We all arrived separately in Hawai’i due to our different schedules. Ambiana had the longest break from UVM so she and Tim arrived on December 12th and spent 10 days on the Big Island before any of us arrived. They hung out in Na’alehu at the shack, hiked into Halape and climbed up Mauna Loa to the 10,000 foot level and spent a night at the Red Hill Cabin

The next to arrive were Colleen and Jakobi who flew out on December 23rd but got delayed and spent the night in San Francisco before landing on the Big Island and meeting up with Ambiana (Tim flew home to Philly on the 23rd).

They spent the time before I arrived North of Kona at Hapuna beach and Spencer Beach Park.

Vt Creamery wouldn’t give me the full 2 weeks off so I stayed home and flew out on Saturday December 27th from Boston.

I flew first 6 hours over the heartland to Phoenix

Crop Circles in Kansas

Clouds over New Mexico

Landing in Phoenix I had a 2 hour wait for the next 6 hour flight to Kona where I arrived 10 minutes early and the family was there to pick me up. We drove the Saddle Road to Hilo and then down into Puna where we were spending the night at a Hipcamp site.

We set up camp in the dark and went to bed and in the morning woke up on the ocean at Wild Blue Waters. We were in a section of Puna; Hawaiian Estates that we had not stayed in before on the East shore of the Big Island.

I woke up first and walked down to the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean as the sun rose. To the North I could see Mauna Kea; the largest mountain on Earth!

The sunrise

My Hawaiian breakfast with fresh papaya and bananas

Colleen was the next up and she joined me by the sea!

Wild Blue Waters had four spacious campsites and a guest house. We spoke with the guy who managed the place. He grew up here in Puna and this was his family’s venture. It was really beautiful!

Kehena Beach

We packed up and left by 10am as Colleen and Ambiana wanted to go to Ecstatic Dance at Kalani while Jakobi and I went to Kehena to hang on the beach and get in the ocean.

This used to be such a magical place for me the 3 Winters i spent at Kalani but the last few times we’ve been here the magic is gone and all I see is a dirty beach full of ‘punatics’ and the occasional tourist. It does not feel familiar or like ‘home’ and all that time I spent there belongs to another time like in a dream.

I used to come to this beach in the 90s it seems to have changed a lot since then. The surf has reconfigured it and it’s a lot smaller and littered with downed trees. Path down is kind of treacherous and lots of Punatics and nudity. Fun if you like things edgy. Surf is often hazardous but if you catch it on the right day the beach and vibe can be magical with a drum circle soundtrack and dolphins swimming just off shore.

Jakobi and I hung out for a few hours and went in the ocean a couple of times and then we walked back up the cliff path and met Colleen and Ambiana and went into Pahoa.

There has been so much development not just in the 30 years since I first came to Pahoa but in the last 6 years as well. It all seems so crowded now.

At Island Naturals I found Vt Creamery cheese that i may have rolled!

After snacking at Island naturals we drove into Hilo and checked out Rainbow Falls and the Giant Banyan Tree the girls like to climb

Here is a Hawaiian mo/olelo (story) that tells of events and places along the Wailuku River and how these places got their names. Hina mother of Maii lived in a cabe behind Rainbow Falls along the Wailuku River. She and her women made kapa, a cloth created by beating the bark from the mulberry bush. A mo’o or giant lizard named Kuna lived along the Wailuku River and frequently tormented Hina by sending torrents of water, logs, and other debris over the falls. But Hina did not worry because she was well protected in her cave and by her son, Maui. One night there was a huge storm and rain filled the gorge. “Kuna decided that he would take advantage of this storm and placed a huge boulder to block the river just below Hina’s cave where she was asleep. As the water rose, the cave started to flood. Now awake, Hina became alarmed and called to her son: O Maui, fisher of islands, O Maui, slower of sun, Listen! It is Hina who calls. Come quickly, O Maui my son. Come in your swift canoe. Come with your mightly war club. Save us from Kuna Moo. Maui heard his mother’s call faintly as in a dream. He looked about the night sky and saw his mother’s small,» bright cloud above Hawaii. From the slopes of Haleakalä on the island of Maui, he sprang into his canoe and paddled to Hilo. He saw no water flowing in the Wailuku River and knew that it had been dammed. With his mighty club, Maui rushed up the river and struck the riverbank to make a water-way around the rock. Again, the water was able to flow toward the ocean. Kuna fled to a hiding place in the gorge above Rainbow Falls with Maui in pursuit. When Maui found the moo, he struck the rocks until the earth trembled and the moo rushed out looking for another place to hide. After a long chase, Kuna dove into the pools just below the Boiling Pots overlook in hopes of escaping Maui’s rage. Frustrated that he could not get a good shot at the moo in these potholes, Maui called upon Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, to provide him with some hot stones to throw into the river. She quickly provided them and Maui was able to make the river boiling hot. Kuna was forced to leave the water and fled downstream. Kuna and Maui fought above Rainbow Falls. After being struck by Maui’s club, the moo fell over the falls. The giant mo’o still lies where he fell, a great rock in the Wailuku River. Today, Kuna is beaten by stones and logs and flooded by water just as he tried to beat and drown Hina. \ As for the deep pool above the falls, the waters of Boiling Pots still bubble and boil as if remembering the mighty battle of Maui and Kuna.

The Banyan Tree in Hilo

We drove up to Volcano National Park and camped in the campground right off Rt 11.

The next day we hiked into the park in hopes of seeing some lava fountains.

Mauna Loa

Alas the latest eruption had ended on the 24th but we did get to see the huge build up of lava in Hale’mau’mau and steam issuing from the vents.

The park was packed and we did a couple of short hikes on the Sulphur Vent trail and the Destruction Trail.

Colleen and Ambiana then took the bus into Hilo to pick up bikes for their adventure the next day while Jakobi and I went back to the campground. I was not feeling well; sinus pressure in my head and aches and chills so i spent the afternoon recovering in the tent while Jakobi explored the area behind the campground.

The next morning Colleen and Ambiana took off on their bike adventure and while Jakobi was sleeping in I hiked out to the crater for another look.

Colleen and Ambiana’s Bike Ride took them down to the sea and then across the evacuation road to Kalapana and then up the road to Pahoa where they caught the bus back to Hilo and from there to Na’alehu.

Meanwhile at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach

Meanwhile Jakobi and I packed up camp and drove to the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach where we spent the day. Punalu’u; is a sacred place like everywhere on the Hawai’ian Islands. Westerners have been exploiting them for over 200 years turning them into plantations for sugarcane, coffee, macadamia nuts and pineapple as well as a playground for tourists and opulent homes for the 1%. We westerners should approach our time here as reverent and sacred listening to the land, the ocean, the plants, animals and indigenous Hawai’ians who call these islands home to learn the wisdom of a pre-civilized and industrious time At Punalu’u it is the sea turtle who is the teacher. Forget the selfie and don a mask and snorkel and float at a small distance respectfully with them; open yourself to your most primal self and see what happens. Imagine this place not as a tourist destination but as a home and a life lived simply for the joy of it.

Even though it was not sunny and only in the 70’s it was nice to hang out on the beach. I was feeling better and I took a short snorkle and swam with some turtles and saw a Humu’humu apua’u!

Jakobi was in the ocean a few times and also swam with some turtles!

We stopped at the bakery on the way to the shack in Na’alehu and I got bread pudding while Jakobi got a chocolate and crème filled malasada

They were super yummy but too much sweets for me and on the drive down the hill into the Green Sands Subdivision I got super nauseous and was incapacitated on the deck of the shack as Jakobi and neighbor Patty worked on opening it up. I then puked 3 times which made me feel so much better but alienated me from Jakobi for the next few days.

Colleen and Ambiana arrived by bus, Patty picked them up because I was still incapacitated and they made dinner and then we all went to bed and the next day dawned sunny and bright.

Lots of Views of the Shack

We spent the morning on the land then went into Na’alehu for breakfast at the Southernmost restaurant in the USA.

Neighbor Patty who was so helpful and especially loves Ambiana

After breakfast we drove to South Point and hiked out 2 miles to Green Sand Beach.

We saw a sea lion on the boat ramp at the beginning of the hike.

The sandy ruts just keep getting deeper!

The beach was gorgeous as ever with lots of people in the water because the surf was not so wild as it usually has been when we are here. We all got in and enjoyed the water as well.

Beautiful beach, windy dusty hike. 2 miles each way or support the locals and pay for a ride in the back of a pickup. Either way beauty and the beach awaits. Surf can be treacherous so use caution. Other times it is as calm as a millpond. So Green.

Whittington Beach Park

After hiking out we went to Whittington Beach Park to relax and shower before heading back to the shack for dinner.

Colleen and Jakobi drank some alcohol and got super silly and while the rest of us went to bed Jakobi stayed up on the deck watching the stars until midnight. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We said good-bye to the land and Na’alehu; way to short a visit (never got to run up the road or really hang in the Wai’ohino Park) and headed North to Kealakekua Bay to hike in to the snorkeling spot and spend the night at our favorite Hawai’ian camp spot. There were so many cars we had to park around the corner from Na’poo’poo Rd. The hike down seemed short and soon we were swimming with the fishes.

It was a relaxing day dipping in and out of the water, reading and people watching.

Captain Cook did not discover the Hawaiian islands that was The Polynesians who had been living there for almost 1000 years when the British explorer arrived The monument should be for the village of Kaʻawaloa which the British shelled with cannon fire after Captain Cook was killed trying to kidnap the chief of the village over the theft of a small boat. I am surprised the Hawai’ian people have not torn the obelisk down. If you do visit the spot hike down the trail and bring snorkling gear for the reef offshore is one of the best in Hawaii if you don’t mind all the snorkel boats that fill the bay. For a better experience, come early in the morning or stay late when you will have the bay to yourself; the fish really come out once the boats leave.

The best time to snorkel was when there were no snorkel boats in the bay ’cause then the fish came out of hiding!

Jakobi snorkeling

Ambiana snorkeling

I saw an eel!

Capt. Cook’s bones are up there somewhere.

Camping around the point

When everyone had left and the last snorkel boat was leaving we packed up and headed around the point to the best camp site ever and had a magnificent sunset

It is such a beautiful spot. We had a super yummy dinner and then relaxed under the almost full moon and went to sleep with the ocean in our dreams.

The next morning we broke up camp and headed out early so we could hike up before it got too hot.

We headed right to Ho’okena Beach where we spent the next 3 nights camping and hanging with Susanna, Oona and Sophie.

We were the first to check in so we got the best campsites for us!

Ho’okena is an awesome beach and a great place to camp.

It was a wonderful three days hanging with Susanna and Oona and Sophie; reading, swimming, walking along the ocean, eating yum food and just relaxing.

OONA!

Absolutely one of my favorite places ever and there are some of the finest ocean camp spots on the planet. Come and spend an eternity in three days and nights .

Skyler and Shannon, friends from Girdwood AK days who live on the Big Island came down Friday evening to visit with us. It was nice to see them and catch up

The dolphins were in the bay all 3 days we were there and after an initial “get the f&*k away from those dolphins” by an irate dolphin police local we had a fine time swimming with them. They would come right up to us, no chasing needed, and even came super close to the beach!

The kumu (teacher) here is the dolphin. Swim out, open your heart and let them come to you. Wear a mask so when they do you can look an equal intelligence in the eye. The water is clear, lots of reefs and fish and ocean lovers.

We said good-bye to Susanna, Oona & Sophie and drove North and spent our last day at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park which had nice short hikes with petroglyphs and around some fish ponds. Colleen and I became Jr. Rangers!

Hualalai Volcano rises over the park!

HAWAI’IAN PETROGLYPHS!

After the park we went to the old airport park and re-packed all our stuff for the flight home later that night then took a walk down to the ocean for one last look and to say mahalo and good bye