Hawaii Report - Day 3

[kmusser]

We finally get to enjoy our hosts breakfast, which is quite yummy, and we get to meet the resident cat. Today we head to Volcano N.P. The way there passes through a scorched and broken landscape called the Ka'u Desert. In the park we stop by the visitor center and get the current eruption update, confirms the only way to get good views of the current lava flow is from the air - which we'll do tomorrow. Also portions of the park are closed off due to high sulfur emissions, fun. Fortunately the hike we'd picked out is upwind of the main crater, so no problem there. So, on to some hiking - we're going to explore Kilauea Iki, which is a small crater that erupted in 1959. The hike goes through a section of forest so we get a "before" picture and then descends to the crater floor for the "after". We got some good pictures here so enjoy. I was a little worried the crater would be blazing hot with the complete lack of shade, but a steady breeze kept it cool. On the floor there were quite a few spots venting steam, a comforting thought as we walked across. The steep portion to get back out of the crater wore us out, but we managed. Near the end of the hike was the Thurston lava tube - I'd seen lava tubes in Oregon, but this thing was giant in comparison, a good 15' or so in diameter, sadly our picture of it didn't come out, but here's a good one.

After our hike we drive to an overlook of the Kilauea Caldera for a picnic, we can smell the sulfer here, but it's not too bad. Met another couple picnicking there from the Czech Republic - and I thought we had a long flight. Lunch done we had back, with several stops along the way. First is to the Volcano Winery - if we did a vacation without visiting a winery it just wouldn't seem right. The wines are a little unusual, but for the most part good, and include a Macadamia Nut mead and some Guava wine. From there we make another brief stop at Punalu'u black sand beach, a well known sea turtle hang out, and there is indeed one sunning itself on the beach. I forgot to mention, we actually saw one at the Place of Refuge too, but we get a better picture of this one.

We continue on and make the drive out to the southern tip of the island, creatively named South Point. The drive is over wind-swept prairie and has that driving to the end of the world feel. We walk about a bit, there is the ruins of an old Heiau here and a little ways to the east is a burial site/altar. Out at the point we sit and have a 2nd lunch and do more whale watching. It's a beautiful spot, a lovely end to the day.

Comments

[zammis.livejournal.com]

My dad was stationed in Hawaii with the Navy and flew over Kilauea Iki when it was erupting 1200 ft in the air. Can't wait to share the pics with him.

[citabria]

South point is where Teem proposed. On an outcropping of lava, with waves lapping my feet, just before the part that has the actual south marker.

:)