Hawaii

Friday, October 12th
South Pacific
Day 13
ms Westerdam
Hilo, Hawaii
The Big Island
Arriving:  8:00 AM
Departing:  6:00 PM
Partly Cloudy - 75 Degrees

Well, Hello Hilo!!!

They call it the Big Island, and it is.  Hawaii is the largest island in the United States, bigger than all of the other Hawaiian islands combined.  The Big Island has big attractions, but Hilo is more functional than fun.  We are docked at the industrial port.  Town is a couple miles one way, the utilitarian beach is a couple miles in the other direction.  Several miles of strip mall sprawl lies ahead.

We hit the mall for iced coffee and free wi-fi at Starbucks, some new Tevas, and Maui Tacos at the Food Court.  Uninspired, but productive, and Maui Tacos actually make for pretty good Mau-Mex.

Hilo Hattie's is the souvenir superstore of the Hawaii, good for a free shell necklace, and a free shuttle ride back to the ship.

It was a quiet day, but we are hoping for some fireworks tonight...

Our route out of Hilo takes us by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, dedicated to the five shield volcanoes that literally gave rise to the Island of Hawaii.  During the day, there isn't a lot to see - it's a moonscape of black lava rock in every direction.  But, at night, the glow of the lava flows red.  Mt. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, in a constant state of eruption since 1983.  More peaceful protest than violent demonstration, the lava flows at the pace of a comfortable walk, but it is destructive and relentless.  Just this year, the last standing home in the Royal Gardens subdivision was overtaken by the lava flow, and burned to the ground.

Volcanic activity can vary widely from day to day, and visibility from the water can be limited by weather and volcanic gasses.  The forecast was dim when we came out on deck at about 9:00 and looked to the horizon off the starboard bow.  As our eyes adjusted to the dark, we could just make out the glow of orange burning red in the sky, so faint that it faded in and out of focus, a mirage of color in the imagination of our eyes.  Did you see that?  Could that be it?  It has to be.  For half an hour, as we steamed toward Kilauea, the lava flirted and danced, revealing more and less of itself in the changing topography.  The glow grew brighter, and then faded away.  The flow grew stronger, and then trickled away.  Looking straight on, in fits and starts, the lava took the path of a "Z" as it flowed into the sea.

We stayed out on deck as Kilauea receded behind us, and the last of the glow faded into black.  You can judge for yourselves, but we were there, we know what we saw.

Next Stop:  Fanning Island, Kiribati