by Donald B. MacGowan

Kilauea Lava Stream at Night: Photo courtesy of Big Island Air

Whether you visit the Big Island for a few days, a couple weeks or a few months, you want to make the most of your time in Paradise. With such a wide variety of natural and commercial attractions, it is natural for the visitor to get a little overwhelmed in the “Option Overload” and not be able to make a balanced and informed decision on what they want to do and how best to spend their time.

Amanda Maus at Thurston Lava Tube, Hawaiii Volcaoes National Park: Photo by Uncle Donnie MacGowan

Even choosing which beach you want to spend time on, or where you want to hike can be an exercise in confusion and conflicting advice.  Clearly, visitors to Hawaii could use help making quality decisions about how best to spend their time.

The Pacific Ocean and Waikupanaha Ocean Entry Explosion Plume at the End of Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Tour Guide Hawaii is excited and proud to announce the release of their new GPS/WiFi enabled App for iPhone and iPod that helps you navigate your trip to Hawaii with hours of informative, location-aware video and information. Although our video guide will lead you to dozens of unusual, untamed and unspoiled spots, let’s look at a scenic drive through one of Hawaii’s most popular attractions, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and highlight just a bit of the information you might not be able to find from maps and guidebooks that could otherwise cause you to miss some very interesting places and amazing sights if you did not have Tour Guide Hawaii’s new App.

Dusk at the Waikupanaha Lava Ocean Entry, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

A Scenic Drive Through Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

Introduction

La'epuki Lava Ocean Entry, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is a magical, spiritual, wondrous, strange and beautiful place comprised of great contrasts and contradictions: dry as dust desert to teeming tropical jungle; frigid sub-arctic wasteland to steaming black sand beaches to rivers of flowing lava.

Kilauea Crater and Eruption of Halema'uma'u, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The star attractions in the Park are a pair of active volcanoes; Mauna Loa is the largest mountain on earth and Kilauea is most active volcano on earth. However, there are numerous other wonders from lava tubes to crawl down, black sand beaches with sea turtles to watch, mysterious petroglyph fields to explore, tropical jungles to hike through, endangered bird species to find, happy-face spiders to amuse and an otherworldly volcanic landscape so fresh it’s still steaming.

Hikers warily approach a stagnant lava flow whose surface is still glowing gently, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. During daylight hours, an access fee is charged. The Visitor Center has a 24-hour information line at 808.985.6000 and there is a 24-hour eruption hotline at 808.987.8862. Within the Park tune to A.M. radio 530 for continuous information broadcast. There are tourist items available for sale, and one restaurant and in the park; however, generally, shopping, restaurants and gasoline are mainly only available in the nearby village of Volcano.

iPhone and iPod Touch Video Tour Guide for Hawaii-fully GPS and WiFi enabled, fully interactive. Hours of interesting and compelling content. Available from iTunes or at www.tourguidehawaii.com.

There are four main roads which access most of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: the Mauna Loa Scenic road, which lies above the visitor’s center and winds up the slopes of Mauna Loa; Crater Rim Drive which circumnavigates the summit crater of Kilauea Volcano; Chain of Craters Road which runs down the southeast rift zone along a series of volcanoes and pit craters to the ocean and Hinlina Pali Road, which cuts across Kilauea Volcano to the cliffs along the sea.

Mauna Loa Scenic Road

View of Mauna Loa from the Mauna Loa Scenic Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

This gateway to the southern flank of the world’s largest mountain, Mauna Loa, lies about 2 ½ miles west of the main entrance to the park. The road traverses lava desert, ohi’a scrub savanna, fern forest and ends at the start of the hiking trail to the icy heights of Mauna Loa’s summit.

Lava Tree Molds, Mauna Loa Scenic Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

A small fork road heading east just after the start of Mauna Loa Road leads to a series of tree molds that formed when lava poured through the deep tropical forest. The trees were too wet to burn and the lava simply cooled around the trunks. Later, as the trees rotted, these unusual, deep pit molds were left behind. Definitely worth a visit, there are even pit toilets available at the Tree Molds.

About 1 ½ miles further along Mauna Loa Road is Bird Park, or Kipuka Puaulu. A forested island in a giant lava flow, this micro-ecosystem preserves forest plants and animals and is a haven to many bird members of Hawai’i’s endangered species. Cool, quiet, restful and inviting, there is a one-mile nature trail around this tropical forest oasis.

Looking into a Lava Tree Mold, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Mauna Loa Road is closed at various elevations at various times due to fire hazard. If one has the time and an adventurous heart, it is well worth the trip to drive to the end of the road and perhaps even hike a ways up it. The start of the Mauna Loa summit trail is here, but for even hardy hikers, that goal is at least two days hard hiking distant. The world’s largest active volcano is a LOT bigger than it looks!

Crater Rim Drive

Sunrise Mauna Loa from Crater Rim Drive, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

A fine introduction to the wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Crater Rim Drive circles the summit crater of Kilauea Volcano, including Halema’uma’u Crater, the home of Madame Pele. The drive runs 11 fabulous and amazing miles through arid, barren volcanic desert, ohi’a forest and grassland and lush fern jungle. The most interesting sites along the drive are the Visitor’s Center, Jagger Museum, Halema’uma’u Crater, Kilauea Iki Crater, Devastation Trail and Thurston Lava Tube. Although the circuit can be made in under 40 minutes, one should allow at least three hours even to begin to explore this fantastic place; if you have never been here before, you certainly have never seen anything like it. Many people who plan to rush through the Park find themselves utterly engrossed, wind up spending much more time than they planned here and extemporaneously changing their plans, cutting time from some other attraction. Best plan to spend sufficient time here in the first place.

Halema'uma'u Crater, The Home of Madame Pele: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Experience has shown that the impact of the landscape is much greater if the drive is done anti-clockwise

Below are some suggested highlights along Crater Rim Drive. The road currently is closed between Jagger Museum and the intersection with Chain of Craters Road due to the eruption in Halema’uma’u Crater. Also, bear in mind that there are no services available along Crater Rim Drive, except for restrooms, drinking water and the book shop at Jagger Museum..

Frank Burgess Browses the Kilauea Visitor's Center Book Shop at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Kilauea Visitor Center: Newly remodeled and updated, the Kilauea Visitor’s Center is an outstanding resource of information on Hawaii’s volcanoes and the National Park; the not-to-be-missed first stop in the park you must make. The Center is run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff that has the most up-to-date information on viewing the eruption, hiking and camping, bird watching, stargazing and just about any other topic of interest to Park visitors. Available for sale in the Center are maps, guidebooks, books and videos about the volcanoes, Hawai’iana, history, plants and every topic you can imagine pertinent to the Park, even souvenirs. There are free brochures and pamphlets on various trails, attractions, hiking safety and lava viewing hazards and precautions.

Visitors Inspect the 3-D Physographic Map of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at the Kilauea Visitor's Center: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The Visitor Center is open daily from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.; there are public restrooms, water and pay phones available. Starting at 9 a.m. and showing every hour on the hour is a 20 minute informative movie about the Park; the film changes from time to time, but always contains spectacular footage of eruptions, information on volcanology and the natural and human history of the Park. For information, please call their Info Hot line at 808.985.6000.

The Halema'uma'u Eruption from the Jagger Museum, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Jagger Museum and Hawai’i Volcano Observatory: Famed for its fabulous views of Mauna Loa and Kilauea as much as for its interesting exhibits, The Jagger Museum (named for geologist Thomas A. Jagger) is open daily from 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. Exhibits include murals by Herb Kawainui Kane, seismograph charts of eruptions and earthquakes, geological displays and displays about the natural and human history of the Park.

Jagger Museum Parking lot is near a Nesting Ground for the Endangered Nene Goose, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

When entering the parking lot of the Museum/Observatory, be especially careful of the Federally-protected Hawaii Goose, the Nene, who seem to congregate here. The Nene is the State Bird of Hawai’i, and this parking lot and its surrounding area constitute one of the best places for viewing them.

Everet Maynard Explores the Entrance to Thurston Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Thurston Lava Tube: Nahuku, the Thurston Lava Tube, gives the visitor an opportunity for a close-at-hand inspection of the inner plumbing of a volcano. It also makes for an interesting and unique way to escape the noonday heat or afternoon shower, briefly. Lava tubes form when the outer crust of a flowing river of lava begins to cool and crust over, but the lava continues to flow beneath it; as the margins of the flow begin to cool and form walls growing towards the middle, the nascent tube is formed. When the flow has completely drained away, the lava tube is left behind.

Inside Thurston Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Thurston lava tube is a remarkably large, well-preserved and accessible example of a lava tube-type cave. An easy, 0.3 mile trail (about a 15 minute hike) winds through lush fern forest alive with singing birds and buzzing insects, down into a collapse crater entering the lava tube and slipping about 300 feet through the well-lighted, floored cave, popping up through a skylight in the tube and returning to the parking lot. A very easy walk and certainly a “must see” for any visitor to the park.

Eric Carr Enters Thurston Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

When Lorrin Thurston, founder of the Honolulu Advertiser, found the cave in 1913, the roof reportedly was covered with stalactites, now there are none—it is said that rapacious tourists removed every one in the intervening years.

Chain of Craters Road

Rainbow at Kealakomo Overlook, Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Following along Kilauea’s East Rift Zone, Chain of Craters Road passes through an amazing array of rift volcanoes, pit craters, lava trenches and flow fields. This road traverses and opens-up some of the most wild and beautiful landscapes seen anywhere, terminating near the active lava flows from Kilauea Volcano. Perhaps nowhere else on earth are the elements high mountains, wild seascapes and active volcanoes and their lava flows more dramatically displayed. Altogether, Chain of Craters Road is a singular and essential addition to any visit to the Island of Hawai’i. Crazily switching-back repeatedly down the Holei Pali, Chain of Craters Road finally reaches the untamed and scenically wild coastline, where giant waves spray and spume over sea cliffs dozens of feet high. Towering steam plumes in the distance at the end of the road mark where unimaginably hot liquid rock pours into the wild, wild sea. A place of mystery, a place of power, a place of wonder

Pitifu; Remnant of a Once Enormous Rain Forest on the Holei Pali, Now Surrounded By Fresh Lava: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Once connecting Volcano Village through the Park to Puna and State Routes 130 and 137 at Kalapana, Chain of Craters Road has repeatedly been badly damaged by earthquake, buried in lava, re-routed and re-built and broken up and buried again. The current eruption, which began in 1983, has buried a significant portion of the currently-closed nine miles of road between its temporary end inside the Park and the eastern closure at the town of Kalapana, outside the eastern edge of the Park. The road is now closed at the 19-mile marker, right at Holei Sea Arch.

Visitors Walk Through the Pu'u Loa Petroglyph Field, Hawaii Volcanoes National Parl: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Collapse features, such as the numerous “pit craters” found along the Chain of Craters Road, form when lava drains out of subterranean chambers, causing the surface to collapse. Notice how all the debris seems to point downward into the bottom of the crater; there is no material around the rim of the crater that is suggestive of eruptive or explosive events. On the walls of the crater, one can see numerous, inter-layered, pre-collapse lava flows and airfall beds that were truncated by the collapse and exposed.

Petroglyphs at Pu'u Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

If a car ride back up the pali can be arranged, riding bicycles round Crater Rim Drive and down Chain of Craters road can be a momentous and fun excursion. Starting slightly above 4200 feet in elevation and ending at virtually sea level, this 22 mile drop from misty mountain cloud forest, running through tropical rain forest and into tropical desert is invigorating physically, stunning visually and makes a wonderfully memorable addition to any visit to the Island of Hawai’i. However, if you decide to pedal the 4200 feet elevation and 22 miles back up Chain of Craters Road to Kilauea Summit in the heat of day, this will also ensure a quite memorable, though far less pleasant, addition to your visit.

Sea Cliffs, Sea Arches, Wild Surf and Magnificent Bird Watching Near the End of Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

There are no services, water, food or gasoline available along the length of Chain of Craters Road. Do not underestimate the draw of this area on your imagination and your spirit; you WILL spend more time here than you think. Plan ahead, get food, water and gas before venturing down the road. Remember, after dark on the South side of Hawai’i Island, it is virtually impossible to find gasoline or food for sale along the highway between Volcano VIllage west to Kona or north to Kea’au.

Hilina Pali Road

Vast Ocean Vistas and Incredible Sunsets are Some of the Rewards for Exploring Hilina Pali Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

At 2.2 mile down Chain of Craters Road is the turn off to the Hilina Pali Road. This road is 9 miles of some of the most spectacular, lonely and striking scenery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Spectatcular coastal views, strangely-colored rock and twisted trees under weird skies make this an fantastic side trip for exploration and photography. Be especially careful when driving this road, it is mostly only one lane and there are more people enjoying this trip through the backcountry than you might think.

Kulanaokuaiki Campground on Hilina Pali Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

About halfway to Hilina Pali Overlook is the Kulanaokuaiki Campground. Set amongst rifts, collapse features and flows, this desert campground is secluded and spectacular. Driving further across the broad lava flows, past panoramic vistas of Mauna Loa, along the spectacular drop-off of the Hilina Pali (literally “cliff of faith”), one comes to the Hilina Pali Overlook, a great place for a picnic or short hike.

Mauna Loa from Hilina Pali Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Connecting with several longer trails across the Ka’u Desert, Kilauea Crater, or down the Pali to such abandoned coastal villages as Halape and Keauhou, the Hilina Pali Overlook is the central cross-roads of back-packing trails which crisscross the park

Spectatcular coastal views, strangely-colored rock and twisted trees under weird skies make Hilina Pali Road a fantastic side trip, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Hilina Pali Road, due to its remoteness and lack of bus traffic, is a great place for a mountain bike ride, birding, or just getting away from crowds and tours. There are magnificent views, heart-stopping sunsets and pit toilets at the Campground and Overlook,. There is no water or other services available. Hilina Pali is a nesting place for the endangered Nene, the Hawai’i State bird, which is related to the Canada Goose. Hilina Pali Road may be closed during Nene nesting season.

Devil'sThroat, Just Across Chain of Crater's Road from the hilina Pali Road Intersection: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Less than 1/10 of a mile from Hilina Pali road is the unmarked Devil’s Throat collapse crater…an excitingly vertically-sided pit that is worth the visit just for the “okole squeezing” peering down the throat will give you.

End of Chain of Craters Road

Holei Sea Arch, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The end of Chain of Craters Road is currently at the 19 mile marker near the Holei Sea Arch. This is where the road was cut off by flowing lava which also destroyed the 2 million dollar Visitor Center. When the lava is flowing near the road, one can walk right up to it. There are displays about the volcano and natural history of the area, as well as a wealth of information on hiking to, and viewing, the lava, available here.

Hiking to the La'epuki Lava Ocean Entry from the End of Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Hiking all the way out to the active flows is one of the most spiritually rewarding, awe-inspiring, curiosity quenching and amazing things one can do anywhere in the world—but it is neither for the physically unfit nor the meek of spirit. It is a long, hot hike (currently seven miles) over broken ground and glass-sharp rocks; the heat from the volcano is savage; the weather, if clear, is sweltering…frequent squalls blow in off the ocean and the rain and wind can get pretty wild out on the lava plain where there is absolutely no cover or shelter to protect you. No water or shade is available anywhere along the hike. Plan assiduously before you go, make sure you have TWO working flashlights per person for the long hike back in the dark.

Lava Viewing Near Kalapana

Yet another lava viewing photo from Waikupanaha, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

At this time, there is nowhere else can you see lava flowing from a volcano into the sea; no Big Island visit is complete without seeing this awe-inspiring show. Currently lava is only flowing into the sea outside the Park. From the belt Highway, turn south at Kea’au on Highway 130, continuing through Pahoa to the 20 mile marker; take the exit clearly marked “Lava Viewing”, a right branch about, for two miles to the parking area. Port-a-potties are available here. The road is open from 2 p.m. until 10; no cars allowed in after 8. Lava viewing information is available from Hawaii County at 808.961.8093; check conditions before you go. The easy trail, a 20 minute stroll to the viewing area, is well-marked.

Littoral Explosion Plume at Waikupanaha Lava Ocean Entry, Hawaii: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The quality of viewing varies as lava flows nearer or farther from the trail. Viewing is best at dusk so bring flashlights for the hike out. Take close-toed walking shoes and a hat, long pants and long-sleeved shirt, at least 2 liters of water, sun block and a rain jacket and camera. It’s a good idea to bring a tripod for your camera, or your shots will be blurred. Remember food and gas are not available anywhere nearby after dark, so fill up BEFORE you park, bring snacks and drinks. There are port-a-potties available at the parking lot.

Kilauea Lava River, Hawaii: Photo Courtesy of Big Island Air

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here. For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

The Best Lava Viewing at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is from the Air: Photo by Shannon Walker

Copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

This recently launched service offers car rentals in Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The Big Island, is divided in half by five volcanoes. There are two distinct sides to The Big Island: Hilo and Kailua-Kona. Some airlines fly directly from the Western United States to these two Hawaiian cities. For your convenience, they provide discount rental cars at both Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona (KOA) airports.

Excellent rates on Jeeps, economy, compact and vehicles of all sizes. Each of their cars comes with AC, standard safety features, and an automatic transmission.

By booking with them, you’ll save money for your trip. Additionally, there is no obligation, if your plans change, you will never be charged a cancellation fee.

With partners such as Dollar, Thrifty and Enterprise, they bring the Lowest-Priced Rates on the Internet. They recommend you reserve early to secure the car you want. Fill-out their no obligation request form and see how much money you can save with Cheap Kona Car Rental.

The state broke ground today on a new Hold Cargo and Light Industrial Building at Hilo International Airport.  The 60,000 square-foot, steel-framed building will be used to accommodate delivery and transport of goods into Hilo.

A ground breaking ceremony was held today for a new cargo faciity in Hilo. Photo Courtesy: Hawaii State Department of Transportation.

State officials with the Department of Transportation say the project also includes the construction of a 50,000 square-yard apron as well as taxiways designed to support wide-body cargo aircraft.

The total cost for this two-phase project is approximately $30 million.  Phase I will include construction of the air carrier apron at a cost of $15 million, $10 million of which is federally-funded.  The second phase involves the construction of the cargo building and a parking lot at a cost of $15 million in state airport funds.

When completed, the new cargo building will be closer to the main terminal and will allow for the consolidation of all cargo operations under one roof.  DOT officials say the move will increase the efficiency of airline operations.

The existing cargo facility will then be utilized as a future heliport.  Construction of both project phases by contractor Isemoto Contracting Co. Ltd. is anticipated for completion in November 2011.

(Posted by Wendy Osher)

        Pete the picture bear decided it was time to get out of this icky weather and take a trip to Hawaii!  Here he is      pictured in Chicago O’Hare with his plane getting ready to go to Los Angeles. (Don’t you just love his luggage!?!)   He didn’t quite make it to Los Angeles in enough time to catch his next flight to Honolulu.  It was okay though, he was fortunate enough to take the next flight!

      After 10 hours on an airplane Pete finally made it around 12:45am Green Bay Time 7:45pm Honolulu time.  He was exhausted…but not too exhausted to get his lei, welcoming him to Hawaii!  His lei was made with fresh tuberose and orchids.  It smelled beautiful!  After Pete checked into his hotel room for the night he was too excited to sleep, so he did a little shopping and got to experience the night life in Honolulu in Waikiki Beach and had a little midnight snack at Cheeseburgers In Paradise!  Since Pete had a long week full of exciting places to go and see, he decided to turn in for the night and couldn’t wait for the sunrise in the morning.  

Saturday, Pete was up bright and early to watch the sunrise, he did a little more shopping and some sight seeing then he was on his way to check in for his cruise around the islands.  Such a big ship for a little bear!  Sunday and Monday Pete spent his days in Maui visiting Lahaina, the Iao Valley, a plantation

 and the Maui Ocean center, where he was up close and personal with sea turtles!  Tuesday and Wednesday Pete visited the Big Island where he visited Mt. Kilauea (one of the most active volcanoes in the world!!)  He could even feel the heat given off by Kilauea by the Halema`uma`u Crater.  It felt just like an oven!!  Pete also got to see some waterfalls, and spent all day Tuesday laying on the beaches of Kona (He got a little sun burned) and swimming in the Pacific!  

After the cruise Pete took a hopper flight back to Kauai and spent the remainder of his days in Hawaii there!  He snorkeled, and toured the Na Pali Coast.  He liked the Na Pali Coast so much, he saw it twice (once on the cruise and once by a 60 foot catamaran!)  Pete also visited Spouting Horn by Poipu Beach and went on a zip line tour, where he got to see where they filmed parts of Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones!  (Pete was really excited about that!)

All in all Pete had an amazing trip, it was everything he could have imagined and more!  Even though he didn’t want to leave the beautiful islands of Hawaii, he was ready to go home.  So Pete got back on the plane after spending 10 great days in warm tropical weather and headed back to the cold Wisconsin weather he knows and loves!  

Don’t forget to check back when Pete gets back from Vegas on Monday!

The Contemporary Museum: Offering special admission rate of $2 and two canned items (for donation to the Hawaii Foodbank) for all “furlough Fridays” and free admission for all with government ID. This week (Nov. 6), explore the museum grounds and see the making of a wall mural. Enjoy lunch in the Contemporary Café, offering a special furlough Friday keiki menu. Join a docent-led tour of the garden and grounds at 1:30 p.m. (Galleries will be closed for installation.) Visit “furlough Fridays” link at www.tcmhi.org for additional, ongoing information.

• Sea Life Park: Offering a $29.99 admission pass to Sea Life Park Hawaii for every furlough Friday until May 28, 2010. Includes discounted food and beverage and retail purchases. More information: 259-7933.

• Hoala School: Offering a service-oriented furlough Friday program for public school students in grades kindergarten through eight, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with extended care available for K-6 children until 5:30 for additional fee. Field trips will take students to a location for a day of service, reflection and fun. Available on all furlough Fridays beginning Nov. 20. Cost: $35 per day plus initial cost of $9 for a school T-shirt, covers all field trip expenses. Students must bring snack, lunch and drinks. Hoala School is at 1067A California Ave., Wahiawa. Call 621-1898 for an application or more information, or visit www.hoala.org.

• Chaminade University of Ho-nolulu: Offering three free half-day events for high school students on Fridays, Nov. 6, Dec. 4, and Dec. 11, on its campus, at 3140 Waialae Ave. Each of the scheduled Fridays will include a biology workshop from 9 a.m. to noon, lunch from noon to 1 p.m., and an optional campus tour following lunch. The program is aimed at college-bound high school students interested in a science, pre-health or nursing majors. Students may attend one, two or all three events. Contact Chaminade Admissions as soon as possible at admissions@chaminade.edu, or call 739-8340. Go to www.chaminade.edu for more information.

• Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor: Offering free admission to teachers on furlough Fridays and free admission to one keiki (4-12) with each paid adult admission on Saturdays and Sundays. (Children under 4 are always free.) Tickets are available online at www.PacificAviationMuseum.org. Teachers who are on furlough on Fridays only need to show their teacher IDs to board the shuttle and present them again at the admissions desk at the museum for their complimentary admissions. The museum is in Hangars 37 and 79, Ford Island, 319 Lexington Blvd., Pearl Harbor. Call 441-1000 for more information, or www.PacificAviationMuseum.org.

• The YMCA of Honolulu: All-day programs at the following locations: Central, Kaimukí-Waialae, Kalihi, Leeward, Mililani, Nuuanu, Windward, YMCA Camp Erdman on the North Shore, Pearl Ridge Elementary and Manoa District Park. Costs range from $25 to $36, depending on location. Visit www.ymcahonolulu.org, or call 531-YMCA (9622).

• Kamaaina Kids: Available at more than 25 sites on Oahu, the Big Island and Maui. Cost is $25 a day; a $5 late fee is added if registering less than a week before the furlough day. Visit www.kamaainakids.com for a complete list of locations and for registration, or call 262-4538.

• Honolulu Academy of Arts: Offering five sessions of three classes each through the end of the school year. Each three-class session costs $150 and will have a different theme, so parents can sign their children up for multiple sessions. Classes run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To register, visit www.honoluluacademy.org, or call 532-8741.

• Bishop Museum: Day program includes “hands-on lessons through the use of the museum’s unique objects and exhibits.” Held on all scheduled furlough days from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Prices are $25 per day for museum members or $35 per day for nonmembers. For more information call 848-4168, or e-mail education@bishopmuseum.org.

• Hawaii Nature Center: Day camp from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. at HNC in Makiki led by a corps of professional adult educators. Extended care available until 5 p.m. Total cost is $50 a day with discount for members. Multi-day packages also available. Call 955-0100.

• Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo: Full day of science enrichment. Costs are $30 per day or $25 for Imiloa member families. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Extended care is from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for an additional $10 per day. Contact Craig Mitchell at the Imiloa Education Department at 808-969-9720, or e-mail cmitchell@imiloahawaii.org.

• The Pacific Whale Foundation in Wailuku, Maui: Hands-on ocean learning for kindergartners through fifth-graders that will include science experiments, projects, arts and crafts, vocabulary development, language arts and field trips. Cost is $56 per day, or $44.80 per day for members of the Pacific Whale Foundation.

• Palama Settlement: Offering two programs. The first is a day of sports, swimming and other activities. Lunch will be provided. The cost is $10 a day. Preference will be given to children ages 5 to 11 from the Kalihi and Palama areas. The second program will be an urban art class taught by graffiti artist John “Prime” Hina from 10 a.m. to noon. The class is open to youths 11 to 17 years old. Cost is $5 for Kalihi-Palama area children and $10 for all others. Call Donna Taniguchi at 845-3945.

• The First Tee of Hawaii: Offering golf lessons to children ages 7-12 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salvation Army Camp Homelani in Waialua. The cost is $30 per Friday and includes lunch, snacks and program materials. For information, visit www.thefirstteehawaii.org.

• Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center: Science Playground day camps from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each program will introduce a new science lesson. $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. For all nine furlough Friday sessions through Jan. 29, the fee is $275 for members and $320 for nonmembers. Call 524-5437.

• Blue Moon Mysteries: Offering educational history mysteries where students act in plays to solve the mystery at Mauka Lani Elementary School. Also will feature scene painting, costume making, arts, crafts and games from the related historical period. $35 per day. For information, call Carol Kettner at 230-1827, or e-mail bluemoonmysteries@yahoo.com.

• Hawaii Academy: Offering fitness, gymnastics and human sciences programs from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. $27 without lunch, $30 with lunch. Call 842-5642.

• Magic School Bus Hawaii: Offering classes on core subjects from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information, visit www.magicschoolbushi.com, or call 782-9695.

• Oahu Discovery: Offering field trips to Island attractions. Tours include transportation, pick-up and drop-off, admission to attractions and activities, lunch, and supervision for at least 10 hours. $39 a day. Call 531-5050, or register online at www.oahudiscovery.org.

• PC Gamerz: Offering computer gaming and other activities, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Aiea Town Square store. $20 includes unlimited computer time plus snacks and drinks. Call 486-0402, or visit www.pcgamerzhawaii.com.

• Hawaiian Humane Society: Offering “Furry Fridays,” a volunteer orientation program for students 14 years and older. Mandatory training covers two days and includes a general orientation, animal handling training and hands-on work in various volunteer jobs at the shelter. Participants who complete the program will be asked to commit five hours of service on the remaining furlough days. Call 356-2216, or e-mail smacquoid@hawaiianhumane.org.

• ClubCharm:Offering a program to girls ages 7-12 on furlough Fridays. Teen prep, leadership, manners and etiquette through the arts, plus homework help. Visit clubcharm.org, or call 721-7030. Program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Extended hours available upon request.

• Mission Houses Museum: For students, offering a program featuring stories of the New England Protestant missionaries. Learn about and play Hawaiian and missionary games to get the feel for a time without TV, Nintendo™ games, or computers. Furlough Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. Cost: $6 per child. For reservations, contact Mike Smola, 447-3914, or e-mail msmola@missionhouses.org. Web site: www.missionhouses.org. For teachers: On furlough Fridays, all Hawaii teachers are welcome to visit Mission Houses Museum for a free tour and enjoy 10 percent off in the Museum Café and Tea Parlor as well as the Museum Store. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. ID required.

• Moiliili Community Center: Offering child care for children ages 5-12 on furlough Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Lunch is not provided; however, a morning and afternoon snack will be provided. Children must be sent to the program with lunch and drink. Contact the center for a package price. More information: 955-1555.

by Donald B. MacGowan

Mauna Loa looms over the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Whether you visit the Big Island for a few days, a couple weeks or a few months, you want to make the most of your time in Paradise. With such a wide variety of natural and commercial attractions, it is natural for the visitor to get a little overwhelmed in the “Option Overload” and not be able to make a balanced and informed decision on what they want to do and how best to spend their time.

Warrior Footprints of the Ka'u Desert as photo grpahed in 2006, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Even choosing which beach you want to spend time on, or where you want to hike can be an exercise in confusion and conflicting advice.  Clearly, visitors to Hawaii could use help making quality decisions about how best to spend their time.

Frank Burgess hikes the Ka'u Desert Trail: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Tour Guide Hawaii is excited and proud to announce the release of their new GPS/WiFi enabled App for iPhone and iPod that helps you navigate your trip to Hawaii with hours of informative, location-aware video and information. Although our video guide will lead you to dozens of unusual, untamed and unspoiled spots, let’s look at a hike you might have heard about, but might not be able to find from maps and guidebooks and would otherwise miss if you did not have Tour Guide Hawaii’s new App.

Ka’u Desert Trail/ Warrior Footprints, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

The Ka'u Desert Trail as it winds away from the Parking Strip, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Just inside the National Park boundary, where the Hawai’i Belt Road enters Hawaii Volcanoes National Park from the West, is a small parking strip that many visitors, in a hurry to visit more well known attractions, might overlook. You should slow down and pay closer attention, because this small parking lot is the gateway to a host of wonders within the Mars-like landscape of the Ka’u Desert section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The Ka'u Desert Trail is part of a vast system of intersecting trails within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

From about 4200 feet elevation down to sea level, the Ka’u Desert Trail wanders across this high, barren expanse of basalt and sand dunes formed of volcanic ash. Other trails intersect the Ka’u Desert Trail and travel from the Hawaii Belt Road east to Kilauea Crater as well as west to the intersection with the Ka’aha Trail then down the Hilina Pali to the coast. Seldom in a National Park is such unrelentingly inhospitable, but intensely spectacular, land made so accessible by trail.

Unconsolodated ash sifts across the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

There is no water, there is no shade, there is no protection from the elements; the land and climate are as unforgiving as they are alluring. For details about hiking or backpacking in this spectacular, empty portion of the Park, contact the Backcountry Office at the Kilauea Visitors Center (808.985.6000). Do not venture from your car here without carrying water.

Ka'u Desert Footprints are preserved under a small ramada: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

But there is something more about this seeming unearthly spot that inspires people’s imagination and draws them to visit this lonely place. Less than a mile, scarcely a twenty minute walk, from the parking lot are the remains of footprints made by a party of doomed warriors more than 200 years ago.

The lunar-like surface of basalt and ash of the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Kilauea’s eruptions are generally characterized by the leisurely, almost peaceful outpouring of lava and occasional more than mild earthquakes. However, it is not unknown for Madam Pele to erupt in a blast of fury, spreading ash and tephra for hundreds of miles. As recently as 1790 and again in 1924, such violent, steam-driven eruptions have occurred. These eruptions result from groundwater percolating downward through the earth to near the volcano’s magma chamber. The water becomes super-heated and, surging along existing structural weaknesses, makes new conduits to the surface, finally erupting in a roiling mass of superheated steam, ash, tephra and rocks. This type of eruption, and the ash they produce, are key to the mystery and eeriness of this site.

The same footprint as shown above, but photographed in 2009; note that erosion and vandalism have greatly degraded the integrity of the cast: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

The warrior footprints preserved here under a modern ramada are believed to have been formed in 1790. At this time, Kamehameha the Great was solidifying his military and political hold on the Island of Hawai’i, though not all his foes were vanquished. His cousin Keoua organized an army and, while Kamehameha was occupied elsewhere, he seized parts of Ka’u and Puna districts. Keoua sent an army overland to directly challenge Kamehameha…however, camping overnight at the volcano they were caught by the massive, explosive eruption. Fearing he had angered Pele, he organized his army into three columns for a hasty retreat from the falling ash. The first column seems to have emerged unscathed, but the second column went missing. When these warriors and their families were encountered by the third column, come searching for them, they were found dead on the ground, in close groups still clutching each other, overcome by the toxic volcanic fumes. The footprints seen here along Ka’u Desert Trail are from these doomed warriors and their families, made and preserved preserved in the the shifting ash dunes of the Ka’u Desert landscape. It is said that as many as 400 warriors, women and children died here.

Ka'u Desert Ohia Lehua Blossom: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

The people of Hawai’i Island accepted Pele’s judgment against the interloping Keoua and, although he continued to fight, he never came close to turning the tide of battle against his cousin, Kamehameha. As an ostensible peace offering to his cousin, Kamehameha invited Keoua to the ceremony sanctifying the newly erected Pu’u Kohola Heiau. However, when Keoua’s canoe approached the temple grounds, he was seized and immediately sacrificed to the War God, Kuka’ilimoku, thus becoming the first human sacrifice at the new luakini heiau and ending a vexing political problem for Kamehameha, all at one time.

The Ka'u Desert Trail as it reaches the Warriro Footprints: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

An emergency phone is available here; there are no other services.

The Warror Footprints arre preserved under this Ramada in the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Frank Burgess

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here. For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

Copyright 2009 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

Ka'u Desert Ohia and Bee, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B. MacGowan

Tour Guide Hawaii is excited and proud to announce the launch of their incredible, affordable, fabulous new Hawaii Travel iPhone/iPod Touch App

Navigate to all the most popular visitor destinations, the most interesting attractions, the most romantic and secluded beaches; effortlessly find hikes, snorkel spots, historical and cultural landmarks, shopping and dining.  And of course, our new App includes directions to, and rating of, all the public restrooms! Learn all about it, here. In addition to real GPS navigation, this app also allows you to navigate using Google Maps or, if no internet or phone service available, with on-board maps and driving directions! Our App is crammed full of entertaining and informative video presentations about how and where to snorkel, the best trails and beaches, what to pack to bring to Hawaii, cultural orientation and language tips!

Using the Tour Guide Hawaii iPhone/iPod Touch App will save you time, save you money and allow you to see and do more with your Hawaii vacation; this quick video tells you how.

Interested in seeing what kind of information our App contains?  In celebration of the release of our new App, we proudly present this list of blogs and web articles on Hawaii Travel, with URLs, of the unique and comprehensive Tour Guide Hawaii content.  Enjoy this free information at your leisure, and order your App from iTunes, today!

Tour Guide Hawaii proudly presents the best, the most interesting, the most comprehensive material on Hawaii travel ever gathered in one place!

Best About Planning Your Hawaii Trip

What To Pack And Take To Hawaii: What You Need, What You Want, What You Can Leave Out Of Your Luggage: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/what-to-pack-and-take-to-hawaii-what-you-need-what-you-want-what-you-can-leave-out-of-your-luggage/

Getting To Hawaii, Getting Around Hawaii, Getting the Most From Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/getting-to-and-getting-around-the-big-island-of-hawaii/

Frank’s Guide to Pronouncing Hawaiian Words: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/franks-guide-to-pronouncing-the-hawaiian-langauge/

Best Beaches on Hawaii

A Quick Guide to The Best Beaches of Hawaii Island: Sun, Surf, Solitude: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/the-top-beaches-of-hawaii-island/

The Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 1, The Main Kohala Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/the-best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-1-the-main-kohala-coast/

The Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 2, The Kona and South Kohala Coasts: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/the-best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-2-the-kona-and-south-kohala-coasts/

Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 3, Unusual, Uncrowded and Untamed Beaches of South Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-3-unusual-uncrowded-and-untamed-beaches-of-south-hawaii/

Best Beaches in Hawaii: Part 4, Wilderness Beaches of the Big Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-4-wilderness-beaches-of-the-big-island/

Best Beaches in Hawaii Part 5–Best Beaches for Snorkeling: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/best-beaches-in-hawaii-part-5-best-beaches-for-snorkeling/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii

My Favorite Scenic Drive: Hawaii’s Wild and Scenic Saddle Road: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/my-favorite-scenic-drive-hawaiis-wild-and-scenic-saddle-road/

Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; The Most Interesting, Amazing and Diverse Scenic Drive in Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/a-scenic-drive-through-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-the-most-interesting-amazing-and-diverse-place-in-hawaii/

Big Island Whirlwind Road Trip: I have to see the whole Big Island all in one day!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/big-island-whirlwind-road-trip-i-have-to-see-the-whole-big-island-all-in-one-day/

Kona Heritage Corridor Scenic Drive: An Exceptional Day Trip Exploration of Historical, Lovely, Up-Country Kona:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/kona-heritage-corridor-scenic-drive-an-exceptional-day-trip-exploration-of-historical-lovely-up-country-kona/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii #1: The Saddle Road…Kona to the Summit of Mauna Kea, Kaumana Cave and Hilo:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/best-scenic-drives-on-hawaii-1-the-saddle-road-kona-to-the-summit-of-mauna-kea-kaumana-cave-and-hilo/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii #2: North Kona and Kohala, Ancient History, Sumptuous Beaches: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/best-scenic-drives-on-hawaii-2-north-kona-and-kohala-ancient-history-sumptuous-beaches/

Best Scenic Drives on Hawaii #3: Kona to Hamakua and Hilo: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/best-scenic-drives-on-hawaii-3-kona-to-hamakua-and-hilo/

Best Scenic Drives in Hawaii #4: Kona Coast to South Point and Ka’u http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/best-scenic-drives-in-hawaii-4-kona-coast-to-south-point-and-kau/

Best Scenic Drives in Hawaii #5: Kailua Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Puna and Lava Viewing: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/best-scenic-drives-in-hawaii-5-kailua-kona-to-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-puna-and-lava-viewing/

New iPhone/iPod Touch App Helps you Explore Hawaii’s Hidden, Romantic and Mysterious Places: The South Coast of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/new-iphoneipod-touch-app-helps-you-explore-hawaiis-hidden-romantic-and-mysterious-places-the-south-coast-of-hawaii/

Road Trip Through Keauhou Historic District, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/wwwtourguidehawaicom-presents-a-road-trip-through-keauhou-historic-district-big-island-hawaii/

Best About Hiking:

The Best Short Hikes on Hawaii Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/the-best-short-hikes-on-hawaii-island/

The Adventure and Romance of Hiking To Kilauea Volcano’s Active Lava Flows: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/tour-guide-hawaii-presents-the-adventure-and-romance-of-hiking-to-kilauea-volcanos-active-lava-flows/

Exploring the Summit Hikes of Mauna Kea: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/exploring-the-summit-hikes-of-mauna-kea-hawaii/

South Point’s Justly Famous Green Sand Beach Hike, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/south-points-justly-famous-green-sand-beach-hike-papakolea-bay-and-mahana-beach-hawaii/

Hiking to Captain Cook Monument on the Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/hiking-to-captain-cook-monument-on-the-kona-coast-of-hawaii/

Hiking Hawaii’s Magnificent Waipi’o Valley: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/hiking-hawaiis-magnificent-waipio-valley/

Ka’u Desert’s Unearthly Hike to the Eerie Warrior Footprint Casts: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/2965/

Hike to Kamehameha’s Birthplace and the Forbidding Temple of Human Sacrifice, Mo’okini Heiau, on the Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/hike-to-kamehamehas-birthplace-and-the-forbidding-temple-of-human-sacrifice-mookini-heaiau-on-the-big-island-of-hawaii/

Hiking Down Into Pololu Valley, Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/hiking-down-into-pololu-valley-big-island-of-hawaii/

Kiholo Bay Beach Hike: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/kiholo-bay-beach-hike/

Hiking to Honomalino Bay, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/hiking-to-honomalino-bay-big-island-hawaii/

Historic Kailua Kona Town on the Big Island of Hawaii: A Walking Tour: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/historic-kailua-kona-town-on-the-big-island-of-hawaii-a-walking-tour/

Hiking and Camping at Hawaii’s Last Wilderness Beach: La’amaomao the Wind God and Makalawena Beach: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/hiking-and-camping-at-hawaiis-last-wilderness-beach-laamaomao-the-wind-god-and-makalawena-beach/

Driving and Hiking to the Summit of Mauna Kea, Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/advice-driving-and-hiking-to-the-summit-of-mauna-kea-big-island-of-hawaii/

Hidden Secrets of Hawaii: The Golden Ponds of Ke-awa-iki: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/hidden-secrets-of-hawaii-the-golden-ponds-of-ke-awa-iki/

Hiking at Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/hiking-at-kilauea-volcano-on-the-big-island-of-hawaii/

Hiking the Kilauea Iki Trail: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/hiking-the-kilauea-iki-trail-new-iphoneipod-touch-app-helps-you-find-all-the-unique-secluded-unusual-destinations-on-hawaii/

Best About Snorkeling

The Best Snorkeling Spots on Hawaii Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/the-best-snorkeling-spots-on-hawaii-island/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part I: Gear: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-i-gear-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part II: Technique : http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-ii-technique-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part III: Protecting the Reef and Reef Animals: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-iii-reef-etiquette-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part IV: Snorkeling Safety: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-iv-snorkeling-safety-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips, Part V: Best Snorkeling Beaches of the Big Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-v-best-snorkeling-beaches-of-the-big-island-2/

Hawaii Island Snorkeling Tips Part VI: Wilderness Beaches of the Big Island!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/hawaii-island-snorkeling-tips-part-vi-wilderness-beaches-of-the-big-islanda/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #1: Introduction: Kona Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/franks-big-island-travel-hints-1-north-kona-and-kohala-ancient-history-sumptuous-beaches/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #2: Kona South to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hilo:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/franks-big-island-travel-hints-2-kona-coast-south-of-honaunau-to-kau/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints # 3: Kona North to Waikoloa and the Kohala Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/1794/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #4: Waikoloa to Pololu Valley; http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/franks-big-island-travel-hints-4-waikoloa-to-pololu-valley-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #5: Hawi to Kona via the Kohala Mountain road, Waimea and Waikoloa: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/03/franks-big-island-travel-hints-5-hawi-to-kona-via-kohala-mountain-road-waimea-and-waikoloa-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #6: Waimea and the Hamakua Coast: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/franks-big-island-travel-hints-6-waimea-and-the-hamakua-coast-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints # 7: Around Hilo: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/franks-big-island-travel-hints-7-hilo-side-akaka-falls-to-panaewa-rainforest-zoo/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #8: Mysterious Puna!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/franks-big-island-travel-hints-8-mysterious-puna/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #9: Made for Adventure: The Jungles, Volcanoes, Hot Springs and Tidepools of Puna!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/franks-hawaii-travel-hints-9-made-for-adventure-the-jungles-volcanoes-hot-springs-and-tidepools-of-puna/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #10: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/franks-big-island-travel-hints-10-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park/

Frank’s Travel Hints # 11: Exploring Deeper Into Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/franks-big-island-travel-hints-11-exploring-deeper-into-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-big-island-hawaii/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #12: More fun in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/franks-big-island-travel-hints-12-more-fun-in-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-big-island-hawaii-4/

Frank’s Big Island Travel Hints #13: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Chain of Craters Road: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/17/franks-big-island-travel-hints-13-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-chain-of-craters-road/

Best Interesting Stories and General Reading about Hawaii

Exploring Hawaii’s South Point: Ka Lae And the Hike to the Green Sand Beach: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/exploring-hawaiis-south-point-ka-lae-and-the-hike-to-the-green-sand-beach/

The Beautiful, Enigmatic and Cryptic Petroglyphs of Hawaii Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/the-beautiful-enigmatic-and-cryptic-petroglyphs-of-hawaii-island/

Hawaii’s Amazing Lava Fossils: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/hawaiis-amazing-lava-fossils/

The Sugar Industry in Hawaii: Kona Sugar Company and West Hawai’i Railway Company: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/the-sugar-industry-in-hawaii-kona-sugar-company-and-west-hawai%E2%80%99i-railway-company/

Captain Cook’s Legacy: Exploring the History and Waters of Kealakekua Bay: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/949/

Kilauea’s Eruption Just Keeps Getting More Fantastic!: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/wwwtourguidehawaiicom-presents-new-video-of-kilauea-volcano-erupting/

Kalapana, Hawaii: From the Fires of Hades to the Eden of Rebirth: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/kalapana-hawaii-from-the-fires-of-hades-to-the-eden-of-rebirth/

Pu’u Loa Petroglyph Field, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/823/

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles: Honu of the Big Island: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/hawaiis-magnificent-honu-the-endangered-hawaiian-green-sea-turtle/

Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Park: A Warrior becomes a King, an Island Archipelago Becomes a Kingdom:

http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/puukohola-heiau-national-historic-park-a-warrior-becomes-a-king-and-island-archepelago-becomes-a-kingdom/

Heartbreak of the Gods: Kuamo’o Battle Field and Lekeleke Graveyard: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/heartbreak-of-the-gods-kuamoo-batlle-field-and-lekeleke-graveyard-big-island-of-hawaii/

A Brief History of Ranching in Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/rodeo-to-rock-and-roll-a-brief-history-of-ranching-in-hawaii/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Ahu’ena Heiau at Kamakahonu Beach: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/konas-fascinating-history-ahuena-heiau-at-kamakahonu-beach/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Exploring Kealakekua Bay Archeological and Historical District, Captain Cook Monument and Hikiau Heiau, Perhaps the Most Important Historical Sites in Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/konas-fascinating-history-exploring-kealakekua-bay-archeological-and-historical-district-captain-cook-monument-and-hikiau-heiau-perhaps-the-most-important-historical-sites-in-hawaii/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Pu’u Honua O Honaunau, The Place Of Refuge, Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/konas-fascinating-history-puu-honua-o-honaunau-the-place-of-refuge/

Kona’s Fascinating History: The Ancient Temples and Villages, Fabulous Beaches and Scenic Hiking Trails of Koloko-Honokohau National Historic Park, Kona Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/3407/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Moku’aikaua Church–the First Christian Church in Hawaii: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/konas-fscinating-history-mokuaikawa-the-first-christian-church-in-hawaii/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Hulihe’e Palace: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/konas-fscinating-history-hulihee-palace/

Kona’s Fascinating History: Kamakahonu Rock, the Kailua Pier and Seawall: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/konas-fascinating-history-kamakahonu-rock-the-kailua-pier-and-seawall/

Rising From The Past: The Rebirth of Hapaiali’i Heiau, a Hawaiian Temple for Honoring Royalty: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/1118/

The Hawaiian Snow Goddess Poliahu and the Summit of Mauna Kea…: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/the-hawaiian-snow-goddess-poliahu-and-the-summit-of-mauna-kea/

Mo’okini Heiau: Warrior Kings and Human Sacrifice on Hawai’i: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/mookini-heiau-warrior-kings-and-human-sacrifice-on-hawaii-2/

The Call of Aloha…:http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/the-call-of-aloha/

Why I love Hawaii…: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/why-i-love-hawaii/

Hilo Askance: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/hilo-askance/

Conjuring Visions of Paradise: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/conjuring-visions-of-paradise/

Volcano Art Center—A Kipuka of Creativity on the Rim of Madam Pele’s Home: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/volcano-art-center-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park/

Jagger Museum, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/jagger-museum-hawaii-volcanoes-national-rark/

Blake in Oregon--one of his many stops along his journey home

The Big Island is a special place to grow up. It sinks into the core and is always drawing its keiki back home. But more importantly, the Big Island sends people out into the world filled with Aloha and wonder and a willingness to work to make the world a better place. Blake McNaughton, born and raised in Kamuela, is one such individual. He has currently come full circle and is back on the Big Island living and working in Hilo after completing a master’s degree in Marine Science at the University of Hawaii Hilo. Blake’s interest in Marine Biology was inspired by school experiences and his love for the ocean. Although he didn’t actually declare his major until his sophomore year at Davidson College in North Carolina, “I knew I was going to go into biology, but didn’t know what exactly,” early experiences moved him in that direction. “What really got me interested was the first time I saw a sargassum fish washed ashore. I thought it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.” Blake was certified to dive when he was 15 and participated in NFWS green sea turtle program, which consisted of tagging and monitoring turtles on the Kona coast. Also Blake’s high school senior thesis involved a comparative study of corals inside and outside the small boat harbor at Kawaihae Harbor after dredging. When it was time for college, Blake selected Davidson College in North Carolina. “When I visited the campus I thought the area was really beautiful. I was also able to play football for 4 years and at the time Davidson was ranked 8th or 9th of liberal arts colleges.” Many Hawaii kids have a hard time transitioning from our small community culture to the large bustling and very different mainland culture, but Blake managed the transition by finding connections. “I was the only Hawaii kid there but football gave me a family.” Although he found that even though the social environment was conservative and very different from Hawaii, “North Carolina is a porch culture like Hawaii. They like to sit on the porch, eat and talk story.” For the next few summers, and one regular semester, Blake gained experiences in diverse parts of the world, always with his home island in mind, “I compare all my experiences with here (Hawaii).” After declaring a marine biology major, Blake spent seven weeks in a program on a different island—Iceland, but was able to find more connections.“When I was flying in, I thought Iceland looked like the Big Island. It had large lava fields.” The course had two groups: geologists and biologists. The two groups would spend some class time together and then, “The geologist would go out to dig things up and we’d go out and poke things.” The instructor was Icelandic so had a lot of local knowledge. To Blake the most interesting experience was on Vestmannjaer Islands, which is the place where they held Keiko the whale when he was recovering. The group spent one week there diving in a small fishing harbor, which was rather barren compared with tropical marine environments and had lots of seaweed, kelp and mollusks. They did a study of TBT, which is an ingredient in antifouling paint. The snails sift the sediment where they ingest TBT, a substance that causes the females to change into males, impacting their reproductive ability. They surveyed the populations outside and inside the harbor to get a gender count, as well as taking sediment samples to test for TBT. In the spring of his junior year, Blake spent a semester on another island, New Zealand, where he did a course at Auckland University, which included Maori sociology along with an array of marine biology courses. He combined course work with a lot of field work. “Somehow I was able to schedule my classes for Tues, Wed, Thurs. Some buddies and I bought a used camper bus and went camping and diving almost every weekend.” There were many small islands that made interesting dive sites and they also did a lot of cave diving. “It was very temperate. There was less coral, and no tropical corals. There were very different species of fish.” Blake’s main marine focus was on estuaries and mangrove swamps. He studied the “…environmental role these areas had in maintaining a healthy fish population and protecting the inland from ocean incursion.” The following summer, Blake went to Alaska to help out a family friend with salmon fishing. While there, he met someone from the National Fish and Wildlife Service and volunteered to participate in a count of the salmon take in Yakatat. “It was good to see the fishing industry from both sides, the fisherman and resource management.” After graduating from Davidson, Blake returned home to participate in a study sponsored by the Pacific Whale Foundation to monitor tumor infested reef fish. He then joined the Peace Corp and based on his stated interest area, was sent to Pilau. His previous experience studying mangrove estuaries provided good background for his experiences in Micronesia. His focus there was helping to manage marine resources of both inland and ocean marine environments. This encompassed the outer reef, inner lagoon and a big bay lined with mangroves. Here he had another unique island experience. After training for about 3 months, he was assigned to live with a family in Koror, which is the main island town. “The family you are assigned is a make or break situation. Sometimes there are problems. It makes it hard to work all day and then come home to an uncomfortable situation. My family was awesome.” They lived in an old quonset hut that had running water, but an outside bathroom. Blake truly became a hanai member of his Pilauan family and remains in touch with them. During his two and a half years in Pilau, Blake surveyed these diverse marine environments to gather information and assist with management decisions. Many of the problems were identified by local management, but problems were also identified in the course of the survey work. Blake was scrambling to learn the language, but had a Pilauan counterpart that would deal with presenting the information and questions he had. “I was working to learn the language and I didn’t really have enough to address these questions.” Also, he tried to stay out of the politics. The leadership was both traditional tribal chiefs as well as contemporary legislators, making for some potentially complicated situations. The biggest conflict was when conservation interfered with the possibility of financial gain. He felt that he was most successful with the mangrove crab fishermen, setting up seasonal bans in order to maintain the crab population. Blake returned to the Big Island and enrolled in a master’s program in marine biology at U. H. Hilo. His thesis project involved monitoring big eye tuna using a technique called acoustic tagging. The fish are caught and tagged internally with a sensor that senses depth to 500 yards. A receiver on fishing buoys records the information; the depth and location along with the size of the fish are recorded. Through this technique, fishermen will know where certain size fish are at different periods of the day. “The information will have an impact on world fishing because the information provided will help purse seiners rethink strategies for fishing. Instead of taking small fish from the surface, they will be able to go for a larger catch.” Blake plans to continue to do work involving marine environment issues resulting from the presence of humans. “You can’t really separate marine biology from human impact on the marine environment. As soon as you start looking at marine environments, human impact is very obvious.” Blake’s sense of justice and a “can do” attitude are what signify his Big Island roots, where he has returned from world island hopping.

When you arrive at Hilo Hawaii on the big Island, the road signs point one direction to Hilo and in the other direction to volcano 29 miles. If you look in the direction of the volcano, you see a nasty rain cloud with no mountain in sight. The shuttle bus driver, as he dropped us off at Honolulu airport for our flight, said we were in for a treat because the molten lava flow is now only a couple hundred feet from the parking lot instead of the 3 miles of hard lava hiking. When we arrived on the Big Island, we took that 29 mile trip into that cloud to volcano National Park. Half way to the park, the air started smelling and it looked outside like their was a fire somewhere.  At the gate to the park, the ranger said that the 11 mile loop road around the caldera was closed downwind from the volcano because the sulfur dioxide level was unhealthy. The first viewing of the collapsed, sunken caldera, after driving through fields of steam vents, showed  how incredibly huge this thing is.  It is many miles in diameter with two craters and one the Halemaumau crater spews clouds of sulfur dioxide in the air making it difficult to breathe. To get out of the bad air, we decided to drive down to the shore to see if we could see the molten lava flow. We drove through several fields of 1970’s lava flows and again were amazed at the size of the hardened lava fields. Some of the fields were over a half mile wide. Once we got to the shoreline the road ended in a heap of blackened hardened lava. As I was hiking to the blackened glob (by this time Ann was on lava overload and was sitting in the car reading), a couple was returning from the hike and we traded our experiences.  I learned that the shuttle driver was referring to a site located on the other side of the of the lava field where we were. They said the molten lava flow viewing was  controlled by the county and was open from 5 to 8 pm only. On my way up to the top of the lava heap I met another couple who grew up a few miles away from where I grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. We headed for the other side of the lava (about a 2 hour drive) and arrived as it was just getting dark. We knew we were getting to the end of the road when it was interrupted about 5 times with a one lane drive over the old lava fields. Looking out over some of the old lava fields you could see about 20 houses spread out on top of the black harden landscape and wondered why anyone would live there.  There were about 200 cars parked in the make shift parking lot when we arrived. You could tell this lava-viewing has been going on for some time by the organization the county has put into it. There were people directing parking, selling pictues, selling snacks and selling flashlights. Walking out of the parking area, red lava could be seen about 200 feet out burning up trees and whatever was in its way. The real show was down by the ocean where the lava was flowing over a cliff created by itself causing a huge steam cloud and explosions of lava as it entered the ocean. The sight was somewhat reminiscent of the slag cars from the Pittsburgh steel mills dumping the hot slag down the sides of the slag mountains, but much more violent. The nighttime viewing make the bright red lava explosions all that more spectacular. To get as close as possible to the lava flow involved a difficult hike for about a quarter mile over broken and sharp lava in the dark with a flashlight. Looking back at the steady line of hundreds of lights for a quarter mile was a sight in itself.

Wie schon angekündigt bin ich heute in Hilo auf Big Island angekommen. Ich hatte keine Lust mehr auf eine grosse Stadt und will endlich das wirkliche Hawaii sehen. Hilo ist zwar die zweitgrößte Stadt in Hawaii, hat aber nur um die 40.000 Einwohner im Gegensatz zu 400.000 in Honolulu.

Der Flug verlief problemlos, nach dem Start und einem kurzen Steigflug begann direkt schon der Landeanflug.
Man steigt aus dem Flugzeug und ist direkt in einer anderen Welt. Die Umgebung erinnert sehr an die Karibik, alles ist ein sattes Grün getaucht und direkt Stadtrand beginnt der Regenwald.

Heute bin ich übrigens zum ersten Mal Auto gefahren in den USA. Nach den ersten paar Meilen Eingewöhnung muss ich sagen dass alles viel entspannter abläuft als in Deutschland. Lichthupe und drängeln kennt man hier nicht.

Nach dem einchecken im Hostel standen heute Regenwald und vor allem Wasserfälle auf dem Programm. Ich schätze mal, dass ich so an die zehn Stück gesehen habe. Am beeindruckensten waren die Akaka Falls, wo das Wasser über 120 Meter in die Tief stürzt…

866.260.7070 www.mokuleleairlines.com Mokulele is the newest of the Hawaii Interisland Airlines. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, Mokuelele AIrlines puts the aloha back into interisland travel serving Oahu, Maui, Kaui and the Big Island. Enjoy the comfort of luxury at an affordable price. Large plush leather seats, spacious overhead bins, and customer service second to none. www.mokuleleairlines.com Toll free: 866.260.7070

* En ocasiones las fotografías no reflejan el verdadero brillo y hermosura de estos diseños, ya que los cristales reaccionan con el flash y sin flash no se ve cómo brillan.

Precio:

• $95.00

Disponibilidad:

• Sólo bajo pedido.
• Recordar que los cristales pueden acabarse y en algunas ocasiones no se vuelven a surtir de manera indefinida.

Descripción:

• Collar con cristales hechos a mano rojos.
• Largo:
• Incluye aretes.

Compleméntalo con:

Personalízalo:

• Colores disponibles: Rojo, negro, azul verde.
• Largos: 16, 18, 20 pulgadas, etc.

Pago:

• En Tampico, el cobro será en persona de contado, semanal, catorcenal o quincenal, según se convenga.
• Fuera de Tampico, el pago se deberá hacer en los primeros 5 días hábiles después de hacer una oferta seria por medio de un depósito o transferencia bancaria a Scotiabank o Bancomer. Si no se hace el pago, el artículo estará disponible nuevamente para los demás.

Envío:

• En Tampico, se busca punto céntrico para la entrega personal.
• Fuera de Tampico:
  • De preferencia utilizo RedPack. El costo varía entre $135 a $190.00 dependiendo de la distancia, llega entre 1 y 5 días hábiles y el seguro es opcional.
  • Otros métodos que se pueden cotizar son Correos de México, Mexpost, Multipack y DHL Express.
  • Una vez reflejado el pago en la cuenta bancaria, se hace el envío en menos de 5 días hábiles.

Gente Milenio Tampico:

Puedo llevar las piezas para que las vean y se las prueben, de preferencia en horario de descanso entre 2 y 3pm.

Los invito a todos a darse una vuelta por el blog de “Tejidos Meme”.  Aquí encontrarán tejidos artesanales para mujer. Desde vestidos hasta ponchos, todos productos hechos a mando exclusivos y de excelente calidad.  Todo artesanía chilena.

Link: Tejidos Meme

deprogramminghour.com/pol_pics_for_site/votin

The Hawaii State Spending Commission has announced its November 5th Workshop for 2010 prospective candidates.

If you are considering running, or if you plan to play a key campaign role, you need to attend.

Thursday, November 5, 2009Aupuni Center, Hilo 8am-6pm No pre-registration, no fee, public welcome

The most innovative way to travel in the history of Forever.  Get the Tour Guide iPhone and iPod App here today!

Tour Guide Hawaii iPod and iPhone App puts the magic, mystery and romance of Hawaii in the palm of your hand. It’s like having a friend from Paradise sitting in your car, telling you where to go, what to do and all the island secret spots…
>Tour Guide Hawaii iPod and iPhone App puts the magic, mystery and romance of Hawaii in the palm of your hand. It’s like having a friend from Paradise sitting in your car, telling you where to go, what to do and all the island secret spots…

>Over 3 1/2 hours of in-depth video presentations about the most popular, most spectacular and most secluded spots!

>Day by Day scenic drive and road trip suggestions!

>Fascinating discussions on Hawaiian culture and history!

>Bonus features on seeing lava flows, snorkeling, language and culture, what to bring to Hawaii and getting around Hawaii!

> Uses GPS for turn-by turn driving instruction, Google Maps for navigation with iPod, or on-board interactive maps with embedded audio driving directions if no Wi-Fi, 3G or GPS connection is available–you literally can’t get lost!!!

> All the public restrooms, located and rated for your convenience and protection!

Available from the Apple App Store, or by clicking here.

For more information on Tour Guide Hawaii’s fabulous new iPhone and iPod App, please go here, here and here.

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