The Big Island of Hawaii

The Big Island of Hawaii has every kind of terrain there is on the continental United States, and that was a surprise.

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We landed on the west side of the island, on the Kohala coast, where we would be staying for the next five days and were quite surprised by the desolate volcanic desert that surrounded the airport. This was just our introduction to the diverse terrains of the big island. On this, the largest of the Hawaiian islands, there are deserts, rain forests, volcanoes, farm land and cattle ranches, small island-cities, and tropical beaches of every color - white, black, and green.

To see the Big Island, you either drive around it or fly over it, and Peter and I were lucky enough to do both, safely. On the ground, we saw desert that could have been in New Mexico, ranches that belonged in Texas, tropical shorelines that could have been in Florida, and rain forests that could be in Washington-state. From the air, we saw volcanoes that could be in Oregon, farm land that could have been in the western plain states, and dramatic coastline that could rival the east or west coast of the mainland. It's remarkable and unique.

Hawai'i, created by volcanoes, occupies just over 4,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean, and continues to expand with their lava flows pouring in to the ocean. The two you notice the most on the island are Mauna Kea (White Mountain, because it gets a snow cap in the winter), and Mauna Loa (Long Mountain, because it is long and low). Mauna Kea is dormant and Maunea Loa is still active.

Despite cautionary concerns from friends, we booked a two hour flight on Blue Hawaiian helicopter tours at 7:00 a.m. one morning, flying out of Waikoloa, on the north west coast of the island. The route we took was southeast over the desert, flying past Mauna Loa, toward Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

In this flight path, we skirted the base of Mauna Loa in the stark bright sunlight of early morning, and then dipped under the clouds and smoke that hover over the lava fields which were once a rich landscape with over 200 homes. As we circled over the lava fields, it was amazing to see this molten matter in so many different stages of its existence. Our pilot explained that there are two main types of lava both of which we could see from the air. Pahoehoe (pa-hoy-hoy) is smooth and dense and flows like molasses. A'a (ah-ah) lava forms porous, jagged, light-weight rocks that tumble over and pile up on each other.

To see the earth with this much natural, creative - yet violent - energy was fascinating, but as we flew further north the slate gray lava fields gave way to lush green farmland surrounding the city of Hilo, and then the cliffs of the Hamakua coast. As we entered the valleys near the northern tip of the island, places you can't get to except by flight, it was amazing and nerve-racking to fly towards the walls of these mountains.

We saw hidden waterfalls and land untrodden by man - then turning on a dime our helicopter climbed westward to the crest of the mountains. It was here that we saw the extreme contrasts in this island's terrains. Behind us was the green lushness of the steep valleys falling to the ocean behind us with its black sand beaches, and ahead of us was expansive, dry ranch land spreading west toward the white sand beaches of the island's tropical resorts. It was like the two sides of that drama mask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed seeing the island and are so happy that we saw it from the air too. We told ourselves this would be "a once in a lifetime" experience - and it was. Sadly, a Blue Hawaiian helicopter crashed two weeks after our flight, and that has probably convinced us to remain on terra firma in the future, but "thanks for the memories" Blue Hawaiian, and these wonderful photographs.

Enjoy the slide show. Note: When you see the photograph of the helicopter "head on" you'll be able to see where we sat. We were in the front with the pilot. Noah, the pilot was on the left, I was in the middle and Peter was on the right ... the best seats in the house with windows everywhere!

 

Photos and Slide Show © 2011 Claudia Ward, All Rights Reserved 
Music: Hawaiian Jazz by the Hawaiian Music Party Squad 

If you're interested, and I hope you will be, check out Peter's video of the helicopter ride on the Big Island of Hawaii.

 

 

 

Comments

[Claudia]

Ally, Never saw a wave over 2 feet high while we were there. As for the price of the helicopter adventure, it was "a once in a life time adventure", about as much as a small dental crown. More later.

[Ally de Groat]

WOW!
seems I have been saying that a lot recently.
really amazing videos- I loved the way the clouds looked from up on high and how they looked like a wave advancing in your slide show claudia.
so cool to watch peter's video and have a small sense of what it must have been like for you.
such dramatic changes and that lava! like mercury in a thermometer.
and how about that house in the middle of the lava field? how must that have happened?
I especially liked the blades of the helicopter and the shot of peter's eye-a nice touch.
thanks!
curious how much you had to shell out for such an experience.
I would have loved to have seen some amazing wave shots- do you have those ready to go for a future entry? Oh, I hope so.