The Jurassic Coast

I've previously posted about our time on Hawaii's Big Island in April 2005. Our hike out to the lava fields of the Kilauea volcano was certainly memorable.  However, this experience was subsequently matched by an equally awe-inspiring helicopter flight over Kauai. We flew in from the Big Island shortly after 1:00pm on Wednesday 13 April, checked into our hotel, and then returned to the airport for a 4:00pm aerial tour of the island.

The 50-minute flight proved a perfect introduction to the oldest, and most dramatic, of Hawaii’s main islands. Kauai looks nothing like the classic Oahu beach scenes so often synonymous with most people's image of Hawaii. Our scenic flight took us over the rain-soaked Mt. Waialeale, the plunging ravines of Waimea Canyon and the breathtaking emerald spires of the rugged Na Pali Coast. The scenery was, at times, beyond words. 

The Na Pali Coast was a genuine highlight. It’s anecdotally known as the Jurassic Coast after appearing in Steven Spielberg’s iconic dinosaur movie. This desolate coast is almost inaccessible. There are no roads in the area and the only coastal hiking track, the Kalalau Trail, extends just 11 miles along the northwestern coast to a small remote beach at Kalalau. In essence, more than two-thirds of the Na Pali Coast is only accessible by sea or helicopter. 

I'm glad we decided to fly. The view from the air was truly magnificent. Our pilot flew over the rim of the dry and barren Waimea Canyon and into an untamed tropical landscape of soaring sea cliffs dissected by deep, and lush, green valleys. Our route took us along the coast below the cloud line before turning into a spectacular mist-shrouded valley framed by near-vertical rock walls.

The verdant landscape reflects the area’s incredibly high rainfall. More than 450 inches falls annually making it the world’s second-wettest place. Our helicopter flight included a leisurely pass over the dramatically splayed Hanakāpīʻai Falls which cascade almost 100 metres into the valley below. Our tour then finished with a circuit over the agricultural slopes of the northern Princeville region before returning along Kauai's jungle-clad eastern valleys.

While on Kauai, we hired a car and spent several days exploring every corner of the island. Our first excursion saw us venture into the Waimea Canyon State Park. A narrow, winding road follows the western rim of this dramatic canyon up to its northernmost reaches. 

The road eventually ends at the Puu o Kila Lookout, almost 1200 metres above sea level. Here you’re teased with a brief glimpse of the wild Na Pali coast. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, the area was obscured by a rising mist.  However, this still created a spectacular sight of its own.

On our second day, we ventured north to Princeville and onto the end of the road at Hā'ena State Park. I decided to hike the first couple of kilometres of the Kalaulau Trail that winds its way along the Na Pali coast. Garry chose to hang out at the beach while I ventured into the wild. After about 45 minutes of hiking, I was finally rewarded with a truly stunning cliff-edge view of the rugged coastline we’d previously seen from the air.

During our journey north we made a few detours along the way to check out the iconic Kilawea Lighthouse and the gossamer cascades of the Opaeka’a Falls. We also stopped to sample a cold Otai on the Hanalei Bay Dolphin Centre’s umbrella-shaded lawn. This is a popular Polynesian fruit drink made from a blend of water, coconut milk, and any variety of pulped tropical fruit such as coconut, watermelon, mango, and pineapple, although it’s almost always watermelon.

Kauai is certainly blessed with plenty of falls. Perhaps its most famous is the twin cascade of Wailua Falls. This scenic spot is known the world over thanks to its appearance in the opening credits of the 1970s TV show, Fantasy Island. The Wailua Falls are accessible by road so we stopped for a photo while driving to Waimea Canyon. 

I've also opened this post with an image of the Hanakoa Falls on the Na Pali Coast. This ribbon of water, dropping more than 300 metres, is accessible only via the Kalalau Trail with a special permit. Why the permit? Apparently, this particular section of the trail isn't for the faint-hearted.

Our final day in Kauai also marked the end of our Hawaiian vacation. On Friday, 15 April, after visiting the north coast, we dropped our rental car at the airport and caught an evening flight back to Honolulu. Shortly before midnight, we boarded an overnight flight back to Sydney. Although thanks to the international dateline, we missed Saturday entirely, landing at about 10:30am on Sunday morning.

I had to include this final image simply for its historical value. It’s all too easy to forget that in the pre-wifi and early internet days, we never ventured far without a trusty guidebook. Back then, the go-to book for the savvy traveller was always the Lonely Planet guide. We used it to plan almost every excursion, uncover quirky road trip detours and score a decent meal. Two decades later we still have shelves of Lonely Planet guides gathering dust in our home library. How times have changed. 

There she glows

My last post about our trip to Siding Springs in 2005 brought back memories of a second expedition Garry and I made a month later to the summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island.  Manua Kea is considered one of the world’s best sites for astronomical observation thanks to its altitude, dry air and stable airflows.  It also enjoys an average of 325 clear nights per year.  As a result, since 1964, a total of thirteen telescopes have been erected on its summit, funded by at least separate 11 nations.

In April 2005, while visiting the Big Island, Garry and I booked a tour up to the summit, more than 4,200 metres above the Pacific.  Like every other soaring mountain, Mauna Kea’s peak is a chilly, uncomfortable location. The tropical heat of Hawaii’s coastal regions never reaches such giddy heights.  In fact, it seems that only tourists are foolish enough to venture this high.  Even the astronomers avoid the place.  They sensibly operate their observatories remotely from warmer, more accommodating locations. 

Our tour was timed to coincide with sunset. This meant we were treated to spectacular skies, along with a chance to see the giant observing instruments quietly spring into life.  Perhaps one of the most astonishing sights is that of the mountain’s shadow just before sunset.  A soft grey triangle stretches out across the surrounding cloud tops creating the illusion of a twin peak rising in the distance.  If you time your arrival just so, you can stand on the shadow’s rim, wave your arms and witness your movements on the shadow’s edge.  Very cool!

We spent less than an hour at the summit.  Our guides were constantly on the watch for the symptoms of altitude sickness. The risk is real.  Years later Garry and I witness how debilitating it is when members of our Peruvian tour party suffered as our tour bus crossed a mountain pass above 4,000 metres. In Hawaii, our tour guides try to reduce this risk by making a compulsory stop for an hour halfway up the mountain at the Visitor’s Information Centre. 

 

This small service building sits about 2,800 metres above sea level, just below the cloud base that regularly shrouds Mauna Kea's summit. The smooth, paved highway also ends at this point.  From here, the road turns to gravel and winds its way precariously up the mountain’s desolate rusty volcanic rock flank. Incredibly, Mauna Kea is only considered a dormant volcano.  It last erupted 4, 600 years ago. 

The Big Island does boast at least one active volcano, nearby Kilauea.  Garry and I trekked out to the site of this volcano’s active lava flow to witness its glowing, viscous lava slowly ooze towards the sea.  Reaching the lava flows involved a three kilometer trek across rough, uneven piles of old lava.  The rock is deadly to footwear. It’s sharp, glassy edges simple tear shoe leather to shreds.

We trekked out from the end of the road late afternoon. Dusk is considered the best time to view the lava as its ominous glow is far more spectacular in the fading light.  This certainly proved to be true.  As the sky darkened we soon realized there were giant streams of hot lava cascading down distant slopes we’d barely glanced at earlier in the day.

 

The lava is safe to view.  While it’s extraordinarily hot, it moves at a slow pace.  This meant we could move from location to location without fear of our route being blocked, or our observation point being suddenly engulfed.  However, as we retraced our steps, we discovered our route had taken us across active lava flowing several feet below our feet.  In our efforts to reach visible surface flows, we’d inadvertently cross a “bridge” of cooled lava. 

It was quite a shock to discover lava glowing deep down in the odd crack.  Earlier in the day, this faint glow had been completely invisible. It was a timely reminder that nature remains the master of its own domain.  We meekly reassured ourselves that we were probably never in any real danger given how many other people had made the same trek through the day.  We decided the ever-present National Park Rangers would have closed off the area had the risk been significant.

Follow this link for the next leg of our Hawaiian adventure on the island of Kauai.

Tropical power and might

I first visited Hawaii in October 1996. At the time I enjoyed a brief stopover while returning from my brother’s wedding in Europe. However, I never made it to Pearl Harbour. As a result, I was determined to set the record straight when Garry and I returned to Hawaii in 2005.

Pearl Harbour is home to the United States Pacific Fleet. Since 1941, it’s been synonymous with the Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on December 7 that precipitated the United States' entry into the Second World War. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and wounded another 1,178. Eighteen ships were sunk or run aground including the battleship, USS Arizona.

More than 80 years later Pearl Harbour remains an active naval base. However, these days it’s also a major tourist attraction. Garry and I spent half a day exploring its numerous museums and memorials. The most renowned of these is undoubtedly the Arizona Memorial.

This memorial, accessible only by boat, straddles the sunken hull of the battleship. It was opened in 1961 and currently attracts more than two million visitors annually. I was fascinated to learn that the hull continues to leak oil, which leaves visible iridescent streaks on the water’s surface.

On shore, a surprising array of military hardware is on display. This includes a restored Second World War submarine, the USS Bowfin, which forms part of the Pacific Fleet’s submarine museum. We spent almost an hour exploring the submarine and the museum’s exhibits. We also spent time wandering through the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center which features exhibits about the USS Arizona and the USA’s involvement in the Second World War.

 

We then made our way to the Battleship Missouri Memorial. It was on the teak decks of USS Missouri, that WWII finally came to an end. Here on 2 September 1945, the Japanese formally signed documents of surrender in a brief ceremony. The signing table’s location is carefully commemorated by a brass plaque embedded into the deck. We got to explore almost every nook and cranny of this massive ship including the bridge, the sailor’s quarters (where I tried out the bunks), and its three, incredibly intimidating, triple gun turrets.

Once we’d had our fill of American naval history, we drove up to Punchbowl Crater, an ancient volcanic dome. It’s natural amphitheater has been beautifully landscaped into an expansive military cemetery. However, the views from its rim of downtown Honolulu were a highlight for us. We also stopped briefly to wander the grounds of the Iolani Palace and admire its colonial facade. This opulent palace was the 19th-century home of Hawaii’s last monarchs.

The first monarch of the Hawaiian nation, King Kamehameha, is proudly immortalized in bronze just outside the palace gates. Interestingly, we discovered that it’s actually the second statue created for display. The original was lost at sea when the ship delivering it from Europe sank in a storm near Cape Horn.

 

Our day at Pearl Harbour marked our final day in Honolulu. The following morning, we caught a flight to Hilo. Follow this link to learn more about our time on the Big Island.

Oahu on the horizon

Here's a retrospective look at our Hawaiian holiday in 2005. The moment we walked into our hotel room in Honolulu we knew we were in for an awesome experience. I'd booked us into an ocean-view room at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel on Waikiki Beach. The hotel upgraded us to an oceanfront room in its heritage wing. Every morning, we were greeted by an "in your face" view of breaking surf and golden sands upon opening the room's plantation shutters. The photo I've posted here really doesn't do it justice.

The Moana Surfrider is an impressive complex.  The original building opened in 1901. It features an ornate white collonade colonial-style facade, plus two accommodation wings that extend towards to beach. Each wing wraps around a central courtyard dominated by a gnarled old banyan tree. Patrons of the courtyard bars and restaurants are seated in wicker chairs and enjoy shaded dining all day long. One of the hotel's wings ends literally on the edge of the sand just metres from the high tide mark.  Our room was in this wing.

We based ourselves on Waikiki Beach for three days and four nights. Our first day was spent soaking up the beachside atmosphere, exploring the local markets, and shopping for trinkets. We then hired a car and set about exploring the island of Oahu. This included a leisurely circuit of the island one day, followed by a day exploring historical Pearl Harbour.

Of course, we're in Hawaii, so we couldn't resist the temptation to hire a convertible. It proved another highlight of our time on Oahu, especially once we left the traffic in Downtown Honolulu behind us and hit the open road. We started our road trip around the island by turning off the cross-island Pali Highway to soak in the view from the Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout.  The lookout offers sweeping views across Honolulu, Diamond Head, and the mountains that dissect the island.

From here it was on to Kailua and Lanikai Beach to admire its quirky conical island. This side of Oahu is the real Hawaii. Small, sleepy villages, dot the coastline, separated by lush green fields and plantations. We made several stops to take in the desolate coastal views, inevitably framed by ubiquitous palm fronds.

We also stopped to take a few iconic photos in front of Kukuihoolua Island at Laie Point. This small rocky outcrop is dominated by a rock arch in the middle island. It took us a while to park the convertible at just the right angle for a perfect image of us framed by the island itself.

Our next stop was the world-renowned Banzai Pipeline surf break at Pupukea. This is undoubtedly the most famous beach in all of Hawaii. The Pipeline is known for huge waves that break in shallow water just above a sharp and cavernous reef, forming large, hollow, thick curls of water that surfers can tube ride whenever conditions are right. We later learned that there are actually three reefs located in progressively deeper water farther out to sea. Each is activated according to the increasing size of approaching ocean swells.

We completed our circuit by driving back across the North Shore along Kamehameha Highway. This route takes you past endless acres of pineapple plantations. You can take tours of these plantations.  However, with their plantation road trains, the entire experience looked rather kitsch, so we gave it a miss. 

It's hard to believe this vacation happened more than 18 years ago. Our international flights were booked using some Air New Zealand frequent flyer points. This resulted in us transiting via Auckland where we stopped for a few days with my family before flying to Hawaii. We landed in Honolulu on the evening of 5 April 2005. Ten action-packed days followed before departing again for Sydney on 15 April. However, despite the passing years, so many of our experiences, including our stunning hotel room in Honolulu, are as vivid as ever.

Follow this link to join us on our day trip to Pearl Harbour, and then read on as we fly south for a close encounter with an active volcano on the Big Island.