Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean

Tripoto
15th May 2014
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 1/9 by Sonia Revankar
Cinder Cones at Haleakala
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 2/9 by Sonia Revankar
Big Island
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 3/9 by Sonia Revankar
Humpback Whale in Maui
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 4/9 by Sonia Revankar
Kinauea Volcano
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 5/9 by Sonia Revankar
Panorama view of Haleakala
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 6/9 by Sonia Revankar
Mauna Kea
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 7/9 by Sonia Revankar
Wave Washed Lava at Kinauea
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 8/9 by Sonia Revankar
Underwater in Molokini
Photo of Hawaii- Hot Lava And The Cool Ocean 9/9 by Sonia Revankar
Snorkeling in Maui

Hawai’i…what can I say about this paradise. The fresh air energizes you. The warm, tranquil waters refresh you and the volcanoes mesmerize you! Here, I am gonna share some amazing facts of this steaming wonder. 

A collective wonder of volcanoes, forests, ocean and wildlife lay in the islands of Hawai’i’. It is surely one of the remote archipelagos on earth. Hawaii is a cluster of 8 islands called Hawaii – the big Island, Maui – the valley isle, Kahoolawe – the target isle, Lanai – the pineapple isle, Molokai – the friendly isle, Oahu – the gathering place, Kauai – the garden isle & Nihau – the forbidden isle. Each island is known for its specialties and beauty of its kind.

Our best experience was snorkeling at the Molokini island in Maui. The island was so accurately crescent shaped that it looked more carved than a natural one. The backdrop of the island fell 300 feet into the sea. The people of Hawaii believe that many sunsets ago, the powerful fire goddess Pele fell in love with a handsome Prince. Unfortunately, a charming gecko also had eyes for the Prince. An angry Pele settled the dispute by cutting the lizard in half and turning her to stone. The head of Pele’s rival is said to be a cinder cone near Makena Beach and the tail forms Molokini. In this mysterious crater, we saw and experienced the paradise of the fish and blue waters.

As soon as we reached the island, I couldn’t wait to plunge into the 150 feet deep sea. The temptation was so strong that I didn’t feel like losing out even a minute. We wore our gear and jumped into the water swimming as far as we could from the boat in order to get a more clear view of the corals and life beneath us. Since the island is 3 miles long we did get a chance to swim to a secluded spot. It was so enchanting that wasting a moment to even breathe was annoyance for me. The funniest part was that if you floated in the water without moving the fish came so close to you and the moment you moved they travelled as far as they could from you. Sometimes I just wanted to stretch my hands to touch them but it was an impossible task. After a while, a lot of people got back to the boat to munch and relax. We decided to stay back because the lesser the people, the more chances of seeing fish. While floating and relaxing in the water, we caught sight was a moray eel hunt its prey. It was the first time I ever saw an animal hunt another for his livelihood. So much time went by; it was so hard to come out from the water. While observing this serenity, we saw butterfly fish, parrot fish, squirrel fish, soldier fish, chub and so many more that we do not yet identify.

Someone even saw the reef shark while a few of us were in the waters. It was scary to hear that but to think about it, it’s their space and we were the ones who invaded it, and hence only we are responsible for everything that happens to us. This whole experience was so enriching and delightful. It was something you would never feel or see or even imagine exists in real life. It was really one of its own.

This trip was first published on http://soniarevankar.wordpress.com.

The Big Island of the Hawai’i expands everyday. Thanks to the Kilauea volcano, one of the most active volcanoes on earth. This prolific volcano currently produces acres of new land everyday. Doesn’t this volcano become more and more interesting? Despite the flow of lava in several places around the National Park, driving around and through the glowing lava is possible depending upon what’s happening with the active flow. Or else you can park and walk up to view red hot lava. The black and brown hues of the soil suddenly change in to the thick tropical forests of the park. The drive is indeed scenic. This volcano is the only one in the world where you can take your car. The Pu’u O’O Volcano of the Kilauea flows into the ocean and sends up plumes of volcanic gas and smoke. The island is so beautifully wave-washed. We had a chance to see this from a helicopter – a most impressive sight to behold.
Photo of Kīlauea Volcano, United States by Sonia Revankar
Mauna Kea rises to 13,796 feet above sea level. Now you might say that Mount Everest rises 29,035 feet but Mauna Kea is considered the tallest mountain on Earth, how? If measured from base to summit, towering up more than 6 miles, i.e 31,680 feet from the ocean bottom.
Photo of Mauna Kea, Haiku-Pauwela, HI, United States by Sonia Revankar
Haleakalᾱ volcano rises 10023 ft above the Pacific Ocean and occupies almost half of the Maui Island of Hawaii. The geologic history of Haleakalᾱ is estimated to have begun a million years ago, around the time of woolly mammoth and saber tooth tigers! It comprises of colourful cinder cones scattered throughout the valley floor. The most recent eruption took place in 1802. This volcano is considered to be an active but currently non-erupting volcano. I got a chance to see this place a few years back. It is a matchless heaven weathered and coloured over time. The rains have oxidized the earth and the winds have emphasized the cinder cones! When I actually got to the summit, I wondered what was so good about this volcano. I hardly saw the cinder cones and the lush bright colors of the soil! We were told to hike up a trail to experience it for ourselves. Therefore, we started trudging towards what we really hadn’t anticipated. What I am going to quote is often said my the people of Maui that clouds in and around the summit of Haleakalᾱ carry whispers of another time. It is said that the demigod of Maui fished Haleakalᾱ and all the Hawaiin volcanoes from the sea, pulling them up and flinging his fishhook to the heavens. On clear nights, the fishhook of Maui, now the Scorpio, can still be seen in the sky from the summit of Haleakalᾱ.
Photo of Haleakalā, Kula, HI, United States by Sonia Revankar
While halting in the isle of Maui, we got a chance to snorkel in the deep seas. We chose to go to the island of Molokini about 2 ½ kms from the mainland. The island of Molokini is an extinct volcano in a shape of a crescent which provides protection from waves and powerful currents, making this area one of the top ten dive sites in the world. It is said to be a home for nearly 250 species of fish which are found nowhere else on earth. Our day begun at 6 am in the morning with a perfect weather taking us through the pristine waters of the Pacific Ocean. I had no clue about what we were about to witness, something so magnificent and unimaginable! They were the humpback whales swimming, splashing, playing and enjoying the warm waters of the island. While talking to a local on our boat, he mentioned that these whales come to the Maui waters to protect and teach their calves to survive since the water is warm and safe from the rest of the ocean. It was over-whelming to see 45 foot long whale spouting water through its blow-hole giving us a fantastic view, just what you see on National Geographic or the Discovery Channel. Being in that moment and capturing the site is beyond any explanation. After our experience with the humpbacks we came across the most loving, playful and popular fish of the big seas – yes, I am talking about the dolphins! They frolicked, flaunted and danced in front of our boat. It almost felt as though they were trying to please us or as if they have put up a small act before us. Whatever it was, the spinner dolphins did their best to impress us to the core!
Photo of Molokini, Maui County, HI, United States by Sonia Revankar
Let’s start with the story of the volcanoes of the Big Island. It is the youngest Hawaiian Island, less than a half a million years old, and its two major volcanoes are Mauna Loa which includes Kilauea Volcano and Mauna Kea. Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984 and Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983. The summit of Mauna Loa’s versus the steaming jungles of Puna. The mystic craters, the black beaches, secret hot springs the sea-kissed lava leaves behind such diverse indescribable beauty and serenity of the paradise we call Hawai’i.
Photo of Big Island, United States by Sonia Revankar