea from this platform, which is really a boat hoist.  Alas, the water wasn't calm, and the leader wouldn't let them.  When the sea is rough, there are strong undercurrents.  We were horrified and fascinated by the sight of this local guy diving into a blow hole.  He had to time it just right, and ended up at the base of the cliff.

Our trip ended with the sighting of several humpback whales surfacing.  A peaceful and pleasant day.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The next day, we drove south from Kona towards Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  Various ecosystems ranged from lush tropical rainforests to grassy fields and newer lava fields with black shiny hardened lava. 

The Nene, an endangered Hawaiian goose approaches the car at the side of the road.  This one had obviously been fed and was looking for a handout.

Steam rises from water collecting underground and heating up

The Kilauea Volcano has been steaming continuously since 1983.  A caldera is a cauldron- like volcanic feature formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. 

Hardened lava forms the floor, and vegetation springs up around it.

Terry tried so hard to get a shot of a beautiful small red bird, the Apapane, but although there were many, they didn't perch long enough for a picture.

Giant fiddleheads ready to unfurl.  The golden brown matter underneath, as soft as the softest plush toy, is actually used for dressings on wounds. 

Molten lava flows through harder rock to the sea.  These long tunnels are called lava tubes.  This one was down in the rainforest area of the park.

Then we drove down the Chain of Craters Road to the sea.  The shoreline is rugged; high cliffs again.

Holei Sea Arch

Lava covered the road, blocking it off to further traffic.  We had to walk  in the heat to get to this point.  Even the little kiosk selling refreshments wasn't really permanent but had had to be moved several times.

Terry takes a picture of the "road closed" sign.

I thought this was breadfruit, but it's actually Noni  (morinda citrifolia), also called cheese fruit or vomit fruit..  It's hard to imagine eating it as it ripens because of the smell! Apparently it's high in Vitamin A, protein, iron and calcium. It grew there among the lava, and is also found on a large tree at Hale Ola, the apartment complex where the Mission Builders are staying.  I wondered why no one was paying any attention to it; now I know!
On the way home we had fish and chips; the fish was "ono" in Hawaiian, a deep sea fish whose English name is "wahoo".  Absolutely fresh and delicious!

Pololu Valley Lookout

After our hard work in the kitchen for seven straight days in a row, Terry and I were ready for our four day weekend.  On the first day, we explored the area north of Kona in our rented Hyundai Elantra.  The landscape was various kinds of lava fields. If you looked on a topographic map, you could find out which year it was that the lava flowed in that area.  Since the Big island of Hawaii has five volcanoes, that's a lot of lava.

This lava has been there long enough for scrub grass to grow

 Pololu Beach on the north east shore, is covered in fine black sand and rounded lava rocks, 400 feet down the cliffs from the lookout, and is accessed by a steep trail covered in big boulders.  Apparently it's treacherous when rain makes the clay slippery.

It was the middle of the day when we started climbing down.  The walking stick I borrowed from the selection at the top of the trail proved very useful.

Terry crossed this small river that narrowed from a pond in search of birds.  A Great Egret and a Black Crowned Night Heron were captured in his camera lens.

 A small tree clings tenaciously to life amidst the weathered lava rocks.  People used these rocks at one time to build temples, houses, and other structures.  A giant chain of people would pass the rocks up the cliff from hand to hand.

Trying to capture the big wave on my small camera.

We looped our way home on another highway cutting through the middle of the island, past grassy meadows that could've been in the Okanagan.

A good first day off!
By the way, pictures with the date in yellow are from Terry's camera.