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| Lava, in the form of "Pele's Hair" Photo by Jagger Bredahl |
As our plane landed on a field of black hard, lifeless lava at the Kona Airport I second guessed the wisdom in
planning a family vacation to the Big Island. We hopped into a rental car and
drove down a highway flanked on both sides by sinister black lava rock. Palm trees were nowhere in site. VOG (volcanic off-gas) filled the air, making for a hazy day. Paradise? I begged to differ. As it turns out, to our later delight, the Big Island has plenty of lushness, much of it just happens to be on the opposite side of the island, near the city of Hilo.
Volcanoes are the dominant feature of the Big Island, pervading every landscape, at places such as Lava Trees State Park, where the molds of trees that were inundated with lava stand among a living jungle, and Kapoho Tide Pools, where snorkelers trek over black lava to enter thermal pools filled with colorful coral and fish. Kapoho was the first place we snorkeled and we were overjoyed to encounter a friendly sea turtle who swam around us for at least 15 minutes. The creature was 4 feet long and adorable. I have wanted to see a sea turtle for as long as I can remember. When this fella took us by surprise and stayed to hang out I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the experience. Hawai'i gave us a proper welcome!
Hawai'i vocabulary for beginners:
VOG - volcanic off-gas (much like fog), often affects the atmosphere on the big island
Water Entry - when orange hot lava flows into the sea, this is a coveted sight for any tourist to the Big Island. It is impossible to plan your trip around this spectacular event, because Pele chooses when to put on a big show.
Pele - the goddess of volcanoes, the earth on the Big Island is outrageously ACTIVE and the people of Hawai'i have crafted countless stories about this passionate volcano goddess.
Lava Tube - very similar to caves, but the tubes were created by lava flows that hardened on the outer edge while hot lava continued to flow through, eventually creating a hollow tube.
If you are in search of volcanic activity, once you are on the Big Island, call the national park's viewing conditions hotline at 808-961-8093 to find out where you need to go. In March 2012, we were able to see flowing lava at the Kalapana Viewing Area, which is outside the boundaries of the national park. The "viewing area" is simply the end of a road that has been overtaken by lava 9 times in the past 2 years. We arrived after dark, parked our car next to a guard and a couple of craft vendors, and walked on a dark road (be sure to bring a flashlight!) to the end, where crumbly lava had covered the road. We could step on the crumbly lava for about 15 feet, at which point there were barriers. The lava was about a mile away from where we stood. We couldn't feel the heat. We saw little orange glowing dots in the distance. The most striking part of the experience was the existence of houses on the black lava, which defied all logic. It was dark and these homes were lit from within, one short mile from flowing lava. What kind of psychopaths are living on this lava?
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| Halema'uma'u crater of Kilauea Volcano at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park |
Photo by Madeline Horn
The next day we visited Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which allows visitors to get up close and personal with an active volcano. Unfortunately, hot lava wasn't visible at the park, however, the crater is massive and awe-inspiring. White steam billowed out of the crater during the day. As you can see in the photo above, the top of the volcano was rather flat.
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| Pele in the Jaggar Museum |
Photo by Jagger Bredahl
Pele rules the Big Island. Halema'uma'u crater, pictured above, is her home! Her hair is made of black lava rock and volcanic eruptions are said to be tied to her fiery emotions. Also on view in the Jaggar Museum is an outfit worn by a vulcanologist that STEPPED IN HOT LAVA and lived to tell the tale.
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| Thurston Lava Tube at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park |
Photo by Jagger Bredahl
Also in the national park, we hiked an easy jungle path to reach
the Thurston Lava Tube. The tube was lit nicely for park visitors to
casually walk through. We entered one side and popped out the other
side. The tube was about 300 feet long.
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| Night View of Kilauea Volcano |
Photo by Madeline Horn
When we returned to the Halema'uma'u crater at night, the steam glowed a frightening and dramatic orange. I could imagine the hot orange goo below the glow and I felt afraid, which seemed only right and proper as I stared at an active volcano.
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| Lava tube visible from the ocean off the Kona coast |
Photo by Jagger Bredahl
We spotted the lava tube above from a snorkeling boat trip off the Kona coast. A spectacular "water entry" must have occurred here thousands of years ago. All this vulcanology left me with a new life goal: to witness lava as it enters the sea. Hawai'i', also known as the Big Island, is a wild place. Active volcanoes keep it dangerous and unpredictable.
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| Water entry near Volcano, Hawai'i |
Photo courtesy of David Jordan /AP File
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