Hilo on the North side of Big Island of Hawaii

Land of Frozen Fire – Hilo - Tour Michelle of Arnott's Lodging and Adventures This blog is about: ; the wetter side. Kona is on the dry side and is more for tourists.

Saffron finches - tiny yellow orange birds. Myna birds very invasive. 80% Hawaiian flora and fauna were not native. 5 volcanoes, 3 of them active, we saw not activity while we were there, but lots of vents and year old lava flow. Legends have it that the area was controlled by evil lizard. Pele's sister Yaca wanted to travel the area. Pele gave her staff to fight evil armies which she did twice. Legend is that Pele cleared area with lava flows because the second army was comprised of trees.

Hilo side not as pricey. Wet side only two major hotels. Not as old so beaches black because not as much wearing down of coral which contributes to white sand. We drove over lower east rift zone where the volcano is splitting apart leaving cracks where lava can exit. We went out to new lava lands - over 800 new acres in last year or so. When seismologists knew that flow was moving outwards they put a large area on notice. Some lava was 60 years old but 24 fissures opened. Fissure 8 pumped 24000 gal of lava per second.

We stopped to see lava flow from 1990- 92 - the larger plants mark the original coast line.

Over 1000 homes lost in 2018. One man trying to get out to safety was noted by a drone as it was dark and he was signalling with phone flashlight. The drone operators led him through a path without lava using the drone.

lava flowed past the end of this road which was a boat launch. A new beach was formed. Rocks were turned into black sand by the force of steam from the vents.

Lava surrounds the Boat Launch Marker.

There was a house at this site wiped out by lava.

Growth returns after 10 years.

Year old lava flow on horizon.

End of a lava flow. This rock was porous and prickly to touch.

Ah-ah lava light and porous prickly and poipoi lava that is dense and rocky.

Lava rock sand beach a year old.

We were taken on a Hawiian roller coaster road consisting of lava rivers from that period. Beautiful estates missed the flow but some did not.

In this video, the road to the left and right are homes that were mostly untouched by lava flows, but the road was very rolling because of previous flows.

This video was taken shortly after the previous video. It is a new road over lava formed in 2018.

Some lava cools enough in two weeks to walk on but because still hot spots so dangerous.

VOG - Volcanic Emissions gases makes air unclean. Lot of sulfur coming up from land and water. Smells smokey at the beach but sand doesn't smell. Locals are glad the eruptions have stopped; but fissures release steam currently even in areas populated by trees. Steamy spot on top of hill is result of lava underground. People not to go hiking without a guide nor off trails.

A video of bumps on the horizon that are active vents spewing VOG and steam.

Steam vents on the horzon and lava tubes at bottom.

Lahalla tree - leaves are useful for making baskets, sleepbag mats and jewellry. Known as the walking tree because when tree starts to get too much shade it grows legs and moves and bends to catch more sun. Ohea Lahua tree is last to die and first to repopulate after a lava flow. It gets its nutrients from the air. It is a very dense and wet tree so the lava cools around it quickly. It repopulates quickly because it does not require soil for nutrients.

Sugarcane plantations were being lost due to rats and salt in the air so ironwood trees brought in as barriers between ocean and sugarcane to absorb salt. Dole plantation owned by nephew or grandson of senator Dole who backed McKinley to annex Hawaii into USA

This section of coastline was not damaged.

I was under this tree and was reminded that coconuts fall from these trees.

Not touched by lava recently.

Island of 4000 sq miles has 13 of 15 climate zones!

Work trade centres where transients trade agricultural work for room and board. A town was originally formed because Japanese agricultural workers needed a centre that was closer to the work.

Lizard = moh-O' Pig - pooh ah

Roofs are corrugated metal and catch water through eave troughs to catchment tanks. Field stations have potable water that people can refill their water jugs for free. People use unfiltered catchment water for laundry, showers, toilets.

Sugarcane mills shut down (last one in 2016) in favour of moving operations to Brazil for less expensive production. The island supplies 75% of US papaya demand.

On way to Rainbow falls we travelled on slopes of Mauna Loa. Between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea is a saddle-like area.

Another painted church.

Priest ministered to Lepers more than 100 years ago.

Green sand beaches from semi-precious stone Olivene. 4 in world and one on Hawaii. August birthstone Peridot is the same.

Rainbow falls cave beneath rainbow falls said to be home of moon goddess and her son. They were threatened by Moho and asked Pele to help. She sent lava to boil up water and lore says that is why there are rapids in the river.

Ranbow Falls

Purchased Passion Fruit jam at the Hilo market.

Hilo harbour is on the wet side of Big Island.

King Kamaeakaea united islands except Kawai. Said to have (at age 14) picked up and moved the Nalla Stone, thus earning the right to be king

Until we meet again - ah hooey