Life on the Big Island of Hawai’i is defined by Pele’s power

By CINDA CHAVICH

(HILO, HAWAI’I) - On the horizon, the gentle slopes of Mauna Loa, Hawai’i’s actively erupting and unpredictable volcano, look as calm as the fat green sea turtles, snoozing on the beach.

But below the surface of this massive landform – the largest volcano on earth -  Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, never sleeps. She has been sending streams of molten rock and lava into the sea constantly for 25 years, defining both the landscape and the lifestyle of this rugged and rocky corner of the Pacific.

Visitors to Hawai’I (a.k.a. The Big Island) may be surprised to see the stark landscape – blackened fields of lava flowing from the highest points of the island down to the sea like some ancient moonscape, punctuated occasionally by scrubby mesquite and ohi’a trees, nearly leafless and adapted to survive in this dry, sun-baked land.

While there are lush rain forests along the northern coastline, most of Hawai’i’s landscape is defined by lava. It is dark and jagged, rough and unyielding – perhaps the kind of landscape that spawns larger-than-life leaders, like King Kamehameha the Great, the warrior who conquered every other island in the chain and whose royal dynasty was the last to rule the Kingdom of Hawai’i before it’s controversial annexation by the U.S. in 1898.

Hiking in this dry, blackened land by day – in the Volcanoes National Park where the active Kilauea has been oozing lava constantly for nearly 25 years – is a surreal experience. The surface crunches and tinkles like broken glass underfoot and sulphurous steam wafts from heaving cracks, reminding the wary walker that angry Pele is still stirring things up in the magma deep below your feet.

Mauna Loa, and the smaller Kilauea volcano on her shoulder, are two of the world’s most active volcanoes, making up some of the youngest real estate on the planet. The island of Hawai’i is the largest and newest in the chain of Hawaiian islands, which all emerged from the volcanic eruptions along the edge of the Pacific plate over the last 70 million years. While most of the island’s seven volcanoes are now dormant, Mauna Loa has erupted regularly over the island’s history, sending liquid rock from beneath the earth’s crust into the sea to form the world’s largest “shield volcano.”

It is this long, low land mass that dominates the horizon everywhere on the island, the higher peak of dormant Mauna Kea tipped with snow in the distance, and Kilauea a pimple 10,000 feet closer to the sea, on the southwestern flank. Scientists now consider the erupting Kilauea a separate volcano  - and it is that eruption, spilling a constant stream of lava into the steaming sea, that is now the biggest attraction for tourists.

We follow the hordes down the Chain of Craters Road as the sun sets, turning the molten lava flowing from the Pu’u O’O vent into a golden steam cloud as it enters the sea. Fortunately, we had that view as the road dipped steeply down to the coast. For after parking, hiking for an hour on blacktop and scrambling over boulders in the dark to the viewpoint with dozens of others, the flowing lava was but a distant, glowing and steaming orb, not a river or even a rivulet of fire.

There is a slightly closer viewpoint, but despite the voice in my head, urging me on, the park wardens voice loomed louder - “there is a trail, a rough trail. It will take at least two hours each way. It’s dark, you will need flashlights and water. We don’t recommend you go closer than this point.”

In fact, hiking here can be more dangerous than twisting your ankle in the dark. Erupting volcanos like Kilauea can change rapidly, spewing hot lava and Volkswagon-sized boulders hundreds of feet. Benches of newly-formed rock look stable but are not - they can collapse without warning, trigging violent explosions that can kill you. People have died from the acid-laced steam that spews from the water as molten lava enters the ocean and severely scalded by hot waves. Vog (volcanic smog) contains sulphur dioxide and may cause breathing problems. Molten lava flows through tubes hidden below your feet - they can collapse and reveal the 2,120°F lava below.

And even if you never get really close to the lava, tourists are regularly injured here as a result of intense sunlight, heat exhaustion, sunstroke, and cuts from falls on the sharp, glassy surface. It’s all serious stuff.

But it’s exciting to see the incredible forces of nature - even at a safe distance.

So after the obligatory, blurry, hand-held night shot with the longest zoom lens in the camera bag, we headed back to the car in the dark, and up the road to dinner of crispy pizza from the wood fired oven at Kiawe Kitchen in the tiny town of Volcano. The glow across the room of the crackling fire was reminiscent of our brush with the fire goddess Pele, but the wine was better.

IF YOU GO:

SEE:

Volcanoes National Park

www.nps.gov/havo

Stop here for maps and information about hiking in the park and safely viewing the lava eruptions.

You can drive (or hike) the summit caldera of Kilauea volcano on Crater Rim Drive - am 11-mile route with scenic overlooks, short walks. Stop at the Jaggar Museum, Thurston lava tube and Volcano Art Centre Gallery (run by the non-profit Hawaii Natural History Association) for a great collection of local art.

Hiking

You can take a two- to three-hour walk across the 1974 lava flows at Pu’u Huluhulu. It’s a hot but relatively easy walk across the crumbly black surface, marked with stone cairns to a viewpoint, and then further to the windy edge of the crater, where sulphrous steam still bursts from heaving cracks in the ground. Bring lots of water. Start at the Mauna Ulu parking area on the Chain of Craters Road.

More adventurous walkers can cross the Kilauea Iki crater, a three-hour, 4-mile loop down through the rain forest and into the still steaming centre of the crater. Start at the Thurston Lava Tube parking lot on Crater Rim Drive. It’s rocky and sometimes challenging terraine. Bring water.

To view the active lava flows, head to the end of the Chain of Craters road - a 3,700 foot drop to the sea in 20 miles.  You must park your car where the road ends (where a 2003 lava flow buried the road), then hike a short distance to the viewing spot over rough rocks. It’s tricky at night - bring water, flashlights and headlamps, and follow the reflectors. Beware of sulphur fumes and vog.

STAY:

Kalaekilohana

94 - 2152 South Point Road

Naalehu, Hawai’i

At Kalaekilohana, you can learn about Hawaii and its rich cultural arts and traditions, while enjoying the comforts of an elegant, contemporary plantation house, set in the countryside near the dramatic southern tip of the island. Kilohana Domingo and Kenny Joyce are the consummate hosts - you will feel like part of their extended family and learn much about the true culture of Hawai’i in their elegant and peaceful home. Kilohana is a Native Hawaiian master featherworker, who holds a degree in Hawaiian Studies, teaches Hawaiian language and will even show you how to make a traditional haku lei. Suites $139-159.

(www.kau-hawaii.com;  808-939-8052)

EAT:

Kiawe Kitchen

19-4005 Haunani Rd

Volcano, Hawaii 96785

A contemporary decor sets this chic little bistro iapart from other restaurants in the area - that, and a decent wine list and great gourmet pizza from their woodburning oven. Just outside the national park in Volcano.

Thai Thai Restaurant

19-4084 Old Volcano Rd in the Volcano National Park

Volcano, Hawaii 96785

©Cinda Chavich

www.tastereport.com

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