Hawaii

Tue, June 11

The Hale Kai is a wonderful BB. The owners, Paul and Evonne, provided helpful suggestions for activities in addition to serving wonderful food.  At breakfast, I met Steve and Tanya, a young couple on their honeymoon. I spent the day in Volcanoes National Park, mostly hiking. 

I began by following the Kilauea Iki trail. This mostly consists of a trek across the barren Kilauea caldera, littered with steam vents. Apparently, the crater contained a 400 foot deep lake of molten lava only 50 years ago. It would have been fun to see that up close (but not too close). The hardened lava was beautiful and provided surprisingly firm footing even in wet weather. The individual rocks have a metallic sheen and sometimes host tiny mosses and plants. On this portion of the hike I was thankful for the drizzle, as the heat would have been unbearable. Mild showers continued throughout the day, making photography difficult. After the caldera, I hiked out through lush vegetation to the Thurston lava tube. A small nature preserve preceded the entrance to the tube. The plant life and mosses in this area were incredible.  The rain brought out their essence, imbuing the atmosphere with a delightful rainforest ambience. After passing through the tourist section of the tube, I continued into the undeveloped part, using my headlamp for light. This was eerie.

Afterwards, I hiked back to the visitor center along the Fern forest (Crater rim) trail. I got back just in time to watch a cheesy educational film. I'm not sure why the parks feel the need to mix geological exposition with native superstition, but it doesn't lend credibility to the presentation. I proceeded to the aptly named devastation trail and hiked part of the way out, but the weather was poor and I decided to return another day.  Before dinner, I drove toward Hilo. On the way, I gave a lift to two local kids. They were surprisingly knowledgeable about Hawaii, but were bored to tears living there. My guess is that the standard tourist fare is drilled into these students from an early age in countless school outings and presentations. After a delicious German dinner at Chalet Kilauea (on Paul's recommendation), I headed down the Chain of Craters road to the live lava flow.

The flow is the only visible display of real volcanic activity currently present on the island. It lies outside the park, but the only safe path to it begins inside. The park only opens this path from 6 PM to midnight. The road had reopened the day before after six weeks of closure due to a movement in the flow (and the consequent forest fires). As a result, the site was very crowded.  I drove down at 8 PM (already dark in Hawaii) and still encountered a long line of cars. The change in the lava flow had conveniently moved the active region within a mile of the road. Using a flashlight, I was able to hike there without trouble. The entire proceeding had a solemn but festive atmosphere. A long line of lights (moving in both directions), as well as strategically placed ground reflectors, marked the path. Contrary to what I had been told, it was possible to walk right up to the lava itself. However, the oppressive heat (conveniently directed by a strong wind) prohibited any approach closer than 5 feet. Most people were quietly contemplating the lava, while a few less developed individuals chucked stones at it (without any effect). The lava flow had two primary parts: a lava-fall over a cliff (accompanied by burning trees) in the distance, and (2) the continuation of this flow on the level ground in front of us. Both parts changed dynamically. The closer lava moved in an odd fashion. The hardened portion formed overlapping bulbous formations. After watching the lava move, the details of its development were clear. As the outer crust cooled, it resisted the pressure of the liquid within. A crack formed at the weakest point and the goo inside oozed out, forming a new blob. The newly exposed surface began to cool and the procedure was repeated. It was clear that a lot of magma was flowing under the hard surface, possibly extending beneath our feet as well. The rate of flow for the magma was slow, and it was mesmerizing to watch. After a while, I decided to stand in front of part of the flow (20 feet from the front) for some photos. At this point, a rapid river of less viscous lava decided to form, and headed directly for me. Within 2 minutes, the 20 feet had been traversed. And - yes, I moved before then. A real man would have stood there until the molten rock hardened around his disintegrated feet. However, I freely admitted defeat. After two hours of watching the lava, I returned to the car using my headlamp (the flashlight had broken). On returning, I noticed how abruptly the road ended in a hardened flow. Apparently, the roads have short life spans in that part of Hawaii. I was fortunate to see the lava because the flow and most of Chain of Craters road closed a day later due to forest fires. I never saw the flow in daylight, so I can only imagine what the terrain that I hiked over was like.

Wed, June 12

Having gone to bed at 1 AM, I slept in until 7. Then, breakfast beckoned. This consisted of amazing coconut pancakes with a coconut syrup (akin to maple syrup, but better). I failed to ever locate a retail version of this syrup while on the island. I had made plans with Steve and Tanya for an afternoon helicopter tour, so I remained in the vicinity for the morning.

I drove along a scenic four mile road North of Hilo. Along the way I stopped at a place Paul recommended for replicas of Hawaiian artifacts and got a bit carried away (they had some really cool weapons). Of course, I had them shipped since the airline might have disapproved of a shark tooth dagger. After a few stops on the scenic road, I proceeded to see two waterfalls (Kahuna and Akaka). Both were beautiful, and in the rain I caught an excellent rainbow. Returning to the scenic drive,  I went to the Hawaiian botanical garden. Though the scenery was comparable to that naturally present on the island, the variety of exotic flowers was impressive. At around 3 PM, Steve, Tanya, and I went on the helicopter tour. We used Blue Hawaiian, which I recommend. The ride, our first in a helicopter, was far smoother than we had expected. Apparently people still live in front of the active flow regions. The pilot pointed out houses that would be destroyed in the near future, but were still inhabited. After they are forced from their homes, I am sure  that those individuals will move to a safer place - like a flood plane. After the tour, the three of us decided to visit the Mauna Kea observatory - the largest in the world. The telescopes themselves are computerized, but a nearby visitor center allows use of ordinary large telescopes by the public. Before starting up the mountain, we stopped at a fast food joint and I ordered a "plate lunch". I had been told that this was a popular local specialty which would make me feel Hawaiian. It did. I felt at least 10 pounds heavier. We drove up the mountain, stopping to acclimate at 6000 ft. At 9000 ft we reached the visitor center where they recommended against proceeding to the observatory. Taking their advice to heart, we proceeded to the top. It was getting dark when we finally caught a glimpse of the structures (around 14000 ft). To avoid introducing light pollution, and in imitation of the other vehicles descending the mountain, we turned off the headlights and used only the hazard blinkers.  This last is a smart idea, because the majority of deep space objects emit primarily in the blue-green part of the spectrum, and the blinkers are yellow. A similar principle is employed in
light-pollution filters.

Driving down an unpaved, sinuous road in the dark in this fashion can be disconcerting - especially when the gas light goes on. It was good that Steve and Tanya had rented a 4WD vehicle. At the visitor center, a number of large (and very expensive) telescopes had been prepared for public viewing. These included two Celestron Maksutovs (12 in and 10 in), a Televue 102 on an Astrophysics mount, a Newtonian, and a small Dobsonian.  The large Mak and the Televue had "goto" drives. After around 9 PM, the majority of tourists had cleared out and we pretty much had the scopes to ourselves. The center itself was located above cloud layer. Apparently, the mountains trap the low lying clouds, causing continuous rain most of the year. However, above this layer the skies are generally clear. In fact, they are so clear that they appear artificial. The stars seem to be projected on a black background. I have never seen anything like it. The milky way was visible as well.  I had not seen it before, and initially mistook it for the reflection of light off of the clouds. It was incredible.  Given my incredible knowledge of celestial navigation, I stuck to the "goto" telescopes. Using a provided list of visible objects, I punched various Messier numbers in and hoped the telescope didn't end up pointing at the ground. The view was spectacular. The best objects were the "Jewelbox" and M13 (a globular cluster in Hercules). I also saw a shooting star through one of the Maksutovs. This is uncommon because of the tiny solid angle subtended by the scope). Given that I had never seen a shooting star, it was a special treat. It turns out that Steve and Tanya are into telescopes as well, so the session was lots of fun for everyone. I was not impressed with the Celestrons - but I've got to buy a Televue 102. It was incredibly crisp and clear. We left around 10 PM and drove down on fumes.

Thur, June 13

I awoke at 6 AM and checked out of the Hale Kai. The sky was perfectly clear and it was sunny, but the wind cooled things nicely. I drove to Volcanoes park for a driving tour. Naturally, I started the "driving tour" by hiking the Devastation trail. It turns out that I had almost finished it the first time around, but this hike was more enjoyable. I drove down Chain of Craters road, stopping at every scenic point. Unfortunately, around 3 miles in, the road was closed due to fires. The last open stop was Mauna Ulu. Though seemingly an ordinary crater, the rock formations struck a chord with me. They had a surreal feel. I was alone on a windswept landscape surrounded by scattered monoliths and odd formations. The desolation was palpable. Then the cell phone rang and the car horns started honking. Actually that DIDN'T happen - because this was Hawaii, not NY, and one could enjoy a moment of quiet solitude.

On the way back, I passed Hilina Pali road and decided to explore it. The road was a single lane 9 miles long. However, I encountered only a single car going each way. Apparently, it is a well kept secret. Hilina Pali is one of the most beautiful places in Hawaii. The road itself is wonderful; one passes strange landscapes and plants. Part of the charm probably derives from the proximity of the flora to the car (because it is a single lane). The road ends at the trailhead for a number of paths, including some long backpacking routes. I must return to this place to backpack! In fact, bicycling the Chain of Craters road or Hilina Pali road would also be fun activities. I hiked a hundred yards toward the coast along one of the trails and encountered one of the most spectacular vistas I have ever seen. It was a scene of perfect idyllic beauty.  After some time, I managed to tear myself away and drove back.

Next, I drove along the Crater Rim road and through a large portion of the caldera that I had not been aware of. In the first day's haze, the scope of the craters was not apparent. I had assumed that the view from Volcano house comprised the Kilauea crater which I had hiked. However, I now realized that there was a much broader space. Although I didn't have an opportunity to hike through it, I will certainly do so when I return.  I drove through this wasteland and stopped at various scenic points.

Afterwards, I drove to the airport and flew to Oahu.  I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Waikiki. Through some arrangement by one of Suon's relatives,  the room was only $50 a night. It had a fabulous view of the city and was quite nice in general.  Although I had planned not to rent a car, I caved in at the last minute and decided to do so. As a result, I ended up with a Chevy Cavalier from National at an exorbitant price. Ugh. However,  it turned out to be a necessity.