Day 16: Volcano National Park

We started our day early for the 2.5 hour drive around the southern tip to get to Volcano National Park.  Roads in Hawaii are good but you rarely travel more that 35 mph (that's 60 kmh for you who are not bi-measuremental).  The road continually, winds, rises and falls between sea level and 4000 feet.  The views are awesome but the driver must keep their eyes glued to the road.  Marilyn drove there so Dwight could sight see.  

At 10:00 we arrived at the Visitor Center for a quick fluid adjustment and time to join a walking tour.  The nervous young guide showed us some of the rain-forest with invasive plants and the sulpher steam vents.  She left us to explore the short trek to the Kilaeau crater.

Trail through rain forest

Sculpture of Pele Goddess of Volcano

Steam vents with sulfur crystals

Next we drove the crater trail to the Jagger Musuem named after the geologist who first studied the Mauna Kilaeau volcano.  The park is sacred ground to Hawaiians since they believe that Pele the goddess of the volcano lives here.  This volcano has been continuously erupting since 1983 with larger eruptions in 1959 and earlier.  Since the Japan earthquake the eruption has stopped.  The only evidence is the glow of lava in the crater after sunset.  We planned to return at sunset.

The Kilaeau crater is 4000 ftt above sea level and the chain of craters road takes you down to the lava ledge by the ocean.  We stopped at the Kilaeau Iki side crater where the last large eruption in 1959 and 1960 occurred.  We saw a film in the visitor center that said lava fountains were 1900 feet high and it erupted to 2 months.  Millions of cubic feet of lava filled the crater and poured down the volcano until February 1960.

Kilaeau crater

Kilaeau from crater trail

Kilaeau Iki crater.  Site of 1969 eruption.

We also walked trough the Thurston lava tube.  The tube has been lit and cleaned out for people to walk through.  It was a nice cool respite but the cold dripping water was a bit of a surprise.

Marilyn about to enter the lava tube

We learned that there are 2 different types of lava.  The slowing type that looks like frosting on a cake is called A'a and the chunky type is called Pahoehoe.  Here's a picture of both types side by side.

Two types of lava

The windy road down to the lava bench by the ocean took us to the Holei sea arch and the Puu Loa Petroglyhs.  The sea arch was formed by the surf as it wore down the lava bench.  There are numerous warnings to stay away from the end as it could collapse and also if there is lava flow the sea spray can be hot and contain hydrochloric acid!

Waves crashing on the lava bench

Marilyn next to the arch

On the lava bench the early Hawaiians somehow eked out a living in the desolate landscape.  We hiked 0.7 miles to section of pertroglyphs (stone carvings).  Check them out.

By now we were dehydrated and wind blown so it was off for some fuel for us and the car.  Outside the park is Volcano village.  We filled the car and then our stomachs at a great little cafe.  The organic green salad and thin crust pizza was "ono".  We returned to the park so see the Kilaeau crater after sunset and the glow of the lava.

The long ride home was quiet as we reflected on the wonders we saw and the memories we made.