America Through My Eyes – Hawaiian Islands – 5

America Through My Eyes

Hawaiian Islands (Part 5)

Telugu Original : Dr K.Geeta 

English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar

          The rain continued to pour down when we entered the Hawaii National Park on the Big Island. We turned towards the “Chain of Craters Road” through the Thurston Lava Tube. When we traveled through the craters formed by the frozen lava one after the other, we felt like we were traveling back to the origins of the Earth, or landing on another planet.

          The lava flow looked like a great ocean that melted the rocks of waves. It seemed like one wave piled up on top of another and it felt as if the flow of time stopped for a moment. I expected a lava flow, maybe something like a stream of a brook flow, but it was a great stretch for miles the eye couldn’t see.

          Experiencing the frozen lava with our eyes was a great thing but it’s more striking to walk through it. It was strange to see plants springing up here and there as if someone had grown them from the oldest lava.

          A vehicular trail was built in 1928 between the numerous craters of these lava flows that spread from the Makaopuhi crater to the Kalapana coast, but the 1969 eruption of Mauna Ulu caused the trail to be closed for ten years from 1969 to 1979.

          The eruption destroyed all the villages of the coastal aboriginal tribes. The ancient murals, temples, granaries, etc., from the 13th century representing their culture were covered under the lava flow. The tragedy was not yet finalized. Another eruption in 1986 covered nearly nine miles of the road under lava.

          In 1989, the Wahaula Visitor Center and all associated buildings were destroyed by fire. The entire area was exposed to the volcanoes and finally burnt completely in 1997 leaving no traces. In another mishap, The lava flow in 2003 destroyed the road and flowed from such a height to the Sea Arc on the seashore. The wetness of the lava of the last flow in 2014 can still be seen there.

          The chasms formed at the site of each eruption were massive. We couldn’t understand, even if we looked into the abyss, that there were at one time great mountains. We even trembled at the very thought of a mountain eruption, imagining what it would be like watching them right in.

          While we were heading along the crater road, it was raining heavily. However, we kept going in the rain. We traveled down the 3700-foot crater above the sea level, descending gradually on the road to the sea coast 18 miles, and took about 2 hours. The shore was not a place to go down and enjoy the waves. The sea was crashing down to the fierce rocks below. At the end point when we reached the beach, there was no rain. The sun was shining bright.

          It was already 5pm.  Cars were allowed only to the sea arc. From there a footpath led forward.  Varu and Satya ran there and came back in half an hour as the road seemed to be unending.

          Meanwhile, I met an Indian family who settled in America where Siri and I were waiting.

          Being a northerner, she began to talk in Hindi soon.  She said that they were visiting all the islands of Hawaii one by one, and the Big Island was their second destination. I inquired about Oahu Island and Honolulu, from where they had arrived the day before. When I asked how the Hawaii trip was, she twisted her lip and remarked, “I don’t understand why everyone talks so much about these islands! Can’t we see these stones, the sea, the tree, the hill anywhere?”

          Her words made me laugh. We must have an aesthetic heart to make it all sweet.

          It was almost six o’clock when we came out of the national park. I steered the jeep towards the south coast of the island.

          When we reached the southern tip, we found that there was no car access. It was already dark. We had no patience to go ahead, stop the car there, and walk a mile and a half to the beach, so we just got back from there and did not venture further.

          Around 7 o’clock we reached Punalulu black sand beach again. This time we spent some time in the black sand.  Siri got down and lay down in the sand.

          As the weather was warm, we felt comfortable walking on the beach even after dark.

          In summer, in California, until nine o’clock at night, the sun shines, but by five o’clock in the evening, the cold winds blow unbearable. No matter how tired the children were, in the morning, they enjoyed the site of the beach.

          I hurried up the children. After we got back to the hotel, I still had some packing to do. We will have to leave that island the next day and go to another island.

*****

(to be continued)