15/12/12 - Accidental Bucket List Item

Today we thought we’d walk the path to view the last volcano to have erupted in Hawaii in March 2011 – Pu’u O’o. As the area surrounding this volcano is still unstable the walk takes you around a viewing point at the summit of the neighbouring (but now inactive) Napau volcano. Napau last erupted in 1840 and provides a good spot from which to view this latest lava flow. It was a 14 mile (24kms) trek over the most amazingly contrasting terrain. We started on a smooth made path which soon turned to old lava rocks, then into a lava flow that had little piles of stones (cairns) to indicate the way across it. This continued for four miles and was heavy going as the lava has many folds and undulations. These make taking a simple step a series of decisions regarding space to place your foot or whether the rocks would give way. God only knows how the indigenous Hawaiians could have traversed such flows with only their rope sandals to protect their feet. But we persisted and two hours later were treated to the first of four major craters that we would encounter on this long hike.

The path took us around the edge of the Makaopuhi crater, an edge that was cloaked in a rain forest. It was an astounding feeling to look ahead into the lush surroundings of tree ferns and moss and yet to your left was the edge of a 300m cliff into the crater floor. Since the big eruption it has taken this forest 172 years to regenerate but it was glorious and well worth the effort.

But still further on was our quest and so we continued through fishbone fern forests and past the remnants of a Pulu factory where the soft fibres of the tree fern were harvested last century as a replacement for cotton. It was a shame to think so many of these slow growing plants were cut down for use as stuffing in Civil War mattresses and pillows.

We got to the lookout by 2.45pm, took the photo and then after a short lunch we set off on the long trek home. Back over the rain forest and back over the lava flows. All up it was a gruelling 6.5 hours but so worth it. Looks like we ticked off one from the bucket list that wasn’t even there at the start of this trip.

Home via the Thai restaurant and some more noodles before an early bed in readiness for the 5.45 hour flight to LA.