Day 17-Oct 11/24-Hilo

Leave a reply

I have to apologize for incorrectly saying there were 2 guys plus myself on the bike ride. That does not add up to 2 on the tour…..ops! I should have said 3 plus me.

Today, I am taking a private tour with a picked up on the pier. 

Going to the black sand beach first.

Built homes where ponds used to be……..area has been filled in….no pics.

Coconuts require 50 F to survive so none on mountains

Deepest brackish pond in world in Liliuokalani Gardens. It is over 1 mile deep ….hard to believe.

Liliuokalani Gardens
Old bridge in Hilo
Waterfall…Hilo
Rainbow Falls
Gorgeous hibiscus….not native to Hawaii…who knew!

Kalapana…… base of volcano fissure #8

Area going there is now kind of a desert area since of volcano heat in the ground…trees are dying.  Because the trees burned up there is no moisture created

780 homes destroyed in 2018 in this area.

“Puka” is a hole left by lava tube that has collapsed. The lava solid when broken off is vermiculite……so light. Also peacock lava…..like peacock colours

“Tree mould”….blue markers  goes down 10-20 feet where once stood a tree but was covered by lava and then the tree burnt

Orchid
Trees have died cuz ground is too hot
You don’t go anywhere near this Puka. It is huge and recently dropped.
Treemould where a tree once lived…..could be 10-20 feet deep….be careful
Lava tube
Lava tube
Steam venting
Fissure 8 still smoking
At fissure #8 from the backyard of a friend of our guide

$30,000 for acre in this area but guide wouldn’t buy cuz it’s too close to the volcano. 

Pentane….liquid made from Geo-thermal gas compressed.

Kalapana

Kilauea 

Gary Sleik photographer/videographer/volcanologist. ….amazing!

Gary Sleik
Doble hibiscus growing in his “garden”
On the cooled lava field of 2008 Gary and neighbours have rebuilt their homes “off the grid”. I am awaiting a reply from Gary whether or not I can attach the link to his story…..a video with amazing and spectacular video footages. If I cannot, you will have come for a visit.

Kehena Beach….nudie hippie beach (got quite a sight of one old guy….lol). Black sand is really little black marbles    

Black sand (pebbles)
Sea grape
Tunnel of trees….if you expand the picture

Mackenzie park… haunted! The lava tubes make howling sounds at night. This area is known for rogue waves. They take 2-3 lives every year. It is very dangerous. The waves can be 50-60 ft high.

We crossed over the lava fields for 7 miles from fissure 8 before coming this beach

They used to be able to surf to the tree line
These pools of water you should never go in cuz of infection they cause
Saffron finch
At this spot there is a wharf for launching a boat……3-400 feet from the present shoreline.

Flow extended into ocean… used to beach at tree line. One day it dropped 3 feet into ocean…but lost they 3 great surfing beaches.

“Puna”…pele’s unpredictable sister 

Steam emitting amongst trees is from the volcano.

When was the last time you saw any of these???
In the harbour in Hilo
I can only imagine this hotel floods
Loooooong breakwater off Hilo as we are leaving port.

 The story we heard about why the inhabitants of Easter island came north to the Hawaiians Islands was that the Polynesians had cut down all the trees there which inadvertently caused them to starve. They needed another place in which to survive.

Leave a comment