Heartbreak of the Gods: Kuamo’o Battle Field and Lekeleke Graveyard, Big Island of Hawaii

Melancholy, lonely, desolate; this bench cut into the fresh scar of an a’a flow marks the place where the Hawai’ian gods died at the battle of Kuamo’o. Contact with Europeans, especially the whaling and trade fleets, had introduced the Christian religion to Hawai’ians.

Burial Mounds at Kuamo'o Battlefield: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Since the Europeans possessed many things; iron, tools, firearms, and much practical and scientific knowledge which the Hawai’ians had never even dreamed of, the ruling class of Hawai’ians considered the European god to be much stronger than their own gods, and began converting to Christianity in the early 19th Century. In 1819, the year before the Christian missionaries arrived in Hawai’i, forces loyal to Kamehameha II (Liholiho), his mother Kepiolani and the dowager Queen Ka’ahumanu began a social movement to overturn the kapu system and the pagan Hawai’ian religion in favor of Christianity.

Many Hawai’ians were unhappy with the abandonment of the old customs, laws and the old gods. Among the priestly class of Kahuna, Kuaiwa and Holoialena were particularly outraged and traveled the countryside haranguing and inciting the Hawaiians to rebellion against the young King Kamehameha II. The son of Kamehameha I’s younger brother, the Ali’i Kekuaokalani (Liholiho’s cousin), led the rebellious warriors and fought a desperate battle here at Kuamo’o to preserve their ancient way of life and to honor their ancient gods. Although both sides used Western weaponry, Kekuaokalani and his forces lost decisively. Both Kekuaokalani and his wife Manono, who fought beside him, died here. Their graves, along with the graves of warriors numbering in the several hundreds, lie under the numerous, large stone altars erected by the victors over the very spots the warriors fell, here at Lekeleke Graveyard.

Kuamo'o Battlefield and Lekeleke Graveyard: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Those rebels willing to accept the new god and pledge allegiance to the young King Liholiho were pardoned, but resistance among many lingered. Kamehameha II despatched Hoapili to Waimea to battle the last rebels and his victory over them effectively ended all opposition to the overthrow of the gods. Little did the Hawai’ian people realize that this was not just another of the interminable internecine wars between rival Ali’i, but in fact marked the beginning of the end of Hawai’ian culture as they had known it.

Kayakers Explore Caves and Arches Offshore from Kuamo'o Battlefield: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

A walk along the dirt road that bisects Kuamo’o Battlefield is ineffably sad and a little creepy. However, the road soon climbs into dryland forest along the lava ocean cliffs and provides some memorable hiking and mountain biking.  The shoreline at Kuamo’o is a great place for whale watching, a picnic in the rough, watching waves batter the headland and sunset views. The little bay here is a great fishing spot and kayak destination…numerous small caves and arches, inconspicuous from shore, call out for the kayaker to explore. Kuamo’o Battlefield is located at the very end of Ali’i Drive at an area know by locals, somewhat appropriately, as “The End of the World”. There are no facilities.

Feral Goats are a Common Sight at Kuamo'o Battlefield: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

A video about Kuamo’o Battlefield is available here.

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan, all rights reserved.

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints # 11: Exploring Deeper Into Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii

by Frank Burgess

As you continue around the Crater Rim Drive, at Volcanoes National Park, there are dozens of great sights. A more recent crater, erupting with fire curtains in 1974, is Keanakako’i Crater. The pebbles around the rim were formed by froth from the lava as it was blasted into the air and cooled as they fell to the ground. This crater is a bit off-the-beaten-path, but Tour Guide shows the way.

Right along the Crater Rim Drive is the Devastation Trail (video here) formed by Kilauea Iki. When the Pu’u Pai vent erupted in 1959 it spewed pumice cinder and scalding ash burying the rainforest some ten feet deep. This caused the forested area to die leaving a barren wasteland where little has grown since. Tour Guide will take you on the three quarter mile paved hike, along the edge of this moonscaped region, and give more historical information as well.

At the end of the Devastation Trail is the Pu’u Pai overlook. This spot affords a view of Pu’u Pai (gushing hill) and Kilauea Iki (little Kilauea) (video here and here) and skirts the edge of the desert and rainforest as if some drew a line separating the two. Tour Guide gives the fascinating stories of 1900 foot lava fountains during this episode.

Super Tip: Bring plenty of water. I can’t stress this enough. There are few facilities available on the drives and hikes around the park, so make sure you stock up before leaving the Visitor’s Center. Besides, good hydration will keep you energized for all your fun activities. To your health.

On the east side of Crater Rim Drive is a delightful stop not to be missed, Thurston Lava Tube (video here). Tour Guide will tell you how lava tubes are formed when magma flows underground. It eventually empties leaving cave-like formations. Most lava tubes are very small; however Thurston Lava Tube is quite large. The National Park Service has paved a pathway through the tube, and installed lighting, to make this a 300 yard spelunking adventure for everyone to enjoy. The cave circles so that the entrance and exit end at the parking area. The giant ferns here invited the songs of exotic birds, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. This is one of the few locations where restrooms are available.

One of the best hiking and biking routes is the Escape Road (video here). Built for just what its name implies an alternate road for when the lava will inevitably cut the Chain of Crater Road, it makes a lovely down hill walk or bike ride. Tour Guide will show where to start at the Thurston Lava Tube parking area and end at the Mauna Ulu parking lot. This road meanders through some of the most cool and pristine rainforest to be found.

At the other end of the Escape Road is Mauna Ulu (video here), also accessible from Chain of Craters Road. This spot was formed by numerous eruptions between 1969 and 1974. A few yards down the road, you see the different types of lava formations left from these flows. Tour Guide will explain these types of lava in great detail. Across the expanse lies Pu’u Huluhulu, or shaggy hill. For those that are ready hike, there is a tree mile round trip hike to the top of Pu’u Huluhulu marked by cairns. From the summit, the views of the lava flows and coastline are indescribable.

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and touring the big island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

Copyright 2008 by Frank Burgess.  Photos and video opyright 2009 Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

The Sugar Industry in Hawaii: Kona Sugar Company and West Hawai’i Railway Company

By Donald B. MacGowan and Frank Burgess

The Sugar Industry in Hawaii

Scattered across the Hawaii Island landscape are remnants of old sugar mills, fields and even some feral cane can still be seen. But when Captain Cook came to the Islands in 1778, only wild sugar cane grew.

Feral Sugar Cane Field, Hamakua, Hawaii: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

 

The climate in Hawaii offered a perfect environment for raising sugar cane; cooling ocean currents keep the average temperatures around 80 degrees, with frequent rains, abundant groundwater and year round sunshine. 

In 1834 the first successful sugar plantation company marked the beginning of Hawaii’s love affair with sugar. Sugar provided Hawaii an economic foundation allowing a cosmopolitan society to flourish which spurred U.S. Annexation and eventual statehood in 1959.

In its heyday during the early 1960s, one out of every twelve people employed in Hawaii was in the sugar industry whose workers were the highest paid in the world. Hawaii produced a million tons of cane sugar a year from about 221,000 acres of land on four islands.  Hand milling of cane was replaced by mechanical milling in the late 1800s.These mills easily handled a number of processes including washing, crushing, grinding, and centrifuging. Raw, milled sugar was then shipped to the California & Hawaiian Sugar Refining Corporation in Crockett, California.  Unable to compete in the global sugar market the Hawaiian sugar industry declined in the 1980s and the last plantation closed at Pahala in 1992.

Though the business is gone, what is left are the people who once worked the fields and mills. The melding of the rich cultures of Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Portuguese, and others is what gives today’s unique Hawaii lifestyle its flavor.  

Kona Sugar Company and West Hawai’i Railway Company

Such was the seductive lure of easy riches to be gained by growing sugar in Hawai’i at the beginning of the 20th Century, that investment capital for a large sugar plantation, sugar mill and railroad in Kona could be raised not once, but three times.  

Remnants of the old Kona Sugar Company Mill Near Holualoa: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The Kona Sugar Company plantation was established in 1899 and every available scrap of land was stripped of whatever crops had grown there previously and planted in cane.  Although the sugar grew well enough about 500 feet elevation, a notable lack of fresh water in Kona’s semi-arid landscape made Wai’aha Stream the only logical choice for the mill site.  Unfortunately, the stream flow is vastly insufficient for year-round cane milling and the mill, built in 1901, went broke in 1903.  

 

Kona Sugar was bought by investors; renamed Kona Development Company, the plantation again went broke in 1916 and was in turn bought by investors in Tokyo. This group managed to eek out a profit until the industry imploded in 1926.  Originally planned to run 30 miles, the railroad was only built to total length of 11 miles in the 27 years of sugar plantation operation.  Work camps, communal baths, stables, workshops and all the requisite infrastructure of a giant agricultural plantation lay abandoned in the Mauka Kona countryside.

During World War II, the U.S. Army used the mill site as a training camp to acclimate troops to warfare on their way to the tropical Pacific Theater.  Fearing the tall smokestack of the mill would act as an artillery landmark for any invading forces, the Army pulled it down and Kona lost one of its first post-contact, industrial landmarks.

The Overgrown Walls of the old Kona Sugar Company Mill: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Traces of the rail bed can still be seen from the top of Nani Kailua and Aloha Kona residential neighborhoods.  Located along Hualalai Road, near the intersection with Hienaloli Road, are impressive stone breastworks and trestles for the railroad. Built by hand but still strong today, the rail bed can be explored and hiked from here.  Further up Hienaloli Road from the intersection with Hualalai Road, the old mill site remnants are still visible.

Abandoned Stone Trestle of the West Hawaii Railroad, Near Holualoa, Highway: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan and Frank Burgess

The Beautiful, Enigmatic and Cryptic Petroglyphs of Hawaii Island

Carving of a Honu, Green Sea Turtle, at Pu’u Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

    

by Donnie MacGowan

Lost in the dreaming mists of time are the origins and meanings of Hawaiian petroglyphs, the carved rock art of the ancient Hawaiians. Are they religious symbols or hunting magic? Accounts of journeys and conquests? No one is certain, as no historical records exist and those kahuna who knew the meaning of their magic took those secrets to their grave.

Anthropomorphic Petroglyph from, the Makaole’a Beach, Kona: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

     

Like most animists, Hawaiíians invested worship and respect in, and intuited spiritual powers to, a range of natural objects and phenomena: rain, volcanic eruptions, the sea, sharks, fresh water springs, surf and individual rocks. Pohaku O Kane, or sacred rocks, were among the most common spiritual objects of worship, whether they were naturally occurring in the landscape (pohakuia loa), rocks set on platforms (pohaku amakua), carved rocks (pohaku iki) or the petroglyphs themselves (k'i'i pohaku).

Petroglyphs from Pu'u Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

 

 

 

 

     

Most petroglyphs in the Hawaiian Islands are found in fields, on broad expanses of smooth pahoehoe basalt which would have facilitated both carving the images as well as gatherings of celebrants, were they later used in sacred rituals. The biggest petroglyph fields are found on the island of Hawaii, with the field at Pu'u Loa in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park being the largest petroglyph field in all of Polynesia. In addition to the various petroglyph fields, smaller scattered groups and lone carvings are known throughout the Hawaiian Islands. A black market exists in stolen petroglyphs and these lone petroglyphs, although many are well known and documented, are becoming increasingly hard to protect from thieves. Heartbreakingly, most of the targeted petroglyphs are destroyed as ignorant thieves try to pry, hammer and chip them away from their native stone.

Elaborate Anthropomorphic Carving from Pu'u Loa Petroglyph Field: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan



Although the age of the petroglyphs is difficult to determine, a stylistic evolution is clearly evident and can even be relatively dated where more recent petroglyphs are carved directly on top of older ones. The styles start with simple stick figures and crude geometric shapes and evolve into more humanoid figures with triangular chests. Carvings with elaborate headdresses and complex geometric designs came later and carvings of horses, cattle and European sailing vessels are the most recent and certainly post-date European contact. There are many petroglyphs which seem to defy even these simple classifications and are so stylistically unique that scholars argue whether they represent some variant art form that flourished briefly and died, or are a more modern carving by contemporary artists.
Simple Geometric Carving from Pu'u Loa: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

A More Complex Geometric Carving from Pu'u Loa: Photo by Donnie MacGowan




Quite Complex Geometric Petroglyph, Pu'u Loa: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

    

Puako Petroglyph Field

The right hand raised in this figure from Puako Petroglyph Field may indicate the compass direction "North West": Photo by Donnie MacGowan

This enormous field of over 1200 individual carvings makes you wonder why ancient Hawaiíians made their tortuous way across miles of inhospitable lava desert, far from any source of water and through thick keawe forest to leave their enigmatic and cryptic petroglyphs on this singular Pahoehoe lava flow. Carved between 1000 and 1800c.e., the Puako Petroglyph Field is the second largest field of ancient petroglyphs in Polynesia. Lying near the grounds of the Mauna Lani Resort, they are accessed today by a simple, 25-minute walk on the wide, easy Malama Trail. The meaning and message of these petroglyphs have never been divined, but in addition to the stone pictures, are numerous piko, small holes bored into the lava to accept an infantís umbilical cord during the religious birth ceremonies.

Puako has offered at least one clue in unraveling the enigma of Hawaiian petroglyphs. Based upon thousands of measurements and careful mapping, it is believed by most scholars that the human figure, with his right hand raised, indicates the Hawaiian principal compass direction, which we would call "Northwest" (see picture).

To get to the Malama Petroglyph Field turn into the grounds of the Mauna Lani Resort between the 73 and 74 mile markers and follow the signs to the parking lot for the trail to the Malama Petroglyph Trail. The best time to view the petroglyphs is just after dawn of just before dusk, because the angle of the sunlight accentuates the carvings. Due to their fragility and antiquity, rubbings and casting of the petroglyphs are forbidden. Full facilities, water and food are available at the resort.

Makaole'a Beach Petroglyph Field

European-Style Sailing Ship Petroglyph at Ke'eku Heiau, Keauhou Historic District: Photo by Donald MacGowan

     

A small, forgotten beach along Aliíi Drive in front of the recently demolished Kona Lagoon Hotel, Makaoleía Beach has wonderful tidepools but poor swimming. Due to its relative isolation in the midst of town, this beach has a very lonely feel and makes a great place for a private picnic. The numerous petroglyphs lie both above and below the surface of the ocean and are only visible at low tide, to the south and west, seaward, perhaps a hundred meters from the reconstructed Keíeku Heiau. The petroglyphs were all carved on basalt above sea level; over the millennia the sheer weight of Hawaiíi Island has caused it to slowly subside, and the petroglyphs to be partially submerged. Am example of an authentic, but relatively recent, carving is a large petroglyph clearly depicting a European-style sailing vessel. Other famous petroglyphs from this field include the depiction of the headless Maui Aliíi Kamalalawalu, after he lost his battle for the Island of Hawaii to the victorious Hawaii Aliíi, Lonoikamakakahiki as well as an anatomically ìsuper-anatomically correctî carving of Lonoikamakakahiki, himself.

To reach Makaoleía Beach, park either in the Kahaluíu Beach Park or at Keauhou Outrigger Beach Resort. From Kahaluíu, walk onto the Keauhou Resort property through the gateway in the fence between them and follow the asphalt path to the pool deck, through the lobby of the resort and join the paved path that runs along the end of the Resort driveway. From the Resort parking lot, walk up the drive to the paved path that runs along the end of the driveway. Following this path, one passes Punawai Spring first, then, the Moío Twins homesite. Continuing on past reconstructed Hapaialíi Heiau around the margin of a large tidepool to reconstructed Keíeku Heiau, Makaoleía Beach runs south from the end of Keíeku Heiau. No services.

Pu'u Loa Petroglyph Field

A Few of the More Than 15,000 Individual Petroglyphs at Pu'u Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Just off Hawaii Volcanoes National Parkís Chain of Craters Road, along the side of the centuries-old Kaíu-Puna trail, worn smooth by generations of travelers, in the area of the Hill of Long Life (Puíu Loa) lies the largest petroglyph field in Polynesia It is estimated that the Puíu Loa field contains in excess of 15,000 carvings. A one mile segment of this ancient trail, from the parking lot along the Chain of Craters Road to the petroglyphs, has been marked with cairns (or ìahuî) by the Park staff to lead visitors to the petroglyphs. As you hike along this trail, notice the smoothness of the lava, the sheen on the trail worn by generations of travelers' feet.     

There are many theories concerning the origin and meanings of these carvings but one thing is certain. People stopped here for hundreds of years and left their mark on the stone. Among the designs are simple holes, spirals, concentric circles, human forms and others which are unrecognizable geometric shapes. The hills and swales of pahoehoe surrounding the boardwalk contain thousands more petroglyphs, but due to their fragility, you are advised to remain on the boardwalk to keep from damaging them.

Remember that these carvings, though many hundreds of years old, are extremely fragile so remain on the boardwalkódo not step into the petroglyph field, even for a better view, or onto the carvings themselves. The boardwalk passes by hundreds of carvings near enough for you to examine them minutely and photograph the completely. This self-guided tour takes about 1 hour.

South Point Petroglyphs

Kite Petroglyphs at South Point; An Academic Debate Exists on the Age and Origin of the Carvings: Photo by Donald MacGowan

     

Unlike the three previous examples, there is no large petroglyph field at South PointÖcarvings are spread on rocks and in tidepools and lava tubes all up and down the coastline. There are several that are associated with the small, but extremely well-preserved Kalalae Heiau near the actual geographic South Point. Kalalae is classified as a koía, or fishing shrine, to the god Ku'ula.

There are several outstanding examples of Pohaku O Kane other than petroglyphs evident at Kalalae Heiau that one should note. On the main platform outside the heiau is a pohaku amakua referred to as ìKumaieaî which means ìfemaleî. On the smaller stone terrace just north is another standing stone, associated with the god Kanaloa, and referred to as ìKanemakuaî (male). The stone inside the walls is a called ìKuíulaî after the Hawaiian god of fishing; north of the structure stand Makaunulau (a Hawaiian navigational star) and 'Ai'ai (his ward), south is Wahine hele ("place from where the women leave"). Examples of pohakuia loa include the Pohakuwaía Kauhi (literally ìcanoe rock by the shrubsî) right at the shoreline, which was used to focus meditations before long canoes journeys, and Pohakuokeau (ìstone of the currentsî or ìstone of the yearsî), which stands offshore. The name Pohakuokeau reflects the Hawaiian belief that the stones would turn over when there was a political change in government.

K'i'i pohaku in the area are numerous but scattered, so it's up to the initiative and energy of the visitor to find them. True curiosities, the kite petroglyphs, are in a large Queenís Bath and easily located by walking east and south along the shore from Kalalae Heiau. These carvings are so stylistically unique to other Hawaiian petroglyphs that scholars are unsure of their origins. Do they represent some variant, and apparently rare, art form, or are they modern carvings by a recent artist? Even the associated archeological features and artifacts in the area feed this ambiguity. For instance, in the immediate area there are several pohakuia loa (rocks naturally standing in the area used for worship) and pohaku iki (carved rocks that generally have been stood-up) that are thought to be authentic. However, a large stone ìaltarî adjacent to the pool containing the kites is not only very unusual stylistically from other known Hawaiian features, but may actually be a modern construction and represent nothing more than a ìbenchî made by local fishermen. Additionally, a short distance nearby but away from shore, in a large lava tube with a freshwater spring used for diving by locals, is a turtle petroglyph which seems to be another example of the same carving style as the kites. Modern or ancient?

South Point, or Ka Lae, is the farthest point south in the entire United States. The road to Ka Lae from the Hawaiíi Belt Road is infamous, but has been greatly improved in recent years, although itís still only 1-lane wide in many places. Turn south off the Hawaii Belt Road at the well-marked turn just north and west of Waiohinu Town.

Cryptic Carvings of Enigmatic Human Figures from Near Ke'eku, Kona HI: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

     

Petroglyphs; enigmatic, ancient and undeniably beautiful are abundantly scattered across the Hawaiian landscape. It requires only curiosity, time and enrgy to seek the out. Who knows, maybe youíll be the one to tease some morsel of meaning from these cryptic and ancient messages to the gods.

For more information on traveling the Hawaii in general and exploring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan.

 

Hidden Secrets of Hawaii: The Golden Ponds of Ke-awa-iki

Hiking Ke-awa-iki Beach, the Golden Ponds, Pueo Bay and Weliweli Point, Kohala Hawaii

by Donnie MacGowan

Donnie MacGowan amongst the Golden Ponds of Ke-awa-iki, Big Island Hawaii: Photo by Bart Hunt

Want to find a beautiful beach not even many locals know about?  Don’t mind walking about 15 minutes over a lava road and a’a?  This tiny mostly black-sand and gravel beach has good snorkeling on the south (left as you face the water) side, where there is still a pocket of white sand.

This Black and White Sand Piebald Beach is Aboslutely Unique on the Island of Hawaii...Maybe in the World: Photo by Donald MacGowan

This unique black and white sand beach was created after the 1859 eruption of Mauna Loa, when lava reached the north end of the beach, where the black sand is today.  Further south along the beach, the recent black sand has not had time to thoroughly mix with the pre-existing white sand.

If one continues south there are numerous tide pools to explore.

The North End of Ke-awa-iki Beach Turns to a Delightfully Weird Moonscape: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Hiking north, one passes along the wild and open Kohala Coastline to Pueo Bay (Pueo mean “owl” in Hawaiian), where many freshwater springs make the snorkeling interesting but weird, due to large temperature and salinity gradients. There are numerous trails to make your way back to the car or Ke-awa-iki Beach.

Bart Hunt and the Curious Lone Palm Tree a Keawaiki Beach, Hualalai Volcano in the Background: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

From Pueo Bay Looking North to Weliweli Point: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

However, if one takes the trail running east behind Pueo Bay (intersection marked with coral), one comes to a pair of lovely golden pools, which can be seen for quite a distance, as they support a growth of hala trees.

Golden Ponds at Ke-awa-iki Spring Amazingly from the Seeming Lifeless A'a Lava Flow: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

A golden algae growing on the lava lends these pools their distinctive color.

Golden Algae Growing in the Hidden Freshwater Ponds at Ke-awa-iki: Photo by donald B. MacGowan

If you bring an underwater camera, you can take spectacular photos of this gorgeous biologic wonder.

Golden Algae Growing in the Hidden Freshwater Ponds at Ke-awa-iki: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Feel free to frolic in the ponds before finishing the hike—just be sure not to damage the growth by walking on it too much.

Another interesting trail to thread are the many roads and trails leading to Weliweli Point from the Ponds or Pueo Bay, essentially just keep parallel to the coastline and they all converge at a private residence near the point–on clear days, unsurpassed views of Kohala Mountain and Haleakala on Maui can be seen here.

Weliweli to Haleakala on Maui: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Return by taking the major dirt road back towards the highway, taking the millennia old King’s Trail south when that intersection is reached. Out in the a’a flow it’s hard to get lost, you can almost always see where you parked your car, and the trails all eventually lead there.

There is much to see here besides the beaches and the Golden Pons.

Bart Hunt at the Sacred Pond at Ke-awa-iki: Photo by Donald MacGowan

There are remains of ancient heiau (temples) and villages.

Bart Hunt Explores and Ancient Heiau (temple) at Ke-awa-iki: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

And although no green sand beach is know to have formed, vesicular basalts in the area around Weliweli Point have abundant olivine (peridot) crystals.

Olivine Phenocrysts in Vesicular Basalt Near Ke-awa-iki: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Depending on how you thread the trails, it’s approximately 4 miles, round trip.

To Find the wonders of Ke-awa-iki: Drive just north of Mile 79, park where boulders block a gravel road. Take gravel road/trail towards the ocean, hike along the road, fence and trail 15 minutes to Ke-awa-iki Beach.  No facilities.

A video about Ke-awa-iki is available here.

For more information about traveling around Hawaii in general and touring the Big Island in particular, please visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan; all rights reserved.

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #10: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Let’s Go to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park!

About a two hour straight drive from Kona, going south, brings you to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If you have a Golden Eagle Pass your entrance is free. If not, it is only $10.00 per carload to enter the park. The rangers at the gate will give you detailed maps of the area.

Super tip: Your receipt will give you free access to the National Park for seven days.

My first suggestion is to go to the Kilauea Visitors Center and the Jagger Museum. This will give you a nice overview of the park and rangers are there to answer questions. This spot also looks over the majestic Halemaumau Crater. Tour Guide will get you to the park and lead you to more than 50 sites. It is also possible that our state bird, the Nene Goose, will be huddled in the parking lots. They are protected as an endangered species, so be careful when parking nearby.

Another great place to visit is the Volcano Art Center. It may seem a strange, but the Volcano Art Center boasts one of the best collections of art in the whole state. World renowned artist in various media are on display as well as theatrical and musical performances.

There is only one restaurant in the park proper, and that is the Volcano House. Built as a lodge in the mid 1800’s, the Volcano House has hosted dignitaries, politicians, sports heroes and movie stars from all over the world. This grand edifice sits right on the lip of Halemaumau Crater and the views from her restaurant are stunning. Tour Guide will give a complete history of how it came to be. The food is good and the prices are reasonable. Bicycle rentals are also available near the lodge.

Crater Rim Drive is a great driving introduction to the park. It encircles the Halemaumau Crater and, for only an 11 mile drive, passes through several dramatic climate zones. You will encounter arid desert, grass savannah, and into tropical rainforest; this loop can easily be done in forty minutes. However, you will want to take more time to appreciate the beauty and majesty of one nature’s most awesome wonders. Tour Guide will suggest short to medium hikes and bicycle trails as well as over 50 historic and geologic sites to visit within the park.

If you are up for some hiking, Tour Guide will lead you to the trail for Waldron Ledge Overlook. This short hike is through the Ohia and fern jungles, shaded most of the way, and can be done on bicycle as well. From this vantage point one can see the active vent, Kilauea Iki, and breathtaking views of the coast.

Along the Crater Rim Drive you will also see many steam vents and the Sulfur Banks. This is where water seeps into crevices and meets the molten magma about a half mile below the surface, is super heated, and returns to the surface as steam. These vents are often accompanied by a “rotten egg” smell common where sulfur is rising with the steam, turning the ground around the vents hues of yellow, green and white.

For more information on visiting Hawaii and the Big Island in general, and touring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in particular, please visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

Volcanoes and Hula Dance to the Same Beat

Reprinted from here.

Steam Erupting from Halema’uma’u Crater on Kilauea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Unless you’ve been sitting in a lava cave (the way we sometimes do) you should be well aware that this Sunday is the beginning of the annual Merrie Monarch festival—the world’s premier event for watching and learning about the Hawaiian hula.

The hula kahiko, or ancient hula form, is always the crowd favorite on Friday night. The kahiko is one expression of the mo`olelo, or stories, of Hawaiian culture. Of course, a popular theme of hula performed during the Merrie Monarch involves stories of Pele, the Hawaiian deity of the volcano.

The hula of Pele uses rhythmic rising, falling, swaying, and flowing, accompanied by the oli, or chant, and beats of instruments to portray the likeness and action of Pele and the volcano as one inseparable entity. So it may be of little surprise to you that the rhythmic nature of the hula and chants describing the volcano would accurately portray of the bursting forth, and diminishing of such things like lava flows and explosions. But have you ever wondered if the rhythms of the hula have any relation to detailed scientific observations made at the volcano? The answer may be surprising to you; the connections go deeper than you think, and certainly deeper than we’re aware of.

Much of the behavior of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes are rhythmic in nature. The sounds, earthquakes, and ground swelling of these volcanoes, have all been found to follow rhythmic patterns.

Perhaps the most obvious rhythm of the volcano is the very sound the volcano makes. Anyone who has had the privilege of being near a lava vent can attest to the rhythmic sounds of gas and lava gushing from vents. This is the `uhi `uha sound in the hula chants that results from gases and gas-charged magma rushing through vents, or conduits, in the volcano. Much like a pahu drum, the size of the chamber controls the depth of the sound. These sounds actually extend well beyond the range of human hearing into a realm called the “infrasound”. Geologists record and study the depth and breadth of these infrasonic beats to model the internal structure vents and conduits.

The shaking of the volcano also occurs with rhythmic frequency. In the current episode of eruptive activity at Kīlauea, something called episodic tremor has been frequently observed. Episodic tremor is a pattern of seismic activity, or shaking of the volcano, that occurs at semi-regular intervals. Patterns of seismic activity like this have been seen at Mount St. Helens where they were called “drum beat” seismicity. Episodic tremor at Kīlauea can be seen on seismic recorders as triangular-shaped bursts periodically placed—an imprinting reminiscent of a kapa-cloth pattern. A current interpretation is that episodic tremor is caused by the repeated rising and falling of the lava surface underground.

In addition to shaking, the volcano’s entire body also sways, or deforms, in rhythmic ways. The ground surface of Kīlauea regularly rises and falls in cycles called deflation-inflation (DI) events. These events are linked to pulses of magma and gas which rise regularly under the summit of Kīlauea in the region of Halema`uma`u. An interesting consequence of magma migration is a coordinated dance of the ground surface at the summit and east rift zone of Kīlauea. As a pulse of magma rises up under Halema`uma`u, the summit of Kīlauea expands, rising upward. As this magma makes its way down the east rift the ground beneath Pu`u `Ō `ō begins to rise too. The dancers complete their turn over the course of a day or so.

The above descriptions only scratch the surface of many deeper rhythmic relationships that exist. So as you watch and hear the hula of Merrie Monarch this year, we encourage you enjoy the mo`olelo `o Pele and hula—both its sheer beauty and, also, its remarkable accuracy in describing the essence of volcanoes.

Activity update

The Waikupanaha and Kupapa`u ocean entries remain active. Surface flows inland from Kupapa`u, which began late last week following a deflation-inflation (DI) event at Kīlauea’s summit, remain active along the eastern boundary of the National Park.

At Kīlauea’s summit, the vent within Halema`uma`u Crater continues to emit elevated amounts of sulfur dioxide gas, resulting in high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind. Though not directly observed, vent noises suggest that lava is still present within the vent about 100 m (110 yds) below the floor of Halema`uma`u crater.

Visit our Web site (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for detailed Kīlauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kīlauea summary; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

To see Tour Guide Hawaii video of Kilaeua eruptions go here and here.

For moreinformation on visiting Hawaii in general and touring the Hawaiin volcnoes in particular, plese also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

Exploring Mysterious Puna–Jungles, Beaches, Eruptions: A Photo Diary

By Donnie MacGowan

Here in the Department of Research and Eternal Spring Break at the Galactic Headquarters of Tour Guide Hawaii, we have been waiting for a break in the Spring Monsoon on the east side of the island so we could run around Puna, visit, film and photograph all our favorite places and then spend a (relatively) dry evening watching the pyrotechnics as Madam Pele marches into the sea at the lava ocean entry at Waikupanaha.

The Men of Tour Guide At Work: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Well, as wet as Puna and Hilo are, we could have waited an eternity, so we decided to just pack everybody up and hit the highway. We tore down the west side of the island, past South Point, Punalu’u and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, making our first stop (for coffee) at Pahoa, the cultural and mercantile center of Puna.

Pahoa is the Commercial and Cultural Center of Puna: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

From Pahoa, we drove sedately down through the magnificent Tree Tunnels on Hwy 132 to Lava Trees State Monument.

The beautiful Tree Tunneled Roads of Puna: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Here, a long-ago lava flow swept through a wet ohi’a tree forest. The wet, cold trees chilled the lava, which coated the trees.

Lava Trees at Lava Trees State Monument: Photo by Donald MacGowan

As the lava drained away downhill and through numerous cracks in the earth, the lava coating the trees cooled, leaving these basalt towers with hollow insides…the lava trees have casts of the ohi’a, bark and all, in their middles…an amazing place!

Lava Trees Cast: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

We took highway 137, named the Kapoho-Kalapana Road–I imagine this is the only road in America–perhaps the world–that is named for two towns destroyed by the same volcano.

Kapoho Kalapana Road Sign: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Driving through the jungles and beaches of Puna we came to Ahalanui Hot Pond. This man-made pool was first constructed to retain the refreshing waters of a cold spring.

Ahalanui Hot Pond: Photo by Donald MacGowan

During eruptions in the early 1960s, however, the plumbing on Kilauea changed and the spring became hot…and the pool became even more refreshing. Continuing on we stopped in at Isaac Hale Beach Park, which has recently had a complete makeover and is now one of Hawaii County’s first rate facilities.

Isaac Hale County Beach Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Once run down, decrepit and populated by social undesirables, it’s now a vibrant, safe and enjoyable place to have a picnic, snorkel and just enjoy exploring where jungle meets ocean.

Isaac Hale Park Hot Spring: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Next stop was McKenzie State Park, a real rustic gem with not much going on but miles of hiking trails, a copse of beautiful ironwood trees and some amazing, huge boulders hurled 60 feet up the sea cliffs by tsunamis past.

McKenzie State Park Tsunami-Tossed Boulders: Photos by Donnie MacGowan

Makes you think twice about camping here!

The next part of Puna we drove through along Highway 137 is undergoing intense development–once a land of rolling jungle punctuated with lava flows and crossed by red cinder roads, civilization is finally finding Puna–too bad. Of course, Madame Pele decrees that any human settlement on this part of Hawaii Island is an “at will tenancy”–at her will–and she may reclaim the land as wild lava at any time.

Modern Carved Pohaku Iki in Puna: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

We came into what’s left of Kalapana and hiked out to the new black sand beach at Kaimu. There is an amazing story of love and rebirth centered around this tiny village which I have previously told elsewhere, but it’s a moving and gorgeous spot.

Kaimu Black Sand Beach in Winter: Photo by Donald MacGowan

After getting our toes wet in the ocean at Kaimu, we turned north towards the Hawaii County Lava Viewing platform near what used to be Waikupanaha. We parked and hiked in to await dusk and see the eruptions (see video here).

Littoral Explosions as Lava Enteres the Ocean Near Royal Gardens: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Then, with full on dark enveloping us, we packed the car, adjusted the mirrors, and sat back for the 3 1/2 hour drive back to Kailua Kona…we timed it perfectly to arrive in time to have coffee and ice cream at Lava Java and to watch the evening surf pound against the seawall in Old Kailua Town and told ourselves, in the local pidgin, the same thing residents of Kona tell eachother at least twice a day…”Hey, lucky we live Hawaii, eh?”

Sunset from Lava Java in Kailua Kona: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

For more information on touring Hawaii in general and the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan; all rights reserved.

Photo Diary of a Day Trip Across Saddle Road and Mauna Kea: The Roof of Hawaii

This post has been updated and expanded here.

Feeling hemmed in by the spring drizzle in Kona, the Men of Tour Guide decided to take a much needed break and drive from Kailua Kona across The Saddle Road, up to the summit of Mauna Kea and down into Hilo.

Hualalai Volcano and Pu'uanahulu on the Big Island: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Driving out of Kailua Town on Highway 190, we passed Pu’unanhulu on the backside of  Hualalai Volcano, continuing to the junction with Highway 200, The Saddle Road, famed in song, legend and fable.

Looking Back Toward Kohala Mountain from Saddle Road: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Saddle Road has a nasty reputation, which is only partly deserved.  Having been rebuilt from Hilo-side up over the saddle, there are only a dozen or so miles of rough, single lane roadway remaining.

Stopping at The Saddle, we decided to hike up Pu’u Huluhulu, the Shaggy Hill, a wildlife preserve on a prominent kipuka, or living island between lava flows.

Mauna Kea from Kipuka Huluhulu: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Kipuka Huluhulu offers superb views of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, as well as fabulous bird watching and a grand nature trail through a lot of native flora.

Vanishingly Rare Silver Sword Plant on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Taking John Burns Way from The Saddle up to the summit of Mauna Kea, we stopped at the Visitor’s Information Station for a rest stop, to acclimatize and to photograph some Silver Sword plants; one of the rarest plants on earth, Silver Swords grow only on Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala.

From the Visitor’s Information Station we made our way up to the summit road.  This road, too, has an only partially-earned nasty reputation.  True, the road is mostly graded rock (it gets graded 3 times a week); true, it’s steep and narrow with NO shoulders and scary drop-offs; and, true, the weather can turn in a heartbeat from warm and sunny to full-on blizzard white-out.

The Men of Tour Guide Hard at Work on Mauna Kea: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

However, anybody who has experience driving on dirt roads in the mountains and drives cautiously is apt to be just fine…afterall, it’s not the roughness of the road that keeps people from the summit, it’s the lack of air at altitude that kills the car. If you are in doubt about the drive, the Rangers at the Information Station can help you decide if you should drive up or not.

Hikers on Mauna Kea Summit Looking at Mauna Loa Summit: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The summit of Mauna Kea is one of my favorite places in all of Hawaii.  I’ve been here at all times of the day and night, in all kinds of weather; I have stood at the summit and seen the North Star and the Southern Cross in the same sky on the same night; I have skied and snowboarded from the summit and hiked to the top from sea level.  I’ve ridden my mountain bike up and ridden my Honda Ruckus scooter from Kailua Town up.

Mauna Kea Summit Temple: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

I love this mountain.  In September of 2006, Sean O’Neil, a paraplegic, rolled his wheelchair to the summit all the way from sea level in Hilo. All I could think when I heard he’d made the summit was “There is a real adventurer with the heart of a lion…”.

Rolling our own way back down the John Burns Way to The Saddle Road, we discovered the spring monsoon was still in full swing as we headed east towards Hilo Town.  Of course it was raining on Hilo Side! Stopping in the foothills just west of Hilo, we spent some time exploring around Kaumana Caves, a lava tube that extends for 25 miles, formed in the 1881 eruption of Mauna Loa.

Frank Descends Into Kaumana Cave: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Entrance is gained at Kaumana Cave County Park by a concrete staircase descending into a skylight.  The adventurer is immediately faced with a question: explore the uphill portion or the downhill portion?  Whichever route you take, be sure to have 3 sources of light, a hard hats (knee pads are nice, too) and be prepared for wet and slippery rocks. If you’re not intent on exploring deeply, a walk into the portions where sunlight penetrates is still pretty amazing.

Looking Out Kaumana Cave: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Continuing on into Hilo, we spent some time at Rainbow Falls, which, because of the recent rain, was swollen and immense.

Rain-Swollen Rainbow Falls: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

I explored the river a bit above and upstream of the falls and found an incredible tract of wild urban jungle (if that is not actually a contradiction in terms, it’s at least a brilliant name for a rock band…) and lots more smaller falls, continuing on up the river.

The Jungle Behind Rainbow Falls: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

There is a trail along portions of this.

It was getting late as we explored downtown Hilo so we gassed the car and decided to drive home through Waimea.

Hualalai Sunset from Highway 190, Big Island, Hawaii: Photo by Donald MacGowan

Sunset over Thurston Mansion from the Kailua Pier: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

We blazed along laughing at our day’s adventure under an increasingly amazing sunset, arriving back in Kailua Town just in time to catch a meal of Kona Dogs and raspberry smoothies at Cousin’s in the Kona Inn Shops.  Best raspberry smoothies on the island, I’m telling ya!

For more information on touring the Hawaii in general and the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

All media copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan.  All rights reserved.

Keauhou Historic District: Kuamo’o Battle Field and Lekeleke Burial Ground

Melancholy, lonely, desolate; this beach cut into the fresh scar of an a’a flow marks the place where the Hawai’ian gods died at the battle of Kuamo’o. In 1819, the year before the Christian missionaries arrived in Hawai’i, forces loyal to Kamehameha II and Queen Ka’ahumanu fought to overturn the kapu system and the pagan Hawai’ian religion in favor of Christianity. Kahuna Kekuaokalani led the last supporters of the old ways and the old gods and fought a desperate battle here to preserve their ancient way of life, and lost. Their graves, numbering in the several hundreds despite the official-looking marker at the site, are under the numerous, large stone altars erected by the victors over the very spots the warriors fell.

A walk along the dirt road that bisects the battlefield is ineffably sad and a little creepy. However, the road soon climbs into dryland forest along the lava ocean cliffs and provides some memorable hiking and sunset views.

Kuamo’o Battlefield is located at the very end of Ali’i Drive, somewhat appropriately. No facilities.

For more information on exploring the Big Island of Hawaii in general, and the ancient villages and temples of Kona in particular, visit: www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

Produced by Donnie MacGowan. Written, directed and filmed by Donnie MacGowan.  Original musical score by Donald B. MacGowan.  All media copyright 2008 by Donald B. MacGowan; all rights reserved.