Our drive to explore the Green Sand Beach at the southern tip of the Big Island was stopped by local police due to a stubborn smoldering bush fire near there. Weather at the southern tip of the Big Island has its own micro-climate as it is located in the rain shadow of two big volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. If you measure from the sea bottom where the volcano started, Mauna Loa will be the tallest mountain on Earth, even higher than Mount Everest. This monster volcano dominates the southern half of the Big Island. On the way back, we founded a roadside fruit stand and got ourselves some of the ripest and sweetest papayas ever.
Next, we drove up to the Mauna Loa lookout viewpoint. Unfortunately, the spot has been overgrown with mature trees and suffered from neglect. The drive up the mountain was still exciting as it was wide enough for one car only! Unlike our previous visit, eruptions on Kilauea volcano as well as the active lava flow had stopped for a year now. We therefore decided to skip the Volcano National Park this time and drove to Isaac Hale Park instead. This was the spot where the lava tour boat was launched on our last visit. The most recent eruption in the area has changed the entire coast completely! The harbor and the boat launch had totally been destroyed. The harbor is reduced to a small pond and the ocean shore around the harbor is now filled in with lava, black sand, and gravels. The whole park would have been completely covered with lava had it not stopped in the middle of the field. It is quite a reminder of the awesomeness of the force of Nature.
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| Our hotel is located on a golf course but judging from the lack of green grass and players, I doubt if it is still in use |
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| We were stopped by local police on our way to the Green Sand Beach in the southern tip |
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| There was a bush fire still smoldering in this extremely dry and hot spot on the island. The massive Mauna Loa volcano looks so tiny from this angle |
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| View from the lookout on Mauna Loa |
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| We seldom see a plant with two kinds of leaves like this one |
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| The trees are growing into very interesting patterns on Mauna Loa |
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| A new tree has already sprouted inside a lava tree mold formed from previous lava eruptions |
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| Newest lava field on the beach near Isaac Hale Park |
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| This spot used to be all open ocean before the latest eruption |
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| Hard to imagine that the lava field behind Yiling would still be red hot only a year ago |
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| All these lava is still so fresh. abrasive, and sharp |
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| Many local residents lost their homes in the latest eruption. In the face of the force of Nature, we can only be in awe |
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| A giant pumice from the eruption |
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| This used to be the breakwater for the harbor on the right. Now the harbor is only a small shallow pond |
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| Miles and miles of the newest black sand beach on the Big Island |
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| If the lava flow behind had not stopped advancing, this whole park would be covered in lava today |
Our last day on the Big Island started with a hearty breakfast of sweet papaya and juicy pineapple (all from Hawaii). We then visited the zoo in Hilo before going to several waterfalls in the area. We drove north along the east coast to Laupahoehoe Beach Park before heading back to Hilo for dinner. Our long day ended with a midnight flight back home wrapping up a quick but relaxing trip.
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| My favorite part of any Hawaiian trip - ripe, sweet (and incredibly inexpensive) papayas |
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| Bright yellow bird just outside our balcony |
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| Beautiful Sumatran tiger in Hilo Zoo |
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| Rainbow Falls near Hilo |
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| Boiling Pot is a series of waterfalls along the Wailuku River further up from Rainbow Falls |
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| Wild guava trees are all over Hawaii. The ripe ones are so fragrant if you can get to them |
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| Kaumana Caves is an old gigantic lava tube near Hilo |
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| It can be explored on foot for the brave souls who come prepared |
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| A huge Banyan tree |
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| Laupahoehoe Beach Park on the east coast seems to be a favourite picnic spot for the locals |
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| It is a scenic spot where we can watch huge waves crashing onto the shore |
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| Beautiful spot to end our short Hawaiian trip |
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