Kona, HI Day 8

Wednesday was, I'm not going to lie, the day I was most looking forward to.  I'm the type of traveler that really wants to experience the culture and the history that makes the place I'm vacationing special.  So needless to say, I pretty much refused to go to the Big Island without seeing the active volcano.  We planned our long day trip a few days in advance.  I of course did a lot of research, but we ended up asking some of the park rangers for the best and easiest things to do with a baby.  I really wanted to see where the lava flows into the ocean, but it was approximately an 11 mile hike and I'd be the one carrying Kayla I'm sure. :)

So instead, we started our long 2 hour trip out to the volcano.  I had found a Black Sand Beach in my guide books that was on the way, so we stopped there first, Punaluu Black Sand Beach.  I'm not sure what I was expecting exactly, but it really was so beautiful.  I can only hope my pictures do it justice.  I probably could have sat on this beach all day and been perfectly content (as long as I got to see the volcano on another day. :) )  

I guess maybe I wasn't expecting it to be SO black.  I was imagining it would just look like dirty sand, I should have known better due to the large amounts of beautiful lava rock on the Big Island.

The waves were seriously crashing and the surf was pretty choppy.  Someone crazy was snorkeling though.

Another focus issue that is my fault.  I love this photo though!

Kayla seriously hates the sand...

I mean, she wouldn't even put her feet down! :)

<3

After our bathroom break, we continued about 30-45 minutes to Volcanoes National Park.  We stopped at the visitor's center first to find out what to do and to watch a quick video.  Kayla was pretty antsy during the video since it was pretty much her nap time at this point, but overall, she was very good.  

After our stop at the visitor's center, we hoped back in the car to drive around Crater Rim Drive (part of it was closed due to fumes and ashfall from the new vent.)  Our first stop was Halema'uma'u Crater.  The park ranger told us we wouldn't likely see lava (unless we were planning on flying), but at night you can see the glowing from the base of the smoke plume.  I still found it so awesome to think that we were right there where the earth is erupting!  

Halema'uma'u Crater

After we checked out the Jaggar Museum (and jumped all at the same time to see how our impact effected the needle on the seismograph), we headed back around Crater Rim Drive to see the steam vents.  (We had to skip the sulfur banks due to baby on board.)

Mommy & Me with Halema'uma'u Crater in the background.

I took a few panoramics on our trip to the volcano I will edit soon and post.  I'm pretty proud of them!

Family :)

After the steam vents, we took the drive down Chain of Craters Road, which literally has HUGE craters lining the road.  

At the end of Chain of Craters Road there is the Holei Sea Arch and some really great views of the coastline, and the volcano.  (I liked a YouTube video of some waves crashing against the Sea Arch.)  I also thought it was pretty cool how you could look at the volcano and see where the lava had flowed down the mountain.

This type of lava rock is called Pohoehoe- smooth and dense bumps/flat area.  The other type of lava rock is call A'a- porous and jagged.  It's said that it is called that because that's the sound you make when trying to walk on it: Ah! Ah! :)

Someone finally fell asleep after we got back in to car to head up to our next stop...

The petroglyphs.  The walk to the Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs was about .75 miles each way.  In theory, this doesn't sound too bad, but in reality, you are walking over a crap ton of lava rock in the sweltering hot sun.  Mom stayed back with Kayla since she was napping, and the rest of us too the trek over the lava rock, guided by other piles of lava rock.  

But we made it! 

See how the terrain is?

Note the marks from where the lava flowed down the volcano.

On the trek back to the car.

I wanted to take a picture of someone on this large hill of rock we had to climb over.  Justin just smiled and I told him to do something that made it seem like he just conquered that hill.  This is what I got.

After we finally got back to the car, Kayla was up and we drove back up Chain of Craters Road to our last stop in the park, the Thurston Lava Tube.  Mom and I got left behind a bit so we could put Kayla in her carrier since we weren't sure how long this walk was going to be.  Needless to say, we were all getting pretty hungry at this point.  We hadn't eaten anything all day and it was probably around 2 pm, and we all knew lunch was next on the agenda.

Onesie and hoodie - it was chilly on top of the volcano.

This is about where my camera died, actually not about, exactly where it did.  The rest of these pictures I stole from Mom and I took with my iPhone (which I'm convinced is the best invention ever.)

We sped through the lava tube (it was cool but probably my least favorite part of everything we saw at the volcano) and got back in the car to get lunch.  (Lunch was delicious by the way.  Not sure if it was the restaurant or the fact that I was starving.)

After lunch, we started our 2 hour drive back home.  We decided to stop on the way to take a small off roading adventure to the Southern most point of the USA right at sunset.  We laughed because we weren't feeling totally secure in our surroundings, but what is a little adventure without a little fear right?  My family may be big with many different opinions, but we always have fun.

South Point was beautiful!  The waves were huge and the sun was setting.  The only semi odd thing were the oldest looking cliff diving boards I've ever seen.  Then the old rope ladders to climb back up (50 feet I think!)  Here are a few photos I stole from Mom of Justin and Kayla.

And here are about 15 photos I took with my iPhone (honestly, I'm impressed with the photos iPhones take.)

Cliff Diving anyone?

It was a very memorable day.  I honestly can't wait to go back.