Story Aunt Gus and Little Bear's Adventure Book 3 (Complete)

Nov 10th: Chill Day​

The guys must pull together yet more footage to upload for the director. There was a ton of sponsor tickets that were going to go to waste as it wasn’t something the guys thought would fit with their current schedule of the last couple of days. Well Benny and I were NOT going to sit around in a hotel room all day fidgeting, not again. The driver/guide was willing after I called him last night, but then he texted me early this morning and said his Sistah-in-law (named Kalea) was available and would be our driver/guide, so we took off to do a few adventuresome things. However, I did make sure that Lev could track me with my phone.

“Babe …”

“Yeah?” I answered distractedly as I tried to get our phones to sync.

“Gus …”

“Yeah?” I repeated.

“Did I ever tell you how hot your independence and strength has always made me?”

It took a couple of seconds for what he said to penetrate my digital irritation. “What?”

He chuckled. “That’s better.” I was still feeling confused when he said, “Stop letting what Diego said get to you. In case you don’t know his sitch, his wife pretty much soured him in some areas. And his culture doesn’t exactly have a lot of room in it for women like you.”

“Culture smultcher,” I muttered embarrassed. “Things have been kinda crazy. You need the brain space for work, not for worrying.”

He took his phone out of my hands and put it in his back pocket. “Thank you. Does that app work both ways?”

I shrugged. “Yes. Why?”

“Because it isn’t a bad idea, for just in case we get separated, if we can find each other. Now stop … uh … overcompensating. We do things our way. Diego and Chan are my friends but there is no way in hell I’m letting them run my love life with as many screw ups as they’ve made in their own.”

I got a little side swiped by “love life” but didn’t have time to embarrass myself because Benny and I needed to get down to the lobby for our ride.

First thing we did was take a Pineapple Tour at this place called Hali’imaile[1]. And yes, Kalea had fun at my first couple of attempts at saying it correctly. She’s actually pretty cool. She is a couple of years older than me with a kid that is a little younger than Benny that her grandmother watches while she works. She’s getting her degree in Hawaiian Studies but she has to pay as she goes now that her other financial sources have run out.

I was sympathetic. “I was in the same boat after I got my A.S. but then … life happened.”

“Mmph. Know that feeling. I made a wrong turn that turned out right but it still cost. If it wasn’t for my grandmother and my brotha-in-law I would have had to move to the Mainland for work.” When we pulled in she said, “This place is good, just don’t let ‘em fool you into buying a pineapple. You’ll get a free one at the end of the tour.”

Good deal Lucille. Basically what I was trying to do was show Benny the working side of Hawaii and it started with seeing a working pineapple field/operation firsthand. We learned about the growing cycle and cultivation techniques, tasting the stages as we learned them. And I took plenty of pictures for his portfolio.

Next came the Ku’ia Estates Chocolate Factory[2], the largest chocolate factory in the state of Hawaii. As soon as we got in and checked in we enjoyed a traditional cacao drink and took in the amazing 360-degree views from their rooftop pavilion. We were then transported to their private cacao estate, in the foothills of the West Maui mountains. It featured over 20 acres of cacao trees. The tour was designed to be interactive and educational, and it did the job. We got introduced to cacao trees, the hands-on fruit harvesting techniques, and finished with an exclusive 9-piece tasting their award-winning chocolate. Yum.

The next activity Kalea joined us on and truthfully I could have spent a couple of hours on it rather than the one we got. It was a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Cultural and Turtle Tour. Apparently Kalea knew one of the people running the activity from school. We learned about Polynesian culture as we cruised through scenic tropical landscapes. We got up close and personal to some local marine life at the same timed. I don’t think some of the people understood how physical the activity was going to be because we weren’t just sitting in the outrigger, we were helping to power it. Benny and I had a blast.

The next activity I had planned turned out to be a bust as it was closed unexpectedly. I was scrambling but Kalea said, “Lunch, then if you want how ‘bout I take you to the oldest butterfly farm in Hawaii.” Well Benny was all over that. The “farm” was a certified Monarch Waystation and their goal was to save the butterflies through propagation, research and education. Kalea added that they were the only place in the Islands to see live Hawaiian butterflies in a walk-in butterfly flight house. Unlike Mainland butterfly farms, all of their butterflies are home bred and hand raised on an organic farm. They do not purchase or ship in butterflies from abroad, therefore all the butterflies are endemic to Hawaii. The most important two are the Kamehameha Butterfly and the Koa Butterfly. I got pictures of Benny with butterflies all over him. That will be a perfect addition to the scrapbook I’ve decided to make. To be honest it may just go into a file. I’m not what you would call crafty. I guess so long as I have everything documented and organized that will have to be my contribution.

“Float like a butterfly … sting like a bee.” Okay so that was a little silly, but it was something Grandfather Barry would say occasionally when he was teaching me to protect myself. It took some research to figure out what he meant at the time and for whatever reason the hamster drew it up from the memory bank today. Well I know. First was butterflies and after that came a Honey Bee Adventure.

Benny and I learned a lot. Did you know that honeybees are responsible for pollinating 2/3 of the food we eat? Seriously. Busy bees. Sound like my kind of animal. Not only do they work hard, they have a chain of command, and they also produce stuff, and not just honey though the stuff we tasted was seriously yum. They are fascinating, even the hamster thought so. The sanctuary we visited was situated on a special piece of land in upcountry Maui. After the bee lessons we got to put on protective bee suits so that we could view the hives up close. It was amazing how they worked together to get things done.

Quietly Benny said, “Look at ‘em Aunt Gus. All that wiggling around. And they’re allowed to do it by the queen because it cools over the inside of the hive so they don’t get too hot. Like when you fan me when we’re hiking.”

“Yep,” I responded as calmly and quietly so we didn’t freak the bees out. “And did you hear the guide? Honey bees even spit water at each other to cool off.”

Benny snickered and I have to admit I did too. That’s one I’d never heard and it took a bit to convince me it wasn’t a story, but it is true. Bees collect water in their Honey Guts and take it back to the hive to cool things off with.

We’d had a full day at that point and I offered to buy Kalea’s dinner but she was honest and said she’d rather have a tip so she could at it to her college savings. I got it. And just as importantly so did Benny and he asked permission to share the honey sticks I bought him with Kalea’s little boy. I nodded and he split them evenly. Kalea wasn’t sure what to make of it, but I looked at her to ask that she take them, that I was trying to teach Benny to see outside himself.

She dropped us off at the condo and Benny and I took off up the stairs instead of the elevator to get the last of the wiggles out. Lev met us halfway.

“You got my text?”

He grinned. “I got your pictures and your texts all day.”

“Uh … it didn’t bother you did it?”

“Nope. The opposite. I know you said you ate, but you did right?”

“Yes. But guess what?”

“Er … what?”

I looked at Benny and grinned who pulled a box of microwave popcorn from behind his back. The look on Lev’s face was priceless.

“Oh man, we shoulda been doing this all along!”

I made sure it was homestyle with just salt so it wouldn’t be greasy on Lev’s hands and he appreciated the thought but, “We’re winding down. Hey Buddy, wanna watch a documentary? We’re going back to Haleakala tomorrow and I just thought …”

“Cool! You’ll … you’ll watch it with me?”

“Yep. I even finally figured out how to flick my Utube to the tv in the bedroom and you can have the Crew on the bed so they can watch it with us. Aunt Gus?”

“Sure. Why not?” I said with an eye roll that had them both grinning happily.

Neither one of them lasted the entire “dock-mentary.” I think they were still catching up from yesterday. And I need to get off this log and finish a few things up myself.

---

[1] Maui Pineapple Tour | Pineapple Farm Tours in Maui, HI
[2] Farm Tour and Tasting

Thank you Kathy.

Thanks Kathy

Nov 11th: Back to Haleakala​

Holy smokes, Diego got us in almost over our heads. I will never let anyone else set a XXXX that I haven’t at least researched to make sure the info is good. First off, we did part of the Sliding Sands hike over. It helped the guys catch up on some shots they needed so they could finish this park. But second?! Diego had figured the length of the trail wrong. It was an in and out, not a loop so instead of about 6 or 7 miles, it was 13.5 miles total. I’m glad that I over packed on the water and snacks and even thought to throw in some glucose tabs from the Spanish bonehead. Lord only knows what would have happened if I hadn’t.

We learned some additional facts about the crater itself. It is some 2.5 miles across at its widest and 7.5 miles long. And Haleakala Crater is not a “true” crater at all; it just looks like it. It is a rimmed basin that sprawls below the top of the East Maui volcano, looking for all intents and purposes like a caldera. In reality it mostly derives from good old-fashioned stream erosion. Two major valleys head at the Crater via the Koolau and Kaupo gaps.

This summit basin reaches a maximum depth of about 3,000 feet, but it was once significantly deeper. It’s partly filled with lava flows and cinder-cone deposits associated with Haleakala eruptions. Much of the crater floor is essentially a desert, though some hardy plants—most notably the Haleakala silversword survive there.

The route we took started off from the Sliding Sands Trailhead at the Haleakala Visitor Center. We were up at some 9,800 feet there, not too far below the volcano’s 10,023-foot summit at Puu Ula-Ula (Red Hill). I need to remember to tell Lev what a ranger told us: It’s worth noting that, while most people use Haleakala—House of the Sun—to describe the entire East Maui volcano, Native Hawaiians originally restricted that name to just the summit proper. That’s where the legend goes, the hero Maui lassoed the sun to slow it down and thus lengthen daytime.

In just shy of four miles, the Sliding Sands, or Keoneheehee Trail, drops some 2,500 feet to the floor of Haleakala Crater. Off to the north was the cinder cone Ka-Luu-o-ka-O-o. We passed closer to another cinder cone, Puu o Pele, and then hit a fork in the trail. The Ka Moa O Pele Loop split off to the north from the Sliding Sands Trail. We followed that lefthand fork toward the Halemauu Trail. I was looking ahead, and then behind, and then at my mileage counter on my watch.

“Diego?”

“What?” he snapped.

“How long did you say this trail was?”

He didn’t answer me as some other hikers were catching up to us and trying to pass. That didn’t set well with Diego and he started saying we needed to watch our time and get a move on. I let it go when I shouldn’t have.

We edged along the western and northern flanks of Ka Moa O Pele, another cinder cone, and then reach a trail junction in between it and the Halalii cone. If you haven’t already gathered, there are a lot of cinder cones in Haleakala Crater: more than a dozen, in fact. We turned right at that junction on the Halalii Loop to hike between Halalii and yet another cone, Puu Naue. We met the Halemauu Trail in the vicinity of the Kawilinau fissure: the so-called “Bottomless Pit.” I later found out that ancient Hawaiian lore suggests this volcanic shaft connects to the ocean, though it’s actually only about 65 feet deep according to scientists who have mapped it.

We hiked east on the Halemauu Trail, then hung a right on a connector trail (the Puu Naue Spur) running southeastward. After hoofing it between Puu Naue and Puu Nole on this connector, we came to another trail junction and stayed to the right to continue south on the Kapalaoa Trail. This is what brought us back to the Sliding Sands Trail. By that time, of course, everyone had figured out that Diego had underestimated the mileage we were doing. In for a penny, in for a pound. We took a quick jog east to visit the Kapalaoa Cabin, which had a picnic table and an outhouse. We needed both before psyching ourselves up for the climb back up the basin’s headwall.

I did not say I told you so. It would have been pointless, but Lev knew I was pizzed. Benny didn’t complain but he had a hard time making that climb out. For that matter so did Chan. Lev and I got Benny out, but I was going to leave Chan to Diego. Then I heard the gravel slide behind me and I just had time to get down to Diego before he face planted. I nearly slapped him when I found out he hadn’t brought his glucose meter. I made him take a tab of glucose because it was obvious he was tanking.

“You will either take this,” I growled in his ear so not even Lev heard me. “Our I will drag you up this crater wall by your boots.”

Thankfully his shoved the machismo back under his hat. It took thirty minutes before he was stable on his legs and then he and I climbed out. Lev had already taken Benny and Chan up and out. We caught a ride down with another film crew that had a small bus at their disposal. The guys and them compared notes for a bit, finding they knew some mutual acquaintances. At the base we called a Lyft and made it back to the condo right as the sun was going down.

But there was no rest for the cranky. I threw together a spam scramble with some home fries. There wasn’t even grease left for me to clean up off the table and everyone did their own dishes. Benny helped me dry and then I insisted he hit the hay. He didn’t complain or say anything at all. I am so pizzed at Diego. I’ll keep my mouth shut if since it was an accident and he even eventually admitted it. But Diego had been glowering at me off since I made him take the glucose tab. I don’t give a rat’s butt. If he wants to die of testosterone poisoning he can do it on someone else’s watch. I think I finally got him off my back by saying he would have done the same thing to me if our positions had been reversed, and I would have deserved it.

I’m obviously tired. I’m not going to write anything else because I don’t want to have to take it back. I’m done in. Benny and I hiked more miles than this in a day in the national parks but we always knew what we were doing going in and were prepared. Never mind. I said I’m done. And I am so I’m hitting the hay.

Thanks Kathy!

thank you dear lady!!

Thanks Kathy

I saved this for this morning , Thank you.

Nov 12th: Kaanapali Beach and Snorkeling​

This morning we did another ten miles, but it was honestly just really easy compared to yesterday. That said I could tell that Diego and Chan were sore, but I didn’t say anything. Diego kept looking at me when he didn’t think I would notice, like he was wondering why I didn’t say anything or continue to complain about yesterday. One, I did complain yesterday; I raised some concerns during the hike at one point and then gave up. Second, what’s the use? It happened. It’s over with. I will say this … it better not happen again.

This morning we did the Ka’anapali Coastal Walk. Yes, from end to end and back it was ten miles but it was all paved, all level – or mostly – and through a completely developed area of the coast so we were stopping constantly to take pictures of the resorts or on the beach. So definitely more walk or stroll than hike. We didn’t need a guide, so we just caught a Lyft – or maybe it was an Uber or the local ride share program, wasn’t paying enough attention – and was dropped off.

The Ka'anapali beach walk can be started at the north end, the south end, or in the middle. There were resorts all up and down the strip and each one is required to provide a limited number of public parking spaces for beach access. Thing is, despite starting early, the lots were already full so I’m glad we didn’t try parking ourselves.

• Hanakaoʻo Park is also known as Canoe Beach. It’s a popular little beach at the very south end of Ka'anapali that has a small parking lot. It has the usual, such as bathrooms and a lifeguard. It was also a great place to snorkel and Benny and I got from under the critical eye of a certain person that was beginning to irritate me.
• Hyatt Regency is the first resort at the south end of Ka'anapali. This is where most people start on the south end because the parking has security. Car break-ins are a real problem all over the islands and have been for years. Unfortunately, it has become a way of life for some as a way to offset how expensive it is to live here. It is a shame when people resort to crime rather than the ballot box, as Dad used to say.
• Whalers Village is an outdoor luxury shopping mall in the middle of the south end of Ka'anapali. Didn’t do anything for me and I didn’t pretend that it did, much to the guys’ annoyance. Well, Lev knows I’m not built that way, but he was feeding off the other two and hoping to encourage me into shopping. Nope. And the food locations were more than kinda pricey too. Parking is for shoppers only and they do ticket. Fines are pretty stiff from what I understand. When they started to annoy me I said, “The title of this film isn’t Benny and Gus do a vacay. Already got told that in Alaska. We do not need to be in every shot.” They finally clued in and when they let it go, I did. I’m thinking they were still tired from yesterday but that’s not my fault.
• Sheraton Maui is a resort by Black Rock that sits between the north and south ends of the Ka'anapali beach walk and is considered the midpoint starting area.
• Black Rock is an outcrop of lava rock that makes it into a lot of postcards for Hawaii. It is a popular place to cliff jump for tourists and locals alike. In fact, people have been cliff jumping at Black Rock since early Hawaiians first inhabited the islands. It’s also a popular place to snorkel. Benny and I gave it a try but only once. It was crowded. But we did jump. I wasn’t too sure about Benny doing it, but the little Dare Devil almost made a scene when he thought I was going to leave him behind. That told me that someone else still had the crankies from yesterday too. I mean I know he is only seven but he’s not normally like that, and it wasn’t just because he was going to be left with the guys because Lev was there.
• Kahekili Beach Park is also known as Airport Beach. This was a better spot for snorkeling than Black Rock had been. It sits in the middle of the north end of Ka'anapali and is another popular location with all the beach amenities. Meaning it was crowded. But because people could spread out it wasn’t that bad.
• Honua Kai Resort is the first resort if you start on the north end of the beach walk. It’s home to Duke’s Beach House, one of the popular restaurants in the area.

It was all postcard paradise and I admit it, crowds and all. But I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t present the other side of things. First, it is expensive. At least for people on a budget unless you are just there for the free stuff. And even if you are, there are rumors that even the resort areas are going to require pre-paid, time-restricted reservations for everyone but the Native Ethnically-Hawaiian class. That is already true at the state parks and several other beaches and popular hikes so it isn’t that much of a leap to think they’ll do it in other areas.

Several of the resorts sell “armbands” that allow you to use their facilities even if you aren’t staying there. They aren’t cheap, don’t cover paid parking, but if you don’t have one of those then you shouldn’t plan on even being able to walk through their areas to play lookie lou. The guys had a media pass so when they would do that, Benny and I would either hang out on the beach or sit on a bench next to the sidewalk and participate in some people watching. Lev was a little embarrassed that he hadn’t thought to make sure we were included but no skin off my nose and I told him if I was interested that I could look at his pictures.

And then there is mother nature. Erosion is a problem all over the islands and Ka'anapali is no exception. The south end is worse than the north. A section in front of one of the popular resorts was so bad we had to detour around it. The Hawaiian government doesn’t really do beach restoration by adding sand like they do in Florida. I also haven’t seen much of planting things that would prevent erosion. I don’t think it is a budget problem – the taxes here are out-freaking-rageous. I just think it is a mindset that they don’t interfere with the natural order of things anymore than necessary regardless of the consequences.

And speaking of consequences for poor land management, there are the wildfires that still happen frequently. Though Hawaii makes up less than 1% of U.S. land, it contains more than 44% of the country’s endangered and threatened plant life. While some native plants can gradually recover from wildfires, others get scorched beyond regrowth. Hawaiian botanists have been pushing for reforestation for decades without much, if any, success. You’d think with the Hawaiian Islands being volcano created that a lot of the native species would be fire resistant, but that’s not true. Then there is the problem that nonnative shrubs and grass that were introduced to Hawaii from other parts of the world over time to help resist droughts and stabilize erosion has backfired. Instead they’ve created breeding grounds for wildfires such as ornamental grasses that die back during a drought but comeback when it does start raining, often create acres of tinder from dry tufts and prairie like conditions. I’m not sure what the solution is but doing nothing isn’t it and that is what the government in Hawaii has been doing for decades.

I fixed a large breakfast this morning. I was hoping to not have to deal with hangries from anyone. I was also trying to watch the per diem. We’d been eating out a lot and it was starting to tell on the food budget. That meant that no one was really interested in lunch but while we walked we did get a shave ice from this place call Ululani’s. It was by the Hyatt so we did it towards the end of the return trip which fit perfect with the schedule.

Our next activity was also the last for the day; an early afternoon snorkel trip. It lasted 3.5 hours and took us to what they said was some of Maui’s best snorkeling. Again on the west side to swim and snorkel with Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, colorful tropical fish, and beautiful coral. Pupus (appetizers) and an open bar were included making the guys happy. I’m not getting jaded and neither is Benny, but there’s been a lot of repetition of locations on Maui. I get it, the guys need film and sometimes from multiple days at the same locations. I’m going to put this down to my control issues but there must be a more efficient and less expensive way of doing this. Especially since we are coming back to the condo earlier than we did with the Alaska assignment.

Whew. Maybe the guys and Benny are not the only people with leftover crankies from yesterday. I’m not ready to sleep so I’m going to do some reps to try and re-center and calm down. Tomorrow is our last day in Maui and I don’t want it to be tainted my an attitude problem, especially not my own.

Sorry I've slowed down on posting this story but I'm struggling to edit in a few places. Some of it has to do with the devastating fires and some of it is just stuff I've been learning.

Nov 13th: South Maui​

We did another “coastal walk” today, this one called the Wailea Coastal Walk. “Budget friendly” typically isn’t part of my vocabulary when I’ve tried to describe Hawaii, and Maui in particular. Especially in the upscale and swank areas like Wailea district. However, the Wailea Coastal Walk is the exception so long as you know what to expect and how to prepare. First, it’s free. Most beaches, state parks, and other things of that nature at least have parking permits you must buy. And if not, there are the paid reservations you have to make in advance. Not the “coastal walk.”

The coastal walk is a paved concrete walk that winds its way along the shoreline at Wailea, South Maui’s swanky resort row. The 3.2-mile out-and-back pathway passes some of the island’s most expensive resorts, such as The Four Seasons and Hyatt’s Andaz. We took a Lyft to one end and used our time as wisely as we could by walking first one way and then back. We started at the southernmost point, headed north to the end, and then turned back to catch things from a different angle and different lighting if the first pass wasn’t optimal.

We started at Polo Beach. We had to pass the resident wild chickens, along with crowing roosters, that loiter near the picnic benches. Of course they do. And they aren’t shy about asking for a handout but you aren’t supposed to. It is actually an ordinance that you aren’t supposed to feed them or molest them in any way. I’m wondering who finds all the eggs they must lay. Or maybe no one does because there sure are a lot of them. At the beach there is a public restroom and foot washing station here. Facing the ocean, there was a short, sandy path that leads to a small beach where you can put your feet in the water. And by small, I mean small. Luckily it was early enough in the day that it hadn’t gotten crowded yet. At the same time the water was a little too cold for me to find it “refreshing.”

There was a lot crammed into the short Walk so we kept going. On our right was the white buildings of Fairmont’s Kea Lani Resort, which opened in 1991. Stroll past the Fairmont Kea Lani, beyond a stretch of expensive landscaping, to see the large residential buildings perched on the cliffs above the water. This is Wailea Point, a private residential area. The path gently slopes upward for a better view of the ocean. There’s no beach or beach access along this section of the trail. Trust me, every few feet there was a sign that told us so. Instead, we had a view of the waves crashing against the rocky coastline. While the guys were taking film, I was trying to record the sound. Chan surprised me by saying he’d do it for me. The other day he’d noticed how many “sound apps” I had on my phone and then he showed me his. Wow, and I thought I had a lot. He knows I play a lot of water sounds to relax to depending on my mood. He got it and he’s forwarded me almost more than I’ve been able to deal with and save without using up all of my memory.

Along the Wailea Point section of the trail, we passed a grass lawn with mounded rocks and small boulders. It is the remains of an old hale (house). There is a weathered sign-thingie that explains it and its significance.

We continued to walk and the rock wall stayed on our right side as the path wound around a corner to before opening up to be The Four Seasons Resort. It’s so distinctive that it’s been used in several tv shows and movies. We crossed the footbridge and took a break at this place call the Beachwalk Café. Wailea Beach begins in front of this resort so we took a beach break as well.

After this point the sidewalk path becomes a stone paver pathway. It also becomes kitty kat junction. They were draped over everything. Apparently for years the caretakers of the resort have made a habit of feeding the feral cats that live along that stretch of Wailea. I’m wondering why the cats haven’t taken care of all of the chickens. Maybe because they are fed too good? No idea. But then again it is like two gangs with their own territory. I didn’t see cats where the chickens hang out and I didn’t see chickens where the cats were hanging out.

North of The Four Seasons is the huge Grand Wailea Resort. I mean this place is huge; huge and ultra luxurious. It has pools, cabanas, and chaise lounges for exclusive use of resort guests; no armband here. Wailea Beach ends on the north side of the Grand Wailea Resort.

For smoothies and snacks, the Whale’s Tale snack bar directly on the Wailea Beach Path makes for a cool pit stop. I wasn’t hungry but shrugged when Lev wanted to get Benny a small one. I told him he had to make sure that no gluten and no red dye. I should have said he needed to watch the sugar as well. Next time he’ll remember. Whoops. Lev better be glad that I didn’t make him help Benny burn off those wiggles since he was already carrying his camera equipment.

Just after the beach ends and the rocky coast begins again, we passed more swank private residences of the Wailea Beach Villas. The paved stone path ends and the concrete sidewalk began. That section of the path quickly led to the Wailea Beach Resort grounds with all of their ocean view pools. After passing Wailea Beach Villas, the sidewalk led to the private residences of Wailea Elua Village. It is also at this point that the beach began again. Ulua Beach is in front of Elua Village.

The final resort along the path is the uber-swank Andaz that is on Mokapu Beach. This is where the path ended. After a bit of time on the beach we turned around to head back the 1.6 miles back to Polo Beach. It didn’t take quite so long and everyone was ready for food at that point, even me. I should have gotten a smoothie to hold me over.

Diego called for a car and, instead of eating right away, we had to get to the pre-show for another luau that was down the road. This one was called “Te Au Moana: The Ocean Tide.”

According to the brochure Lev picked up: Te Au Moana, which translates to “the ocean tide,” has always been a constant throughout Oceania, connecting our islands, peoples, and generations. Our Polynesian ancestors traversed these ocean tides for centuries and revered them for their life-sustaining properties. Their stories – which spoke of their expert skills in fishing, gathering, and voyaging – demonstrated the tremendous depths of knowledge and respect they had for the Earth and its elements. As Hawaii’s premier entertainment company, Tihati Productions endeavors to bring these stories to life at our incredible lūʻau, Te Au Moana: The Ocean Tide. We invite you to dine as the ocean sits peacefully before you, as it has for thousands of years. We ask you to dance under the Maui skies. The moon and stars await you, as do all the fascinating stories at Te Au Moana: The Ocean Tide, a spectacular lūʻau experience like no other!

It was the afternoon rather than evening production so the moon and stars weren’t going to make an appearance but otherwise it was a nice way to end our time on Maui. The food was served family-style and we were at a table with other people that needed to have gluten-free options. Lev was with us while Diego and Chan were at another table with a bunch of single men that … harummph … enjoyed the young ladies in their costumes after imbibing more than a few fruity concoctions if you know what I mean. [Eye-Roll]

After the luau we had to clean up the space and pack up. Chores accomplished and now I’m finished with the log entry as well. Tomorrow, we fly out to The Big Island.

No worries Kathy. Thanks!

I was hoping you were having less stress, so not needing to write. I'll take any of your stories any way you want to give them.

Nov 14th: The Big Island Arrival​

Took off from Kahului airport at 7:10 am via private charter and arrived at Kona airport at 7:59 am.

This morning while waiting to board our private chartered flight I picked up a bit of recycling. Someone left a pile of plastic tubes that held energy shots. They look like mini test tubes and even have stoppers that screw on top of them. I’m not sure what I’ll use them for but for some reason the hamster wanted them. If it loses interest later on, I’ll just trash them but whatever.

David, our driver/guide, met us on the tarmac and no problem with customs, etc. And he knew we had a kid with us and brought a special adventure book – Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail – issued by the national park service. Benny was shaking he was so excited. It was an exaggerated reaction, so I know he was tired and thankfully didn’t have any trouble getting to sleep tonight. We wouldn’t be able to complete the booklet all today, but the guy told me that he always brings one along just in case a kid needs a distraction during the long rides. You bet I sung his praises tonight on the blog. He hopes to one day get his doctorate in Hawaiian Studies, or whatever you want to call it similar to the girl Kalea that was the guide for Benny and I a couple of days ago. From my experience with him today, he deserves the chance to try to see if that is what he really wants. He is just that good.

It was going to be a full day so first stop, naturally, was so that Diego and Lev could grab coffee and Chan got a decaff green tea. Benny and I stuck to water with lime in it this time instead of lemon.

We started off driving on a scenic journey past historic Parker Ranch which has operated as one of the largest ranches in America since 1847. As we passed through the ranching town of Waimea (yep another one), we watched as the landscape changed from pastures to green, tropical rainforest, as sweeping views of the Hamakua Coast start creeping into view.

From there we made our way back toward sea level at Punalu'u Bake Shop knowns as the southernmost bakery in the US. They had a little bit of everything from Hawaiian sweetbreads to cookies to souvenirs & island novelties. My mouth was watering and Lev’s was as well. Benny thought the food sounded bad for him and to be honest he didn’t know what he was missing. He was more about wanting a smoothie than the baked goods. I was resolute about avoiding all the breads, cookies, cakes, other stuff but I did buy some fruits butters – guava, lilikoi (passion fruit), and mango – and got some coffee and tropical teas for our personal stash and to send to Lev’s mail drop.

Our driver said that it wouldn’t be a bad thing to get plate lunches to go and we could eat them whenever we chose. We got a plate lunch for each of us, for later but we all had something as a quick snack. Benny and I split some papaya and cottage cheese.

“You watching your weight?” Diego asked.

I sighed. Diego is riding my case again for some reason. I’m thinking it is Lev and I getting more serious or something along those lines. For whatever reason it seems like he thinks I am going to hurt Lev or don’t know how to handle my business or whatever. There were a lot of snarky things I could have said in reply, but it was easier and caused fewer problems just to ignore him. If I could ignore some of the asshats in high school, I can ignore his routine.

Benny mostly was busy with his smoothie so I ate the other and by the time we got to Punalu’u Black Sand beach I needed to get the wiggles out. Benny did as well so we were running around and playing and then both of us stopped dead. Lev was taking pictures and he said the twin looks on our faces were some of the best shots he’d gotten the entire trip. There were giant green sea turtles sunning themselves on the shore. I mean just laying out there in the open. They were huge. It was amazing. To be honest we couldn’t stand still for long, that black sand is like walking on lava. Wish I had been smarter than I was. I had Benny wear his water shoes, but I had mine off long enough to blister the bottom of my feet. There’s consequences for that kind of stupidity.

We were there for forty minutes and then moved on to a relatively short drive through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to get a 90-minute overview so we’d have some idea of what the guys wanted to film once we were there for two days. We took a short hike along the crater’s rim and you could see that Benny (and I) were raring to explore more … assuming the blasted caldera would behave. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. For the last thirty years or so it has been especially active. It is only just recently that the national park has been open on a regular basis as the park was damaged extensively by a catastrophic eruption right as Hawaii was recovering from its disastrous handling of the Pandemic of the ‘20’s followed by a year of wildfires on all of the islands but most especially on Maui.

Most interesting stop while there in the park was at Nahuku, also known as the Thurston Lava Tube Walk. We walked along a bridge that gave us a literal inside look at Hawaii as we followed it to the eerie Thurston Lava Tube, a 600-foot-long cave formed hundreds of years ago by an underground river of magma. I like caves. And now I’m sure I like lava tubes as well … well, inactive ones anyway.

We took a drive through historical Downtown Hilo, the largest city on the island. Now here is a place with a bad homeless problem. Yeah, the other islands had it but I hadn’t seen anything like Hilo. We didn’t stay long and David admitted that Hilo was especially troubled by transients because it was the largest city and is where most of the public services programs operated out of.

The adventure continued as we wound our way down the Hamakua Coast, past roadside towns with names I couldn’t pronounce but loved the sound of, until we reached Akaka Falls is a towering 442-foot waterfall that plummets into a ravine at the center of a state park. To get to it we had to take a “short” walk through vegetation for an up close view and plenty of photo ops. I say “short” because we were stuck behind an Asian tour group and everyone seemed to think they needed to use an umbrella. I nearly got poke in the eye more than a few times despite being taller than even most of the men in that group. It was worth it but I could have done without the crowd. Rainbow Falls is a waterfall that’s small by comparison – 80 feet with a giant banyan tree beside it – but it has its own beauty.

During a stop at Waipio Valley lookout, we marveled at the way the vertical cliffs seemed to explode from the green valley floor. David was good about telling tales of how King Kamehameha was raised in that valley as a child.

Finally, we passed by Kailua Pier and through the historic downtown Kona, home to the summer palace of Hawaiian royalty and oldest church in Hawaii and then the tour finished with a drop off at our hotel. We’ve got ten more days on the Big Island but not all of them in this hotel so I’m not going to bother fully unpacking. The guys finished up working early tonight and Lev has asked me to go over the itinerary with him. Hope that doesn’t mean problems.

Resources:
https://www.nps.gov/puhe/forkids/upload/Adventure Book.pdf

You are doing great Kathy. Thank you.

Nov 15th: Kona Coast​

David picked us up again this morning and took us to an interesting place; Hualalai. It was on private land behind three locked gates. David saw my suspicion and he laughed. “Friend of the family,” he said before we started to explore the upper slopes of Kona’s very own volcano.

During the three hours we were there exploring we learned that Hualalai is the third youngest as well as the third most active volcano on the Big Island. Six different vents erupted lava between the late 1700s and 1801, two of which generated lava flows that poured into the sea on the west coast of the island. The Keahole Airport, located only 7 miles north of Kailua-Kona, is built atop the larger flow. Many of the homes of the community are built on higher ground where it is cooler and there are coffee plantations on the slopes because of the rainfall.

Though Hualalai is not nearly as active as Mauna Loa or Kilauea, geologic mapping of the volcano shows that 80 percent of Hualalai's surface has been covered by lava flows in the past 5,000 years. In the past few decades, when most of the resorts, homes, and commercial buildings were built on the sides of the volcano, earthquake activity beneath the volcano has been low. In 1929, however, a swarm of more than 6,200 earthquakes rattled the area for more than a month. Two large earthquakes (each about magnitude 6.5) during this time destroyed houses, water tanks, stone fences, and roadways. For these reasons, Hualalai is considered a potentially dangerous volcano that is likely to erupt again. It is also the reason that the nearby resorts have to be built to California earthquake specs.

David was serious, rather than joking, when he said that we should always keep an eye on the volcanic activity on the Big Island[1]. Even if there is no danger from lava flow, the steam and smoke from a volcano could be dangerous for people with breathing problems. It gave me something to think about.

David added that the volcano always seems to be covered in a mist and a layer of thin clouds and that is the way it was today. We drove from the coastal highway (Queen Kaahumanu Highway) to Highway #180 which is built along the slopes of Hualalai. It was a gradual uphill climb till we reached #180. In our photos of the volcano from different viewpoints along the coast it always looked like it was raining at the higher elevations.

Scientifically, Hualalai is the westernmost of the five volcanoes that form the island of Big Island of Hawaii, following Kilauea and the much larger Mauna Loa. Its peak stands 8,271 feet above sea level. Despite the low level of activity since its last eruption in 1801, scientific predictions are that it will erupt again sometime within the next century.

While we were up there we also stopped at Kona Coast State Park which gave the guys crazy good views to take pictures of.

Next stop was Puʻukoholā Heiau[2], a National Historic Site that had a Junior Ranger Program. Holy smokes, I thought Benny was going to vibrate right out of his hikers at that news. This heiau, a sacred place of worship, has a particularly interesting history. Built between 1790-91, Pu'ukohola was the project of King Kamehameha the Great. Legend says that King Kamehameha was unable to fully complete his mission to conquer and unite all the islands and he was getting frustrated. In search of an answer, he sent his mother to speak with the prophet Kapoukahi who told her that Kamehameha would rule the islands if he built a large heiau in honor of his family god, Ku, on Pu'ukohola (Whale Hill). Taking these words to heart, Kamehameha enlisted the help of many "volunteer" workers to complete the 224 by 100-foot structure that reaches 16-20 feet into the sky.

Now, looking around this area one would assume there was no shortage of rocks to build such a temple. However, it is thought that the workers formed a 20-mile human chain stretching from Pololu Valley in the north to harvest water worn lava rock. Once the temple was complete there was one task remaining. Kamehameha's cousin, Keoua Kuahu'ula, was the last ruler preventing the king's complete domination of the island. Keoua's control of the Big Island was especially insulting since it was Kamehameha's birthplace. To celebrate the temple's completion, Kamehameha invited his cousin to visit Pu'ukohola. You can imagine what happened next. A battle broke out among the rivaling parties and Keoua and most of his men were killed.

After looking our fill, and allowing Benny time to complete the Junior Ranger activities and get a much cherished badge, we were heading back out to the vehicle when I heard, “Gus?”

Man oh man does the Creator have a sense of humor or what.

I turn and say, “Rick. Long time no see.”

“Uh … yeah. How are you doing?”

Rather than answering I called, “Lev?”

“Yeah … huh … er … Rick? Dude?”

Benny sense something going on and he looked up from admiring his newest badge and did his own double take. “Ranger Rick?!”

# # # # #

I’m not going to record everything. Lev looked apologetically and tossed Benny up on his shoulders, big kid that he was and took off at a run to catch up with Diego and Chan who were still getting film to work on during tonight’s editing session.

“So … you and Lev.”

At a look from me he added, “Hey, I get it. Congrats. He’s … a good guy. And I knew he liked you back in Florida.”

“C’mon Rick, you make us sound like we’re in grade school. Now tell me why you are all the way out here in Hawaii when you said you had a job in Tallahassee that totally floated your boat.”

He slowly grinned but not hugely. “I still do. I’m just out here to get some training on ancient site preservation.”

“How’s your uncle.”

“Good. Well … better. He’s had a few setbacks.”

“Oh no,” I said in honest concern which he seemed to appreciate and he finally relaxed and was the Rick he’d been back at the beginning.

“Yeah. Rosa and I … we’re quits. Permanently. And before you can figure out how not to ask, I wanna say you were right all along. About Rosa even though you tried not to say anything. I might not have appreciated it at the time, but … but I do now.”

“Rick …”

“Please let me finish. I … I need to get this off my chest.” I nodded even though his mea culpa was the last thing I wanted to hear. “She went behind my back to try and get a loan from my uncle. He thought it was a bad idea and told her no. He thought she’d talked to me about it and I’d finally gotten him back to Florida before he was finally up to talking to me about it. We were both kind of blindsided … he thought I knew, I couldn’t believe she’d do it, and … and I cancelled her plane reservations to come visit. And when I found out it was so her mother could pay off the debts she owed and come to live with us in Florida … which I’d never agreed to in the first place …” Rick sighed. “It was a disaster and Sylvia thought it spelled the end of her and Uncle George’s … well they’d planned to get married and …” Rick shook his head. “It was a mess and Uncle George thought Sylvia was going to leave him and his health tanked. I finally got Sylvia to understand that I never thought she was anything less than an honorable woman, that I knew she was looking out for Uncle George and would never had any part in anything that could hurt him. They’re married now and she’s pretty much cut off communication with her sister and Rosa.”

“Uh … sometimes …”

“What was it you used to say? But wait, there’s more.”

“Oh Lord. Locusts? Fire from the sky?”

He chuckled darkly. “Nearly. I found out two weeks ago that Rosa had not taken kindly to the way things turned out and … went running to her old boyfriend. The old boyfriend used the apartment where she and her mother were staying as a hideout and … it was hit by Costa Rica’s version gang and drug enforcement. Rosa’s mother … she had a heart attack and was remanded to a nursing home run by a bunch of nuns. Rosa … got arrested and she has gone to jail. And it is going to be for at least ten years because some other stuff came out. She was acting as a courier and a few other things to make side money to pay off her husband’s debts. Sylvia has custody of Rosa’s son and got special dispensation to bring him to the States, but at the cost of Rosa giving up her parental rights. Uncle George agreed to it so long as Rosa and her mother are no longer a part of his life until he is an adult and can decide for himself.”

All I could do was blink. “Er … wow. Was not expecting that. Are you okay?”

Finally he laughed, and it was like some kind of burden had been lifted and we parted, if not friends at least I was over whatever anger I’d had left.

# # # # #

I was walking to meet Benny who’d come running my direction. “What was he doing here?”

“Now is that nice?”

Benny still had a mulish expression on his face. Definitely a Barrymore kind of thing.

“Cut him some slack Squirt. Our life has been good, his not so much. He’s getting it under control though.”

Lev came up on that part. “Yeah?”

I gave him a look and walked in the middle with Benny on one side and him on the other. “Yeah.” I shoulder bumped him and with a look said, “I’ll tell you about it tonight.”

He understood the story wasn’t kid-friendly and was even more surprised when I grabbed his hand and then Benny’s and just kept walking.

“Wow. That good.”

I snorted. “I need Pepto for ‘As the Stomach Turns’ but I’ll settle for going snorkeling.”

Lev slowly grinned that grin he has and said, “You got it Babe.”

I forced myself to shove the crap that Rick had told me in a box and decided I was going to enjoy tonight’s activity for my own sake and not just Benny’s and the projects. We were going snorkeling with manta rays.

David had found a local guide to take us on a short cruise out to the manta site, where we could watch the beautiful Hawaiian sunset before dipping into the water to watch the manta rays up close. The guide provided all necessary equipment and the captain of the boat even had some light refreshments and snacks on board. It was spectacular and was just what the doctor ordered as a distraction. Sharing it with Benny and Lev just made it more so. Diego and Chan aren’t dive certified even if they could snorkel. They opted out and took pictures from the surface.

We have tonight and two more in this hotel before moving on. I was going to do some laundry but I needed to chill out and get the day off my chest. Something Lev agree with after hearing Rick’s story and finally being willing to accept he has nothing to worry about from that quarter whether in memories or otherwise.

I’m going to do a couple reps of stretches and then call it a night.

Resources:
https://www.nps.gov/puhe/learn/kidsyouth/upload/JR-Discovery-Pack-PUHE-2.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/puhe/learn/kidsyouth/upload/Kupuna-Ranger-2.docx
https://www.nps.gov/puhe/learn/kidsyouth/upload/Underwater-Explorer_508.pdf

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[1] Big Island Lava Viewing Guide - Where is the lava located?
[2] Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

Rick grew p some, good. Thank you.

Thanks Kathy! Really loving the story. Kind of feel sorry for Rick... he could have had it all
Lili

Thank you Kathy

Thanks Kathy!

Nov 16th: Kona Coast​

Full day today. A problem in this hotel is that there is no kitchenette. It means planning well in advance to fit in time to get our meals either “to go” or “eat in.” Last night what we did was get extra “to go” meals and put them in the small frig in each room. Had to put the food in there rather than the water so water was lukewarm or worse all day today, but at least we had it and it was wet. We needed it.

First thing we were picked up by David and taken to the Captain Cook Monument Trail. Everything I read online about the trail (also known as the Ka’Awaloa Trail) made it out to be the hardest hike ever, with a brutal descent and no shade on an unmaintained trail. I have to admit, the description caused me some concern. I threw my travel first aid kit in after making sure I had plenty of bandaids for just in case. I also tossed in the glucose tabs because frankly Diego just wasn’t doing due diligence for himself and I didn’t want to have to answer to Bob for it. The man was counting on me and I didn’t want to disappoint him. The trail out to be tougher hiking back out, but it was definitely worth it.

It was a clear and sunny morning, and there were no high wind warnings. David said it wasn’t unusual for those warnings this time of year and they can close beaches and even some trails. As we hiked down the rocky path, I quickly realized it was nowhere near as bad as it was made out to be. Sure, it was a bit rocky, but with proper footgear, it wasn’t an issue. It wasn’t even that steep, compared to several of the hikes we have done. The hamster tried to find something else to belch about but finally gave up and took a nap.

The further down we hiked, the more the views opened up. We pretty much had the path to ourselves which was a really nice change. Once we got down to the monument, near the spot where Captain Cook was killed on Valentine’s Day in 1779, there was no one else around. There were some large waves battering the coastline, but the water was calm in the sheltered bay.

Almost immediately we saw a pod of dolphins slowly making their way towards us. The dolphins jumped out of the water, spinning and playing. Scientists still don’t know why they do that but it sure looks like playing to me. They circled close to shore, and I could hear every breath blown out of their blowholes. After a while they started making their way back to the open ocean, I watched them till I could no longer make them out in the distance.

The dolphins came back around again a couple more times while we were down there, and I loved seeing them in their natural environment, but I didn’t encourage them or interact with them. They are wild animals and you need to respect that; not for conservation sake but for safety sake. They are more powerful, and occasionally aggressive, than most people understand.

The bay was a beautiful and peaceful spot and definitely worth the hike to get down there. One of the main reasons we wanted to do this particular hike was to go snorkeling on the coral reef in front of the monument, as it is known to be one of the best snorkeling spots in all of Hawaii. The bay is also known as Kealakekua Bay in Hawaiian.

You can get in the water off the rocks by the monument, and you are immediately above the reef. You just can’t do it when the water is rough so I’m glad it was calm. The reef curves around with the bay and steeply drops off into deep ocean. I kept Benny near the shallows and we saw a large number of Pacific teardrop butterflyfish, parrotfish, pufferfish, wrasse, and other colorful tropical fish that I can’t name. David said people see turtles there but we didn’t on our visit.

The hike out was certainly harder in the heat and with the relentless uphill. Not quite as bad as some of the hikes we’ve been on but it was hotter than I expected and it was because the heat radiated up from the ground, making it feel like we were in a sauna.

I was amazed at the people that were still coming down in the afternoon, but maybe it would have been a smarter idea to hike downhill in the heat, then hike back up just before sunset when it is cooler. Total distance covered was 3.6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,256 feet.

We needed a break, or at least a break from hiking and our next activity was just the ticket. Kaloko-Honokohau is a National Historic Park[1] with a Junior Ranger Program. It was just south of

Kona International Airport. It is a coastal park and a good place to learn about how an early Hawaiian settlement survived. The primary activity at the park was a hike to see four different ahupuaʻa (traditional mountain to sea land divisions), as well as heiau (sacred temples) and kiʻi pōhaku (petroglyphs). The park also has two amazing Hawaiian fishponds that show the engineering skills of Native Hawaiians.

We followed one national historic park with another one. Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park[2] also has a Junior Ranger Program and Benny was so jazzed to earn two in one day. This one had more activities as well. Located at Hōnaunau Bay in South Kona, the park immerses you in Hawaiian culture, or so said one of the sign-thingies. It is a 180-acre national historic park that was once the home of royal grounds and a place of refuge for ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers. Kapu, or sacred laws, were of utmost importance to Hawaiian culture and the breaking of kapu had its consequences, including death. If someone were to break kapu, their only chance for survival was to evade their pursuers and make it to a puʻuhonua, or a sacred place of refuge. Once there, a ceremony of absolution would take place and the one who broke kapu would be able to return to society.

The grounds within the park are hundreds of years old yet beautifully restored and remains one of Hawaii's most sacred historic places. I took Benny around to work on his Junior Ranger badge while the guys did their thing, sometimes with us but just as often on their own. We followed the park map and took a self-guided walking tour and explored the grounds including the Great Wall, standing 12-feet high and 18-feet thick. Fierce kiʻi, or wooden images of gods, guard the Hale o Keawe Heiau, a sacred temple that housed the bones of 23 aliʻi (chiefs). A black lava rock shoreline hindered those who broke kapu from approaching by sea. Beyond the puʻuhonua, we explored the nearby Royal Grounds, which were the sacred home of aliʻi. See Keoneʻele Cove, the royal canoe landing; the Keōua Stone, the favorite resting place of the high chief of Kona, Keōua; as well as hālau (a thatched workhouse), fishponds and a heiau (sacred temple) that is one of the oldest structures in the park.

One of the activities that Benny needed to complete corresponded with Lev’s list of things to photograph; The 1871 Trail. It was an easy 3-mile, one-way (6 miles roundtrip) with barely a 75-foot elevation gain. The 1871 trail is a section of the historic coastal trail that originally stretched from Nāpō’opo’o south to Ho’okena, and was widened in 1871 to accommodate horse-drawn carriages.

This trail linked several coastal villages and you can still see the remains of one of these villages, Kiʻilae Village, along the trail. There were only a couple of other people on the trail which made it easier for Lev to get the shots he needed. The trail took us through rough black lava fields, above steep sea cliffs, and through scrubby patches of trees. The trail started behind the visitor center and ended at Ho’okena Beach which turned out to be a great spot for seeing spinner dolphins.

Badge number two tucked safely in Benny’s daypack we headed on to this place called Two Step Beach for some snorkeling[3]. It was on Honaunau Bay so after the trail it was a real treat. Parking was a little weird as it is down a residential street but David said he had a friend that lived over there and after calling ahead we were given permission to park along his drive in return for helping to catch a peacock that was driving him nuts. It took less time than expected and soon the beastie was in a big have-a-heart trap being taken to a bird rescue center.

I wish we had been able to be there earlier in the day. Honaunau Bay typically becomes overcast in the afternoon resulting in lower marine life visibility. There isn’t a sandy beach area at Honaunau, just a smooth pahoehoe (lava rock ledge) where people can set up chairs and towels. It is the same ledge as in front of the Captain Cook statue. We didn’t snorkel long. Visibility wasn’t great and the waves started to kick up.

David had another “treat” before the evening was over thanks to Diego. Was a little irritated – at Diego, not David – because he hadn’t even cleared it with Lev who knew my concerns about these kinds of activities and Benny. It was a “Haunted Hele” tour. David is a smart guy and picked up that it might not be the greatest activity in the world for a sensitive seven-year-old so rather than lose the money he turned it into a history lesson and kept the spook stuff to a minimum.

We headed back to Kona and started at the Pier. It was the central meeting place where missionaries arrived and brought western religion to the islands. Then it was on to Ahuena Heiau[4], a former sacrificial heiau (luakini) dedicated to the god Ku where human sacrifice was performed, then later rededicated by King Kamehameha to the god Lono as a temple of peace. David glossed over the gory part which I thanked him for later.

Next up was Kamakahonu Beach[5] which is where King Kamehameha I (the Great) transitioned into the next life, and was also the site of ancient human sacrifice. David explained a little about Kamehameha’s life and Benny asked him if there were any dock-mentaries he could watch. David smiled and told him that he’d try and find a few and let him know tomorrow. Which was adult speak for finding some that were age appropriate.

Diego wanted at least one ghost stories so while I distracted Benny, David gave him one at Hulihe'e Palace[6] and it was something about a ghostly "lady in white" that appears ever so often. No one is sure if it is Pele or Princess Kaiulani.

Mokuaikaua Church[7] has lava rock cornerstones, both figuratively and literally, of Hawaii's very first Christian church. It used to be part of an ancient Hawaiian temple, built hundreds of years before the church. David explained in age-appropriate terms that the introduction of Christianity eventually led to events that are considered Hawaii's civil war and the end of the ancient Kapu system.

Last place we stopped was also where we got dinner. The Kona Inn Shopping Village was built on ancients grounds and was responsible for ushering in the era of tourism in Kona. The site was formerly home to King Kamehameha II and is known as "papa'ula" or "red flats" as there may have been human sacrifice here as well.

The guys invited David to dinner with us and he accepted after he found out that they wanted to pick his brain about the next few days itinerary. Good food and all that yada yada but eventually I whispered to Lev and then made our excuses and walked basically across the street to our hotel so they could all take it to the bar so the restaurant could have their table back.

Everyone is back in their assigned locations and Lev said it went well and he wants me to look at the schedule to see if anything sticks out so I’ll sign out of this log and get to it.

Resources:
https://www.nps.gov/kaho/learn/kidsyouth/upload/KAHO-Junior-Ranger-Final-508-compressed.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/kaho/learn/upload/Jr-Ranger-3-6.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/kaho/learn/kidsyouth/upload/KAHO-Kupuna-Final-508.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/kaho/learn/kidsyouth/upload/NPS-arrowhead-activity.pdf
Bird Beak Study for Junior Rangers
https://www.nps.gov/puho/learn/kidsyouth/upload/PUHO-Honu-Helper-508.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/puho/learn/kidsyouth/upload/PUHO-Kupuna-Ranger-508.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/puho/learn/kidsyouth/upload/PUHO-Junior-Ranger-508.pdf
Virtual Visit: Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau National Park Virtual Tour

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[1] Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)
[2] Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)
[3] Two Step Beach at Honaunau Bay
[4] Ahuena Heiau | Big Island Hawaii
[5] Kamakahonu Beach (King Kam Beach)
[6] Huliheʻe Palace
[7] https://mokuaikaua.com/

thank you Kathy

thanks Kathy

Thanks Kathy!
Lili

Thank you, Kathy.

Nov 17th: South Coast​

Used a couple of those “test tubes” today. I’d cleaned and dried them out, so it wasn’t gross or anything. I’m collecting sand in them. And yeah, I know that sounds stupid, but they are small enough that they’ll fit in my treasure box and there’s things I wanna remember some way other than a tchotchke. So today it was black sand and green sand and no, I’m not kidding.

The Kaʻū district lies between the Puna district to the east and the Kona district to the west. It is the largest of the 9 districts that make up the island of Hawai’i. Kaʻū is the place where the first Polynesian settlers reached the Hawaiian Islands by sailing canoe; either at Ka Lae (South Point) or Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, they aren’t positive which one. It also was home to the Kaʻū Sugar Co in the days when sugar was king in Hawaii. According to David, for more than a century (from 1876 to 1990) the rolling hills and rocky valleys that we could see today were covered in sugar cane. After the closure of the sugar plantation, Ka’u Coffee Mill began producing specialty coffee in the rich soil but they don’t take up as much room so the geologic landscape is more visible.

With coffee in their faces and on their minds, you know that Lev and Diego weren’t going to say no to a stop a Ka Lae Coffee on South Point Rd. This place is very “conveniently located” for if you go to South Point and Green Sand Beach. Uh huh. Lev and Diego grabbed coffees, Chan and David grabbed green teas, and Benny and I grabbed smoothies. We drank them on their lanai (porch) surrounded by colorful Hawaiian orchids and plants. I couldn’t help but think how Grandma Barry and Meemo would have loved it. It was a place designed for relaxation and serenity. Even the hamster liked it.

From there we went to Green Sand Beach. It is supposed to be one of the “once in a lifetime” places to visit on the Big Island. Its proper Hawaiian name is “Papakōlea beach” and it is one of two green sand beaches in the United States.

The hike to Green Sand Beach was hot but not challenging, though several “best of” hiking lists call it moderate. To walk from the parking lot to the ocean we took a road to the left (facing the water, towards the east). We followed this road with the ocean on our right hand for about 2 1/2 miles before arriving at the cliffs above the beach. The only “moderate” portion of the hike was here, where we had to carefully climb down along the lava cliff on the west side of the bay. There was a trail, it was just a little steep and rocky.

David explained that this part of the Big Island can be very windy and hot. He also pointed out several interesting features such as ancient temples (Heiau). The beach itself is carved in a really old cinder cone belonging to the Mauna Loa volcano. This cone is made up of the green crystals (olivines) that give the beach its name.

The main attraction of the beach is, of course, the crystal green sand. David showed us that the green crystals that give the beach its name are mixed with black (lava) and white (coral/shells) sand making some patches of sand greener than others. I’d gotten a smart attack last night and brought the little magnifying class out of my mini survival kit so that Benny could pick up some sand to inspect it closely all in the name of his school portfolio. It was pretty cool to be honest.

Swimming in the bay is possible although at times the surf can be rough. There was no life guard station, facilities, places to buy food and/or water at the beach, so we had to pack everything in and everything out. There was also zero shade from the parking lot to the ocean. Diego and Chan were on their own but I made sure Lev and Benny got slathered with plenty of SPF. And I made sure that Lev kept his hat on even if he kept letting it slide off and hang by its string too often. A beach umbrella would have been useless today because of the wind.

Green Sand Trivia (per Benny’s booklet): Did you know that there are three names that are used for this? Green sand beach is the common one used, but is officially known as “Papakōlea beach” (after the kōlea bird often seen behind the beach) but also as “Mahana beach” (after the cinder cone responsible for the green color of the beach).

Ka Lae, aka South Point, is said to be the general area where the Polynesians first landed. There is no written record of it however. The area is the southernmost point of the Hawaiian Islands and the second southernmost point in the United States. (the most southern point in the US territory of Palmyra Island). South Point has a neat vibe with its blue waves crashing upon charcoal black lava surrounded by copper-colored cliffs. It is caused by a confluence of ocean currents making it a very popular spot for local fishermen.

I think I’ll put a couple of interesting facts here that we learned from David. By 1878 at least 80% of the Hawaiian population over the age of sixteen was literate making it one of the most literate nations of the world at the time. Also, what is called “pre-contact” music of the Hawaiians were really chants. Some of the chants were genealogies and some dirges. Eventually these chants were recorded by writing them down and archived for preservation. They make up a very special part of Hawaiian history.

After South Point and the ancient history lessons we got there we headed to Whittington beach park for more modern history. It was once the shipping port to the busy sugar cane plantations. Now all that remains from this era is a barely-there, rusted skeleton shipping pier jutting into the bay. It is a lesser-known spot for tourists to visit. It has fantastic views of the ocean, tidepools, and surrounding cliffs. This is a good spot to watch and listen to the waves crash. Chan spent some time making sound recordings and promised to give me a copy. We mostly hung out at the picnic benches all up and down the shoreline because although called a beach park, it is not an ideal place to go swimming. The waves were large and the shore break violent. The one thing it did have was restroom facilities which made it a good pit-stop which is where we ate the plate lunches that David had brought with him from his Aunty’s food truck. Yum.

Manuka State Park was more hospitable. We walked through the native and introduced flora and fauna of the Manukā Natural Area Reserve on a two-mile hike through a forest of ohia trees, passed a forested pit crater, and viewed several eroded archaeological sites in an ancient agricultural area. The trail had a 400-foot elevation gain and decent, making a loop returning us back to the trail head. It got the wiggles out even if it was nearly as humid as home.

Out last activity of the day were the Kula Kai Caverns, a thousand-year-old lava tube system. It was a guided tour that took us underground to learn about the evolving world of lava tubes, the science of caves, and the historical Hawaiian significance of local lava tubes. This wasn’t just a little walk in and walk out activity. We climbed down ladders, squeezed through tight spaces, and trekked through the dark, deep caverns that felt like a labyrinth. There is only one real tight squeeze, so even if someone gets a little claustrophobic it isn’t bad. The spelunking was fun for Benny and I, not as much for the guys with their sensitive equipment. I’m also glad I thought to bring long sleeved t-shirts for the three of us. I had suggested as much to Diego and Chan but … oh well, you live and you learn. Luckily knee protection, helmets, gloves, and headlights were included with the tour price.

From there we returned to the hotel. While the guys worked I spent part of the evening making sure everything was cleaned up so we could leave with a clear conscience in the morning. We’re off to see Volcanoes National Park.

Thanks Kathy

Nov 18th: Volcanoes National Park​

David warned us that you never know when they are going to close the park. What park? Volcanoes National Park. The reason why you never know is because despite everything scientists and other types of prognosticators have tried over the years, they still can’t predict when volcanoes are going to erupt. There’s always something going on in some of them, but sometimes that something makes it too dangerous for the park to be open. Lucky for us Kilauea has been kinda quiet for the last little bit of this year and the park is open to visitors.

David picked us up in Kona and we drove via what they call the “Saddle Road[1].” It was built in 1942 and was once considered one of the most dangerous roads in Hawaii but it is now maintained and there’s lots of improvements that make it a very safe drive as long as you are paying attention. For instance? If you think you see a lava rock with horns? It isn’t one. They’re goats and one tried to commit suicide running in front of the jeep in front of us. Yep. I nearly needed to stop and change. Cats, dogs, even deer I have had to deal with. I’ve even had to clean a vulture off the front of Meemo’s Cadillac grill. I’ve seen more flatten ‘possums, ‘coons, snakes, and tortoises than I’ll ever be able to count. I’ve even seen a smooshed gator. But mountain goats? Uh nope. That was a little … hmmm … startling doesn’t cover it, but it is the most polite term I have for it.

We didn’t stop because we’ll be coming back along the Saddle Road another day and we needed to get going to accomplish what we could today. It took two and a quarter hours to get from the hotel to the entrance of Volcanoes National Park. The altitude of the park is 4,000 feet and it is essentially has similar weather to a rainforest with about 200 inches of rain a year. We were in the rainy season for the area but were lucky today was clear if a little cooler than I expected.

First place we stopped was the visitor center. First, we needed to check in and let the rangers know that we’d be around. That meant wearing a “Media” badge so everyone knew we had permission to be doing the amount of photography and film we’d be doing. Chan also got checked out and was given another badge so he could use his drone. We were to wear those at all times while in the park. While the guys were signing away their lives in case they broke the rules I took Benny and got his Junior Ranger Program materials. Little Bear was all prepared with three mechanical pencils and some colors so he could complete all assignments. Sir. Yes, Sir.

And that’s when we got identified. I really don’t want Benny to wind up with a big head to go with his big feet and big ears but I played nice for his benefit and our crew. Yes, we were that Aunt Gus and Little Bear. Thank you. Oh. Rick told you to expect us? That was … nice of him. I hope we aren’t creating more work because that definitely isn’t what we are here to do. I swear if Rick doesn’t knock that off I’m going to knee cap him.

So anyway, the nice ranger gave us a tour of the visitor center and helped us to find the info about what trails were open, expected weather, and all the other yada yada. Luckily the nice ranger got called away. I saw all four guys keep their distance. I told them with gritted teeth, “Thanks. Thanks a lot. And I really mean that. I hope to do the same for you reeeaaaalllll soon.” Turds. I hate that kind of attention. It makes me out to be someone I’m not and then I have to be careful and use good manners and a gentle voice. Ugh.

After leaving the visitor center we drove less than a mile to the Steam Vents. You can’t miss them along the left side. They “smoke” because ground water seeps down to the hot volcanic rocks in this area. The water returns to the surface as steam, creating these vents. There is a short walk that we took around the Steam Vents. It is an interesting stop but not one that takes very long, even with three manic media men madly taking pictures.

Next stop was the Sulphur Banks that were located across the street from the Steam Vents. It has a paved path. In this area volcanic gases seep out of the ground along with groundwater steam. These gases contain carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. The smell reminded me of home when I’d first turn on the ag well water at my old house. It smelled like rotten eggs. Whew. David kept a running commentary up about Hawaiian myths and legends but he also warned that visitors with heart or respiratory problems (such as asthma), pregnant women, infants, or young children should skip the Sulphur Banks.

From there we drove to the Kilauea Iki Overlook. There is so much history in this park, and many of the hardened lava flows that we saw took place not that long ago. In 1959, Kilauea Iki was a lava lake. During that time, lava fountains could be seen as high as 1,900 feet! The crater is a mile long, 3,000 feet across, and the floor is 400 feet below the overlook. However, Kilauea Iki has hardened and you can walk on it. We are supposed to come back tomorrow to do the 4-mile Kilauea Iki Trail.

The Thurston Lava Tube, our next stop, is one of the most popular attractions in the park. It got its name from being discovered by newspaper publisher Lorrin Thurston in 1913. It’s about 1/3 mile walk and takes about 20-30 minutes. The area around the lava tube is unlike many other areas of the park because you will walk through a lush forest to get to it. Thurston Lava Tube was created several hundred years ago when a river of lava rushed through! Lev found out quickly that he needed to watch his head in the tube because there are some spots with a low ceiling! Most of it was “low” for a guy his height but the rest of us had to duck a few times as well. David provided us all with head lamps otherwise it would have been pitch black in there. There used to be lights but the constant eruptions cut the wires and they’ve never finished repairing them.

Finally it was time for lunch. There aren’t many places to eat in the park, so we very much appreciated the the sandwiches prepared, once again, by David’s Aunty. We ate them at the Jaggar Museum while sitting on a bench outside, looking out at the Halema’uma’u Crater. I’m definitely sending her a thank you note because she made sure that everything was gluten-free. I’m also going to get a shout out to her in the blog and anywhere else I can find that could be of help to her business. Whether it was because of David or not, I appreciate hwo careful she was with the food for Benny and Lev.

We ate quickly so we could get into the Jagger Museum. It is a small museum that is packed with information about volcanoes and the park. David was a great guide and we even picked up a few strays (stray tourists) that followed us around listening to him explain things. We learned about how the Hawaiian islands were formed and even touched different kinds of lava rock. He told us legends of the demigod Maui[2] and well as the goddess Pele[3]. There were even telescopes outside the museum to use to get a close up view of the Halema’uma’u Crater.

From volcanic rock we headed to the ocean. We took a drive down to see the Holei Sea Arch. The drive was one of the scenic ones in the area known as the Chain of Craters Road[4] and we did several lookout points along the way to get photos. There was just miles and miles of lava rock with more than a few sign-thingies explaining what we were seeing. To get to the Holei Sea Arch, we parked and took a short walk down to the ocean. Holei Sea Arch is about 90 feet tall and was created within the last 100 years. It is a natural arch formed by lava and water and will one day crumble into the ocean.

I was all excited to the point that it had Lev smiling. We were staying the night in the Volcano House[5] and it was time to check in and go to dinner. David was to be our guest. He was also staying in the room with Diego and Chan, ostensibly so they could pick his brain again, but it was also to keep him from having to drive the Saddle Road so late at night. When David called Aunty to let her know so she wouldn’t worry he handed the phone off to Diego and boy did Diego’s ears get red. As we could hear some of what was being said … that he was a good-looking virile man among the words being used … I nearly had to leave the room so I wouldn’t laugh. As revenge I couldn’t have come up with a better one had I tried. Boy does the Creator have a sense of humor.

We had dinner reservations at a prime table and we ate our dinner while enjoying the views of Halema’uma’u Crater with sunset. As the sun goes down, the lava glow from Halema’uma’u Crater gets darker and darker, from a pink to orange to bright red, and many colors in between.

We walked off dinner by heading over to the Halema’uma’u Crater for a closer view. Most people just go during sunset, so it’s hard to get a good viewing spot. Once the sun goes down, people tend to leave. We went about an hour after sunset so we could hang out, and the guys could take a pictures without a bunch of people in the foreground. Not long after that we headed back to our rooms because we all needed to rest. It had been a long day and tomorrow we plan on doing as much hiking as we can fit in before returning to these rooms and then heading to the day after that Puna Coast.

Resources:
Be a Junior Ranger - Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

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[1] Saddle Road (Hawaii Route 200), Big Island
[2] 4 Hawaiian Legends About Maui and His...
[3] Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of Fire and Volcanoes | Hawaii.com
[4] Drive Chain of Craters Road - Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
[5] VOLCANO HOUSE - Volcano House

Nov 19th: Volcano National Park (Day 2)​

We enjoyed our first hike of the day at Mauna Ulu trekking to visit the steaming crater mouth of a volcanic site. We began this hike at the small parking area six and a half miles from the park entrance, on the left-hand side of Chain of Craters Road. From the parking area, we hiked toward the end of the dead-end road. The trailhead was on the left. Part of this trail essentially follows the original Chain of Craters Road that was buried during an eruption that started in 1969 and lasted five years. While this hike is relatively easy, you need plenty of water and correct footgear.

We followed the trail for little more than a mile then continued past the left fork that would lead you to the top of Pu'u Huluhulu, a hillside covered in greenery. There was no established trail to the top of Mauna Ulu. Ahu (stacked rocks) was the only thing that provided clues of common routes. David told us to use extreme caution as we proceeded toward the top from that point forward because this is a newer lava flow, the ground is extremely delicate, and has many shallow lava tubes. It slowed us down, but we would step lightly, and listen for hollow sounds that might indicate that what you're stepping on could collapse, before taking the next step and the next.

At the top the ground suddenly falls away, dropping about 100 feet to the bottom of the crater. I kept Benny away from the edge and even grabbed Lev by the back of his pans when he got too close to the 400 foot wide abyss when he got over-involved with the camera rather than watching where his feet were. When he realized where he’d been headed, he got a little pale but smiled and said, “That’s my Gus.” Yeah. I enlisted David to keep an eye on Diego and Chan while I kept an eye on Lev and Benny.

We extended the hike for a slightly longer adventure, by continuing east beyond the crater summit for another mile and a half to the rim of Makaopuhi Crater.

We hiked out the same way we hiked in, but I was glad we left the “Ahu” area and got back on a proper trail. I’m not afraid but I felt like CPO Barrymore with green troops in the middle of a mine field. I know it was just the hamster but that doesn’t change how it made me feel.

The only break we took was to drive back to the Kilauea Iki Overlook. There was rain in the forecast for late afternoon and we wanted to get at least one more hike in before that. As we stood at the overlook, Davide pointed out a lightly-etched trail stretching across the crater floor. From our 400 ft high vantage point it looked like little specks on the trail. Those were people! The views of Pu'u Puai (gushing hill), a cinder cone that formed during the 1959 eruption at Kilauea Iki Crater, were also great from this vantage point.

Kilauea Iki is an approximately four-mile loop that takes 2-3 hours. It took us three hours because of all the stopping for photos and film. The trail skirted the rim of the crater, dipped down and crossed the floor and back up to the overlook. We took the Crater Rim Trail to the right around the rim of Kilauea Iki and then down to the crater floor then back up the other side because David said we would get the best of the rim rain forest at the beginning of the hike and the ascent is slightly less arduous.

The portion of Crater Rim Trail that runs along the rim is a dense, high-elevation jungle with ohia trees and ferns. We got lucky and Benny spotted an apapane overhead in one of the trees. They are one of the most common Hawaii forest birds, but their deep red feathers and black beaks make them a beautiful sight. The apapane loves to flit from ohia blossom to ohia blossom drinking its nectar. This part of the hike was like being in an adventure movie. Gaps in the jungle cover revealed incredible views of the black crater floor that contrasted with the green of the forest.

At the end of that portion of the trail, we descended into the crater via a combo of stairs and steep terrain. Before we headed down I reminded everyone to reapply their sunblock. I almost knocked off their blocks and if they teach that “Yes, Abuelita” crap to Benny they are so toast.

I didn’t have enough energy to stay irritated because of the descent and after we reached the bottom the hamster was distracted because it looked like an alien landscape. What looked like a pebble from the rim turned out to be a massive pile of lava rock. Along the cliffs you can see a high-water mark, or literally a lava ring in the crater. Although we were walking across solid land, it was more than a little freaky to know that below us molten earth still stirs. As the weather was cooling off, we could even see steam sneaking between the cracks and crevices - reminders that this volcano is still alive and breathing.

The path back up the crater rim will branched off to the Thurston Lava Tube parking lot, but we continued back to the Kilauea Iki overlook.

The rain was holding off so we decided to, as David put it, walk in the footsteps of the kūpuna (elders) to Puʻuloa (hill of long life), a sacred and awe-inspiring gallery of kiʻi pōhaku (images carved in stone). Basically they are a Hawaiian version of a petroglyph. The ancient etchings document the life and culture of the Native Hawaiian people. The poho (cup-like depressions) cradle the piko (umbilical cord) of their children. It brought hopes of receiving the blessings of a long and prosperous life. The coastal trail goes through a 500-550 year old lava field, a site that has approximately 23,000 petroglyphs, many viewable at a boardwalk constructed for this purpose. Benny had time to sketch a few of them for his “memory pages,” his version of a scrapbook he’s been keeping since our original adventure began.

It took us an hour and a half to do the trail and still no rain. But there was “thunder” from the guys’ stomachs all growling. Once we were back to the vehicle I pulled out the simple GORP I’d managed to throw together that was friendly to everyone’s diets.

Since the weather was cooperating we headed to the Kaʻū Desert, a harsh landscape where volcanic eruptions and ashfall from events in Halemaʻumau crater have created a desolate, moon-like environment. Those are David’s words, not mine.

In 1790, a dramatic explosion occurred at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption involved a lot of hot gas, ash, and sand that rained down on the Kaʻū Desert. Caught in the middle of this deadly, suffocating event were groups of Native Hawaiians travelling through the region on long-used trails. In the then newly fallen layer of ash, these groups left behind footprints that are still visible today. A shelter with an exhibit about these footprints was accessible via an easy walk from the Kaʻū Desert Trailhead.

We managed to squeeze in one more trail, Kipukapuaulu. It was a 1.2 mile loop trail giving us glimpses of some of the rarest plants and animals in Hawaiʻi. The walk took us through a "kīpuka", an area of older vegetation surrounded by a more recent lava flow from Mauna Loa.

We were on our way back to the vehicle when it started to sprinkle. By the time we got to the parking lot it was really raining. Day was over with, or at least hiking was. We decided to go back to the hotel rooms, clean up, then see if it had stopped raining. It didn’t. We still went to dinner and watched the volcano steam from our table by the view. I hated to go back to the room but Benny seems to have gotten a little chill so I brought him back and put him to bed early – no complaints so I knew he wasn’t faking – the guys went to the other room to work.

David has to meet with a professor so in the morning he is switching off with his cousin Joseph, a professional guide, for a day or so. I quickly wrote the thank you note to Aunty and handed it off so it wouldn’t be forgotten. Now I have some adulting to take care of since I have wifi. G’nite.

Nov 20th: Puna Coast​

David traded off with Joseph this morning so while we have the same vehicle we have a different guide/driver. Joseph is older than David by a few years. Older and jollier. Not that David didn’t have a sense of humor or anything, but Joseph is a louder sense of humor.

No rain this morning but some possibly this evening. So first thing we headed to New Kaimu Black Sand Beach[1]. It is a new beach that was form in 1990 when a river of lava flowed from the volcano, reached the shoreline, and buried the original Kaimu Beach under 50-70 feet of lava. It also destroyed the entire community of Kalapana and nearby subdivisions that were in its molten path. For several months, a waterfall of lava flowed into the ocean.

Joseph told us that the original beach was a local favorite, enticing visitors from afar with its fine, jet-black sand and tall coconut trees. All of that was covered by the lava flow. As soon as they were able, dedicated locals planted hundreds of coconut trees to replace the ones lost. Remarkably most have survived.

New Kaimu Beach is beautiful, but a little eerie at the same time. The trail to the beach is about a 10-minute walk from ‘Uncle Roberts’, which was a collection of roadside stands, tour desks, and a parking area where the road ends on the southern section of highway, the Kapoho-Kalapana Road. Local jewelry vendors lined the path to the trail, and at the top of a small hill is an ‘information station’ that has been set up by locals. During business hours they provide a factual brochure to interested visitors for a small donation, which apparently goes towards keeping the area maintained. It was fascinating to take a look at the historical photographic display of the lava devouring the town in 1990.

The short trail led through the solidified lava flows. As we wandered through the coconut palm forest, we saw where the black sand has started to reform. It happens when the lava rock gets pulverized over many years by the crashing waves. In the distance we saw steam plumes that revealed an active vent of Kilauea. The shoreline is exposed and windy, and the edge of the small 6-foot cliff is where the black sand is being stirred by ocean waves, churning the water into a gray color, depositing the sand and forming the new beach.

As with many newly-forming beaches, it is narrow and definitely not swimmable due to strong currents and hazardous surf. There are no facilities there, and it may be many more years before the beach resembles something of its original form.

Since we had a 4x4, Joseph took us on a scenic drive on the Red Road Highway[2]. The Red Road (also known as Kapoho-Kalapana Road 137) is a coastline drive in the Puna district on the Big Island's southeastern shore. The road was called Red Road because of its unique red cinder pavement. However, this pavement only remains at the northern stretch of the road (the Kapoho end). The rest of the road was resurfaced with traditional black asphalt way back in 2000 and continues to be maintained with it. Nevertheless most people still call it the Red Road. For the most part it is a narrow (about 8 feet wide) and winding road right along the ocean, over small hills, through lava fields and vegetation. This is what makes this drive unique in Hawaii – the great variety in scenery and great views. Joseph drove slow because there were many blind hills and curves. It reminded me a little of some of the sections of the Hana Road, and not necessarily in a good way.

Along the way there were a few points of interest – Ahalanui Pond (a volcanically heated pond where we enjoyed a dip), MacKenzie State Park (a large park with many trees from where you can watch the waves crash into steep sea cliffs) and Kehana Beach (a remote black sand beach and one of the few unofficial nude beaches in Hawaii). That last one I stayed in the vehicle for. Lev came back and said it was about like he expected. Those that would look good on a nude beach aren’t the ones that normally use a nude beach. I was left to explain to Benny what he meant. Lev looked terrified and tried to head him off but became so embarrassed that even Benny realized that Lev had said something he hadn’t meant him to hear. I whispered that I would explain it later but Benny made a face and said, “Never mind.” Smart boy.

Once we arrived in Kalapana (a village that doesn't exist anymore after it was destroyed by a lava flow in 1990), there was another unique attraction, the Kaimu Beach Eco-Path, an easy trail across a lava field that took us to a small black sand beach). We didn’t stay long because there was another black sand beach we wanted to get to; Pohoiki Black Sand Beach[3].

Pohoiki is also known as Isaac Hale Beach Park. It is another “new” beach, a result of the 2018 volcanic activity of Kīlauea. Here you can sunbathe, swim (assuming the conditions cooperate), and surf (for the experienced only). The old boat harbor has been covered by black sand, creating a pond. There is good fishing here as well according to Joseph but we didn’t see any going on which may mean the conditions weren’t right.

The not-fun part is that we had to backtrack quite a way to get to Hwy 130 to get to our hotel for the night. Little place called Keaau Hotel. Joseph dropped us off after we picked up some of the local plate lunches since it would have just been too much of a hassle to cook and then have to clean up afterwards. Joseph lives in Hilo which isn’t that much farther down the road and had it all arranged before we even had to think of it.

The guys are editing and I think Benny and I are going to get a little early shut eye. This living in paradise is starting to take it out of me.

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[1] The New Kaimu Beach | Big Island Hawaii
[2] Red Road, Big Island
[3] https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/hawaii-big-island/things-to-do/beaches/pohoiki-beach

Nov 21st: North Coast​

Wow, I just realized there are only three more days in Hawaii after today. That’s when we head to Guam. And from Guam we go to Saipan. That gets us through the middle of December and I don’t know what comes next. Yeah, the hamster wants to chew on that but for some reason my anxiety isn’t nearly as high as it was towards the end of the national parks or in Florida. It certainly isn’t as bad as it was a few times in Alaska.

Listen to me, I sound ridiculous. I need to stop looking for trouble. Not to mention I’m not alone this time. I trust Lev. At some point we do need to talk and make plans but I think he needs to complete this assignment and then we could do things a little more concretely. I can at least give him that, not let the hamster nag him to death, after all he has given and invested in me.

Back to Hilo today and I will admit, after our last visit I was a little hesitant. But the day took off with a bang and kept going from there. At least in my opinion.

Zip lines. Can you have too much fun? Hilo is the perfect place for ziplining … valleys, rainforest, and waterfalls. The zipline Joseph took us to was not far from Akaka Falls State Park and featured a dramatic aerial view of Kolekole Falls. Experiencing the scenery from up in the air was an adventure. It spanned seven lines, and also featured views of the Pacific Ocean from up on the mountainous ridgelines. The first line was the shortest, then build up from there.

Each of the lines were named after a traditional staple of Hawaiian agriculture, with the guide (not Joseph who stayed on the ground with the guys) offered historical insight on native Hawaiian culture. We even got to sample some tropical Hawaiian fruits while walking between the lines. After we had successfully crossed six lines, there came the surprise. The pièce de résistance (I had to look up how to spell that). The final line is believed to be one of the longest ziplines in the country. As if that was enough, we soared right over a 250-foot waterfall while zipping between the two ridgelines. I felt like Super Girl or may Super Hamster. Benny pretended he was a bird.

It was hard to come down but what goes up must come down. Besides we were off to another treat; the Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden[1]. I think I may have just found one of the most beautiful places on earth.

The Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden is a 40-acre natural garden of tropical plants and a nature lover’s paradise located in this area called the Onomea Valley. It’s about five miles north of Hilo. According to a sign-thingie at the entrance, the Garden is home to over 2000 plant species, representing more than 125 families and 750 genera of tropical exotics. The garden has numerous trails, beautiful streams, waterfalls, a bird aviary, orchid garden, and ocean views. There are nearly 200 species of palms standing at attention as we walked along the tropical trails.

It is a nature preserve and sanctuary, but it is not easy hike in places. You start off by walking down a 500 foot landscaped boardwalk to the lower garden trails, waterfalls, and the ocean. There is a self-guided tour which takes about 90 minutes, and the walking distance is slightly over a mile round-trip. However, you can spend hours wandering all over that place. Everywhere you turn there are neat plants, little hide aways, twists and turns that feed you into areas that don’t seem to exist on the map and maybe because of magic of all things. Okay fine, that last was a bit much, but it isn’t far from the truth either.

The garden also sells tropical bouquets, shipped same day as being cut and arranged, clothing, souvenirs, jewelry, water and snacks in the visitor center. The trails are well maintained, but they can be wet and slippery. Insect repellent isn’t a bad idea either.

The garden was created by Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse who discovered the beautiful 17-acre parcel in 1977. At first the property was an impenetrable jungle and they had to hand-clear invasive trees, vines and thorn thickets so they wouldn’t kill off the native plants and trees already growing there. No tractors or excavating equipment were used. Excess rock was moved by wheelbarrow. After 8 years of clearing, the garden revealed tropical backdrops and even a three-tiered waterfall. The Garden opened to the public in 1984. To protect the Garden site, Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse established the gardens as a Scientific and Educational non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation and took taken legal steps to ensure the land will never be sold or commercially developed.

As we walked around Joeph told us the history of Onomea Bay. A lot of it was already on sign-thingies in the garden but it was more interesting to hear it from a human being that also happened to be a good storyteller.

The most recognizable landmark of the bay was the Onomea Arch, carved out by the Pacific’s water action. The famous landmark drew visitors to the bay for years until it fell during an earthquake in 1956 after standing for thousands of years. There is a legend that King Kamehameha actually created the arch by throwing a spear through the rock. Benny liked that story.

Onomea Bay was an old fishing village in the 1800’s. As one of the Big Island’s first natural landing areas for sailing ships, it was then developed into the Onomea Sugar Mill which exported raw sugar. In the hills above the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens you can still see the relics of the old mill, such as rusty iron trestles and flumes where hand-cut sugar cane was floated to the mill then unrefined sugar was loaded onto donkeys and carried down to the dock.

Eventually we had to climb back up the boardwalk and head on, this time to Kaumana Lava Tube Caves State Park. The Kaūmana caves offer an alternative to the Disneyfied lava tube experiences found elsewhere on the island. In other words they aren’t really developed. The caves were located in a tiny park with no rangers in sight and they are open 24 hours a day, year-round. They are also free to enter; but, Joseph said that since they are on the North Coast of the Big Island, away from most of the tourist scene, they aren’t overrun with foot traffic.

We’ve already been to several lava tubes but these were different. Sunlight barely makes it a few dozen yards into the tubes, but the formation extends much deeper. It’s not that you can’t go further, you just need to bring your own light and be careful. The rocks have been worn down a bit over the years by spelunker, but they’re of volcanic origin and consequently are sharp, uneven, and in some cases precariously-balanced. There are no significant pools or streams inside the tube, but because the air is very cool and humid, all the rock surfaces have a sheen of moisture on them, and can be slippery.

The guys needed an evening to work and Joseph needed to get home. David will pick us up in the morning and I hope his meeting went well. Tonight we are in a “guest house” which is kinda the same thing as an Air BnB and tomorrow we are hiking down into Waipio Valley.

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[1] Best Of Hawaii | Learn | Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden

Thanks Kathy!
Lili

Thanks Kathy!

Thank you, Kathy.

Thank you very much.

How's that wound coming?

Nov 22nd: Waipio Valley Hike​

David picked us up early so I’m glad I hit the hay last night when I did. It took me a bit to get to sleep. We were headed to hike Waipi'o Valley[1].

Waipi‘o (or Waipio) Valley is named after the Wailoa Stream that runs through the valley (it means curved water in the Hawaiian language) and is about one mile wide and six miles deep. Towards the back the valley it splits into many ‘fingers’, each one with its own waterfall. The valley meets the ocean towards the north with a beautiful black sand beach that is cut in two by the river.

The road down to Waipi‘o valley is one of the steepest roads on the island and quite a ride! On the steepest part, it rises 800 ft in only 0.6 miles. The average grade of the road is 25%, but peaks at 40%. To get down to the valley floor you must either be a Big Island resident and have your own 4WD car, or be willing to pay for a tour. Some, if not all, car rental companies here on the Big Island explicitly mention in the rental agreement that it is not permitted to drive your rental car down into Waipi‘o valley. We could have done that, we opted not.

The Hike down into Waipi‘o Valley is listed as one of the top-5 short hikes in Hawaii. The hike took us from the overlook into the valley, to the black sand beach, and back up. The total length of this hike is ~6.5 miles including lots of vertical meters and is not for the faint of heart.

Walking down into the valley was not easy. I don’t even know how people drive down that road. At the bottom of the steep road David took us left to explore the inlands. Banana and avocado trees line the road leading into the valley. Horses roam free pretty much wherever they want to go. And waterfalls cascade from tall cliffs. They guys were on photo overload and I was doing my share as well. We explored to our hearts content and then turned back and walked down to the shore of the ocean.

Wow. Black sand, trees down to the water and huge waves barreling onto the beach. It was like they had packaged all of Hawaii in one spot. It is really hard to describe without having to use the thesaurus and it would still be inadequate. We walked west along the beach as far as we could. That included carefully crossing the stream to reach the end of the beach underneath the cliff for an unforgettable view. The water in the stream was as cold and strong as any of the mountain rivers Benny and I have seen.

The beach looks beautiful and was a very good place to relax after the hike down and then inland. However, swimming is known to be dangerous because of rip currents and high surf. Benny and I put our feet in but that is as far as I was willing to take him. David agreed.

We also went to Kaluahine Falls. These falls are located below the overlook parking area and invisible from above. You have to be in the valley, or on a heli-tour, to see them. To find the falls, we walked east along the coastal boulders from Waipi'o beach for less than 1/2 mile. We had to time it right because you don’t try to hike there if the tide is high and covering the boulders or if surf is high, because it is too dangerous. These falls are often dry unless there has been a considerable amount of recent rain but there was a reasonable trickle all the way down so they’d gotten water from somewhere.

Trivia: Did you know that the 1995 movie “Waterworld” has a very Hawaiian twist? It is a really old movie with that guy Kevin Costner in it. Meemo said she used to be gaga over him when she was a girl and the Judge liked this old tv show named Yellowstone that he was in. That’s how I know about the movie. Grandfather Barry borrowed a copy from the Judge for one of “our” movie times. Anyway, the land discovered at the end of the movie by the survivors was not the summit of Mount Everest as shown, but rather Waipi‘o valley. The waterfalls that you can see in the final scenes are the Kaluahine Falls.

Hiking back up to the overlook was a real slog. There had been a little bit of rain so the road was slick in places. Let me say again, I don’t know how anyone drives on that thing. Let me give you a comparison. Clingmans Dome in the Smoky Mountain National Park as a grade of roughly 13%. Waipio had a grade of 25 to 40%. Craaaazy.

We were all done in by the time we got to the top. They guys insisted, that unless David had any place he needed to be, to come to dinner with us. We also celebrated that he got the internship that he was praying for. Tonight we are in another Air BnB type place and Chan took the floor (he prefers it) and David took the other twin bed in the third room. It was going to be three to the bed where Lev and I were sleeping until we found a cot. We offered it to Chan but he still wanted the floor.

They are winding down after a short work night and Benny is already asleep. I’m going to put this log away and wash up again from where I was doing some stretches and then hitting the hay. Tomorrow is the next to last day on the Big Island.

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[1] Waipiʻo Valley (Big Island): How to Visit + Things to See and Do

Thank you, Kathy.

sssarawolf said:

Thank you very much.

How's that wound coming?

Click to expand...

Nurse just left. They are definitely switching me from the medi-honey to silver algenate. I might go back to the medi-honey if the silver dries it out too much too fast. Oh it seems like this is never going to end. I know it will, just doesn't feel like it. The healing has slowed drastically but it was to be expected.

What is really got me fritzed is that they added Glyburide to the insulin and it is out all over. If it doesn't come in today I will call the doc and see if there is an alternative. My glucose was down to 173 yesterday and I want to keep it going down. Stress drove it back up to 203 this morning. Gah. I need to get it down closer to 100 before I can start trying to wean off of the insulin. I'll stay on the pills if there is no alternative but this shooting up every night isn't making me happy.

And did you know that insulin makes you gain weight?! ARGH. I can't win for losing. [/whine]

How are you doing? Still attached to the monitor?

Nov 23rd: Kohala Coast​

Today we concentrated getting film of the Kohala Coast. It is the Big Island’s northwestern coast.

We started early since David was already with us and from there went explored the old plantation towns of Hawi and Kapaau. We stopped for some fantastic views (and photos) at this old place called the Kohala Mule Station. We joined a separate tour (friend of Joseph’s that also happened to be relative of David’s fiancé who is on the mainland right now) where we climbed in a sturdy 6x6 Pinzgauer military ATV for a brief, but very bumpy off-road ride along the cliffs. Our destination was the Kohala Ditch Trail.

The “ditch” was built in the early 1900s to irrigate the surrounding former sugar plantations. The hike was approximately 2 miles long. We were there to see blasted-out tunnels, ditches, and an old aqueduct while the guide told stories of the plantation, plantation life in Hawaii, and the construction of the impressive irrigation system. Lawrence would have liked the tour. In another life he wanted to be an engineer, but his Barrymore caught up with him first.

We took a break and had a picnic lunch before continuing on to see other things. The hike was challenging for some people, but it wasn't too bad if you were prepared. We got to see the seven Kohala waterfalls that dot the area. Bonus is that we got to stop at the last fall for a chance to jump into the pool and cool off under the cascade. Water was a little cool but Benny and I led the pack which encouraged everyone else to give it a try.

That was the end of the day for that tour group but David took us on a few more adventures starting with the Hawaii Forest and Trail station where we could use their bathroom facilities and get some complimentary coffee and water. Then it was on to Lapakahi State Historical Park.

Lapakahi is a partially restored fishing settlement that dates back over 600 years. Its purpose was to give people a glimpse of what it was like to live like the Native Hawaiians of the past. We took a one-mile, self-guided tour of the 262-acre park to see restored hale (houses) and lava stone walls. There were opportunities to play traditional Hawaiian games and learn more about life in early Hawaii. The park’s rocky shoreline also faces the Lapakahi Marine Life Conservation District. Swimming was not encouraged and I didn’t like the look of the surf anyway. Feet in the water? Sure, why not. But that was as far in as we went. Even going up to my knees I was nearly knocked down a couple of times.

David said goodbye after dropping us off at our hotel, and we wished him well. It was a beach resort down by Hapuna State Beach. While the guys worked on editing Benny and I got out from under foot and went down to the beach for about an hour. It was getting too chilly for the water believe it or not so we went back up to find out they’d made reservations for dinner in the resort so we cleaned up fast so we wouldn’t hold anyone up. Lev said he’d tried to text me and was going to wait but I told him it was on me and not to worry about it.

We are back in the room and are going to just hit the hay now that we’ve prepped for tomorrow. It is going to be a long day, almost not worth coming back to the resort for the night, but no one wants to sleep in an airport.

Thank you.

Wish things were going better for you healing up. Plus the what the meds do to you. Or what they are not doing for you.
I am having an awful time with the plavix, leaves me whoozy and really tired.