Fear of the Unknown

Up before sunrise and out the door. The drive to Hale’iwa is uneventful and quick. Arriving at the marina I see the boat at the edge of the dock with its huge cubic cage of silver bars glinting in the early morning sunlight. All accounted for, we jump on board and head out into the bay.

Calm winds make for a smooth cruise and when we anchor at the site a few miles off shore, the surface of the water is equally tranquil. I’m relieved. My first fear was sea sickness. Quickly followed by worries about the water being too cold. And only after dwelling on those first two items for a while would I allow myself to acknowledge the fact that I was about to go snorkeling in a cage surrounded by sharks.

The first group is called and they head to the side of the boat to climb into the cage. No one makes a sound as they slip into the water. My second worry is allayed a bit. The captain says the underwater visibility is very bright with a distance of over 100 feet. He says the sunlight penetrating below the surface of the water casts an electric blue glow. Could this be a twinge of excitement I’m beginning to feel?

Suddenly, the gray shape of a shark slides alongside the boat. Followed by another. And then another.  Then a pair of shark-like forms glide by. How many could there be? The situation in the cage floating a few dozen feet away from the boat seems very calm. No one even makes a splash. The only sound I hear is the gentle lapping of waves along the sides of the boat and the excited chatter of the other passengers as we all speculate about what it will be like to see these nebulous gray forms take their true shape when our heads slip under water.

Finally the time comes. I lower the mask over my eyes and fit the snorkel piece into my mouth. I step down onto the first rung of the cage ladder and feel the warm water surround my ankles. How is it possible that this is the same ocean that chills the sunny shores of coastal California? Submerged up to my neck, I turn around to face the bars of the cage and sink beneath the surface of the water.

And there they are in all their smooth and elegant glory. Slicing through that electric blue water. Cold, steely eyes meet mine as a shark passes within inches of my face. I catch my breath while I watch it slip by and notice the long, thin scars on its back. Another shark has a notch taken out of its fin. I admire the aerodynamic shape of its snout and the subtle gill slits along its side. They are beautiful creatures.

Sharks weave and circle all around the cage. I twist and turn to try and count them, but keep losing track at ten. Too many to count and too enthralled to care, I continue to take in the view. Smaller silvery fish emerge against the watery background. I’m reminded of the vastness of this submerged world and all its secrets that humankind will never know.

Twenty minutes seem to pass by in the span of a few heartbeats and then suddenly it’s time to leave. Out of the water and wrapped in a towel on the deck of the boat, I feel noticeably changed. I faced my fears and was rewarded with one of the most awe inspiring experiences of my life. How unexpected and how humbling. To know that fear can transform into tranquil beauty as effortlessly as a shark gliding through the deep blue ocean.

Beautiful Blues

I don't have a strong desire to live by the ocean, but every time I'm near it I can't help getting swept up in the glorious colors and moods it presents. Overwhelmed by the spectrum of blues on display, I could spend hours contemplating the seam where sea turns to sky.

The windward coast of the Big Island

Beach at Pololu Valley, the Big Island

The ceaseless waves interpret both the topography of seafloor below and weather conditions above. Gentle curls of foam near the shore with an unbroken gradient of azure denote the shallow slope of reef or sand, and gentle sunny breezes.

Beach at Lower Paia Park, Maui

Neighborhood beach in Kailua, Oahu

On steeply sloped windward beaches, thick white waves race across the water, buffeted by strong winds that churn the translucent blues to an opaque froth and tear apart the triangular peaks as they roll onshore.

Sandy Beach, Oahu

Churning waves, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

The pounding waves highlight the power of water to shape the land, and the tenacity of rock to resist such force. The water as sculptor works with the texture and orientation of the lava rock to create a myriad of forms, from scalloped slopes to thickset walls and arches. Just as the water changes the land, our sun paints the water glorious shades of blue with its light, and so when hidden by clouds a darker, more subdued sea of navy and dark gray is revealed. 

Makapu'u coast, Oahu

Holei Sea Arch, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Few humans will ever intimately know this vast underwater world, yet those of us who remain on the surface still marvel at its mysteries with appreciation and some trepidation. Perhaps these sentiments stem from knowing that the ocean is as impartial as it is beautiful, and that our attempts to enter into a partnership with it require great respect. This entity that so easily supports life also just as easily takes it away, "The water was made to be a nest that gave birth and bore all things in the womb of the deep." (translated from the Kumulipo, the Hawai'ian creation chant)

Humpback whale off the Kihei coast, Maui

Droplets of oil rising to the surface, USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

The Big Island: Part II

Finally, my long overdue second installment of our trip to the Big Island of Hawai’i in November (yes, five months later, I know). When we last left off, Peter and I were staying in Volcano, just five minutes outside Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Upon leaving Volcano, we continued driving north around the island to head back to Kona...

Forty five minutes north of Volcano is Hilo, the capital of the islands. It’s a beautiful sprawling city full of pastel houses and tropical flowers, situated right along the ocean. Much of Hilo was destroyed in a tsunami in 1960, sparing only a few of the downtown buildings, so its history and character seem to be scattered in pockets throughout the city. The famous farmer’s market is open almost every day of the week to sell fruits and vegetables from equatorial regions around the globe. A stroll around downtown reveals occasional glimpses of the "real" Hawai'i where local residents live and work, and tourists just pass through. We stopped by Hilo Shark's Coffee Shop on Waianuenue Avenue a few times to fill up on Kona coffee in the morning and lilikoi lemonade in the afternoon. Another pleasant surprise was the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Discovery Center, which is a great free visitor center that introduces people to the importance of a marine sanctuary so remote and protected that few people will ever see it.

Just north of Hilo is the spectacular Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Gardens, a privately owned garden preserve located in a verdent valley right on the ocean. The paved trails wind through shady groves of tropical plants from all around the world. You might feel a little like Alice in Wonderland as you try to comprehend the outrageous forms and colors fighting for your attention. We spent a whole afternoon wandering around the grounds taking one picture after another. My favorite spot was the orchid garden, with flowers so beautiful it seemed impossible that they were real. North of the gardens is What's Shakin', a little open air cafe in the rolling hills with a view of the ocean. They make great fruit smooties, sandwiches and salads that might cost more than you'd pay in Hilo, but the setting and freshness of the food can't be beat.

Continuing north along the winding highway is the Hawai'i of your dreams. Towering green mountains, cascading waterfalls and steep-sided lush valleys wait around every turn. If you have the time, you should definitely check out Akaka Falls State Park for a pleasant hike through a mountain rainforest that leads to a 400 foot waterfall. For the minimal effort it takes to walk the smoothly paved trail, you get an incredible view of one of the most stunning ribbon falls on the island. It's worth the drive. Before you get back on the highway, you might enjoy taking a little stroll around the village of Honomu, which was a thriving mill town back in the early to mid-20th century, when sugar dominated the island economy. This portion of the highway ends at the overlook into Waipi'o Valley, a place that is sacred to native Hawai'ians. The road down into the valley is only accessible by 4-wheel drive vehicles, and at an average grade of 25%, if it were actually classified as a road it would be one of the steepest in the world.

From Waipi'o Valley, you head west and up into the high country of Waimea. This ranching community has a distinct western charm, with grazing livestock dotting the rolling green hills. Coming down the western mountain slopes, the green quickly fades away to a desert of rock and cactus, and just beyond, the blue ocean. It's a strange combination and one that feels particularly barren after the lushness of the drive from Hilo. Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site sits right on the ocean just down the mountain from Waimea. This side of the island is very hot and often windy, so a visit to this site is only recommended if you have a strong interest in knowing more about the complicated history of the Hawai'ian people. I learned a lot, but was also feeling pretty worn out by this point.

With a few hours to spare before our flight and not enough energy to sightsee in the heat, what else was there to do, but crash the bar at the Four Seasons north of Kona? While the rest of the coast was whipped into a frenzy by strong winds, the beach at the Four Seasons was blissfully calm. We walked along the beach watching the rolling turquoise waves and stalked some of the non-native flightless fowl begging for handouts around the bar area, before settling down into plush deck chairs to have ridiculously over priced drinks and appetizers. After a busy four days traveling all over the island, the chance to sit in a comfortable chair, sip a cold glass of white wine, and watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean was worth every penny.

Big Island Highlights Pt. I

It’s definitely colder during the winter here in Three Rivers than it was in Carlsbad, or maybe it’s just the drafty 70 year old house we’re living in. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. While there’s about four feet of snow up in the Giant Forest now, there’s none in our yard and isn’t likely to be any all winter long. But, it has rained almost four inches since October and it’s definitely more humid, because the clothes out on the line don’t dry near as quickly. As everyone says about damp cold – it chills you straight to the bone. Unlike the southwest, which gets monsoon rains, it’s dry with hardly a cloud in the sky here in the central valley and foothills of California all summer long. Sometime in October a switch flips and all the sudden we start getting cloudy days with rain. That rain falls as lots of snow up on the mountains, but unlike the powdery quality of the Rocky Mountains, Sierra snow is more commonly referred to as “cement” due to the high moisture content. I marvel at the influence the ocean currents have on our weather here, that it can create such dramatic differences between summer and winter.

But enough about all this cold weather, rain, and snow. What better time to revisit fond memories of balmy Hawai’i? Our friends Julie and Brian accepted jobs at Haleakala National Park back in February. After we moved to California, a trip to Hawai’i quickly moved up our priority list. Flying to Hawai’i is no small feat. It’s the most remote island chain on the plant, so flight time from LA is about five hours with a two to three hour time change, depending on the time of year (Hawai’i doesn’t observe daylight savings time). I greatly admire those Midwesterners and East Coast residents who make the trip, because the jet lag can be significant. Given that it takes so long to get there and the fact that I’ve got a lot of time off right now, we decided to go for two weeks and add on a trip to the Big Island.

My first trip to Hawai’i was over eight years ago, when I went with my friends Jen and Brian to Oahu and Mau’i. Jen and Brian have since returned MANY times to the islands and had lots of wonderful suggestions for places to go and things to do on the Big Island, which is confusingly named Hawai’i, the same name obviously given to the entire grouping of islands, hence the need to refer to the island of Hawai’i as the Big Island. We took a 45 minute flight from Mau’i to the town of Kona in a very tiny nine-seat commuter plane and then drove the southern route over to Volcano (~100 miles), making lots of stops along the way. We went to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park in the Kailua-Kona area, which is a small park preserving the traditional fish farming techniques of the native Hawai’ians. There’s a short walking trail between the park and the boat marina to the south, which leads to a beautiful little beach edged with palm trees where you can see the walls of the fish ponds sticking up above the turquoise blue ocean water. You take a swim and watch green sea turtles hunting for small fish right off shore. We also had a fabulous meal at Thai Orchid Cuisine in the industrial/shopping district south of the park (Jen also recommended Killer Taco, which we searched for, but of course we only found it after we had settled on the Thai restaurant. Thankfully, the disappointment factor was low.)


Further south, you come to Pu’uhonua o Honaunau , Place of Refuge, another national historic park. This was a religious compound for the highest members of Hawai’ian royalty, and also a place where individuals in trouble could seek protection and forgiveness for laws they had broken. The park is in sight of a crowded snorkeling beach just to the north and to the south is the wild, undeveloped coastline, but in this place under the graceful palm trees, you are overcome with a tangible sense of peace and stability. We so enjoyed the afternoon we spent in the park and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an opportunity to learn more about the ancient Hawai’ian people.

As you continue south on the main highway, keep an eye out for the South Kona Fruit Stand . Jen recommended this place for its fresh passion fruit lemonade and she was so right! They sell a wide variety of tropical fruits grown on their property up the hill from the stand and also provide a tempting array of homemade tropical drinks, smoothies and desserts. You should definitely check it out!

As you continue down around the south side of the island, you see fewer and fewer towns. This is truly a wild and undeveloped place by Hawai’i standards. If you’re looking for Hawai’ian coffee, take a chance and stop at one of the small farm stands along the way. We decided to stop at Ailani Orchard to sample their organic coffee and macadamia nuts. If you go, be sure to watch out for the free roaming turkeys on the property, as they seem to feel very strongly that they have the right-of-way. This is not the verdant, mountainous coastline of your Hawai’ian dreams. One lava flow after another has coated this area in thick black pahoe’hoe and ‘a’a, which are the two main types of volcanic rock on the island. New life quickly takes hold in those lava flows and you will see trees and other vegetation slowly beginning to take back the land.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is the number one tourist destination in the state for very good reason. Here you have an opportunity to look through a window into the underworld and see powerful geologic forces in action, any time of day or night. Kilauea Crater is currently the most active volcano on the island. In 2008 a new vent opened up in Halema’uma’u Crater, which leads directly to a large pool of magma below. Throughout the day you can see the plume of steam and noxious gases being emitted from the vent, but the real show is at night. Light from the orange molten lava reflects off the plume, giving the entire vent an eerie glow, easily visible from the Jaggar Museum overlook. The plume acts as a mirror, reflecting a world rarely visible on the earth’s surface. Although the surface lava flows have been greatly reduced in recent months, you can still also see lava pouring directly into the ocean on county land outside the park. We opted out of this adventure, due to lack of time and necessary equipment. You should take at least two flashlights with you if you go to observe the lava flow at dusk and a pair of protective gloves would be a good idea as well, because ‘a’a is sharp as glass, should you trip while walking over uneven ground in the dark to get back to your car. We weren’t completely disappointed, because you can see the steam plume from the far southern part of the park. To know that I was in sight of new land being created at that very moment was thrill enough for me…for now.

The sleepy artist colony of Volcano is just a five minute drive from the park. If you decide to stay, plan your meals ahead of time and stock up on provisions in Kona or Hilo before you arrive. The town does cater to tourists, but it doesn’t bend over backward for them. Few restaurants are open for dinner and many have limited daytime hours. We found some good salads and soups at Café O’hia, but chose to make most of our dinners at our hostel using produce we purchased from the Hilo farmer’s market. We stayed at the Holo Holo Inn , which provides dormitory and private accommodations for a very reasonable price. Our private room with a shared bathroom was just $56/night. Because it was the off-season, I actually never had to share the bathroom and we had total access to their hostel kitchen, which was stocked with everything you could need, including beautiful dishware made from a local pottery artist.

In my next installment, I’ll give details on our time spent in the Hilo area and talk about the sights to see on the northern route back to Kona. As for now, I need to wrap up so I can finish packing before my trip to Chicago tomorrow. I’ll be home for ten days to visit family and friends, and then return to Three Rivers for a bit before heading to Minneapolis for Christmas. I hope you all are enjoying the joyous holiday season!