On Saturday we headed to the biggest must-see attraction on the Big Island: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I wouldn't say this was the most action-packed place on the island, but it is truly the most intriguing. This place was like no other I've ever experienced. We again traveled the winding Saddle Road across the island, which provides a beautiful view of Mauna Loa - the biggest (though not quite the tallest) volcano on the island. Actually, it is the biggest volcano (volume-wise) in the world! The entire Sierra Nevadas could fit inside the land mass of this volcano.
After our 2 hour drive, we made it to the park. We stopped at the Visitor's Center to get maps and watched a cool movie about how the Hawaii Islands have formed (it's very cool; I can explain it if you're interested so ask me!!). After that, we were off to the Kilauea - the most active volcano on the planet. It has been erupting constantly since the 1980's. Of course they don't let you get too near the lava, but seeing steam coming out of the Halema'uma'u Crater was pretty cool! Apparently at night you can see the glow of the lava, but we didn't hang around for that due to our long drive back.
And then a few miles later, it is desolate and covered with black lava.
We learned that there are 2 types of lava, and the Hawaiians had names for each: a'a (pronounced ah-ah), which is very rough, rocky, and chunky (pictured above at the bottom left of picture); and pahoehoe (puh-HOE-ay-HOE-ay), which is more smooth. Here's some pahoehoe:
At the end of Chain of Craters Road, we saw this archway formed from lava. It used to be solid rock but the crashing waves knocked out the middle, forming the arch.
My favorite part of the day (and possibly our whole trip) was our hike around and through the Kilauea Iki Crater.
The black part you see above was formerly a lake of lava! It erupted in 1959. My understanding (which is at least somewhat correct :) was that it wasn't a constant blast-type eruption, but a 'vent' eruption - where the lava kept coming up and then receding back into the earth, and then coming up again (kind of like a bad plumbing situation??) The hike took us around the top rim, and then down across the dried lava lake. Here we are, ready to cross the surface:
See the steam coming out of this hole? Is this an eruption waiting to happen? Fortunately for us, no. Even though the eruption stopped over 50 years ago, and the dried lava is firm, it is still hot deep down. When it rains, rainwater runs down the cracks in the surface, comes into contact with the heat, and steam forms. Again, this place is like no other on earth!!
It's fun to see this new life emerging from so much destruction. Apparently broken down lava soil, known as cinder soil, is quite fertile.
The entire hike was 4 miles and it took us right at 2 hours. We had to descend 400 feet down (so think maybe a 40 story building). Here I am just before the hike back up. We were prepared for a terrible hike, but it wasn't that bad! It was all shaded, and the temps that day were probably in the high 70's. I have to say, Ked and I would be in great shape if we always got as much exercise as we did on this vacation!
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