New Kilauea Lava Flow Ravages Kalapana

Late July 2010 has brought a re-invigorated lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Pu'u O'o vent has brought shifting lava flows over the years - many have been inocuous ocean entry lava flows that culminate in orange oozing lava being doused by the Pacific Ocean along the rocky coast. But recently, the lava flow has once again shifted to the east, threatening neighborhoods in the previously lava-devastated town of Kalapana.

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Portuguese Man-o-War Jellyfish Sting

Last week I was on a snorkel/scuba boat in Hawaii when a 12 year old girl was stung by a Portuguese Man of War. The girl was submerged in fresh water and other swimmers were asked to capture the creature in a bucket. She was then sprayed with vinegar. All of us were so distressed by her suffering, and numerous other swimmers were affected by the attempt to capture the man o war.

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Kilauea Volcano Lava Flows near Kalapana

A fresh lava flow from the Pu’u ‘O’o eruption has advanced about a mile since early April 2010, and geologists believe if it continues on its current path, it will rejoin the older flow field on the coastal plain just west of the current viewing area near Kalapana (east of the Volanoes National Park).

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Question – 4Wheeling with a Rental Car

The following question was submitted to us via email:

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Bobby,

The reason rental car companies forbid you (contractually) from driving on the Saddle Road is due to that road’s very poor state and poor overall driving conditions.  The Saddle Road is minimally maintained, has large deep potholes throughout, is winding with many undulations and blind turns, and is often plagued by fog or other low visibility.

There are plenty of other places to go 4-Wheeling on the Big Island that are much safer (especially in a jeep) such as down to the Waipio Valley, road to the Green Sand Beach, Kona Coast State Park, and up to the summit of Mauna Kea volcano.

The main factor with the rental car restriction is the issue of liability on roads that they consider “dangerous”.  Also, most of these remote areas do not have easy access by crash/rescue vehicles and/or tow trucks – so if you get stuck or wreck, you are on your own!  That said, you can still take your jeep off-the-beaten-track.  No one is out to spy on you and report your rental vehicle’s presence at any of these locations – however, if you return your vehicle and the undercarriage is damaged or the car is covered in red sand and mud – there is obvious reason to suspect you went off-roading.  We just recently took our 4×4 rental down into the Waipio and to Green Sand Beach – we simply rinsed it off, cleaned it up (inside and out) and of course made sure we didn’t damage it on the trails.  Voila!  It looked good as new when we returned it.

Big Island Adventures with Kids (Part 5 – Green Sand Beach)

I've always wanted to go to the Green Sand Beach near South Point (not far from the southern Ka'u town of Naalehu). Alas, previous attempts usually ended at the eerie South Point cliffs because the road leading to the Green Sand Beach is an extremely rough, 4x4-only dirt path. Some will drive their cars as far as they can, then park and hike the remaining dusty and rough 2.25 miles to the Green Sand Beach - but this is not recommended with kids (especially young keikis).

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Permits Now Required for Captain Cook Kayakers

A free permit to land vessels along the Kaawaloa shoreline or moor at the wharf adjacent to the Captain Cook Monument is now required by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is flexing its muscles by only limiting the non-commercial kayakers and doing nothing to contain or limit the number of commercial ventures (charter boats, tour boats, etc.) Ultimately, the Charter commercial operations will make a lot more money and recreational kayakers will lose yet another place to kayak to. DLNR Starting Feb. 23, people must apply for a (noncommercial general public permit at the Division of State Parks' Hawaii District Office, located at 75 Aupuni St. Room 204 in Hilo, or online at hawaiistateparks.org, under "announcements."

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Big Island Adventures with Kids (Part 4 – Waipio Valley)

With a 4 and 3 year old on the trip with me this time, I thought it would be best to drive into the valley - which I had never done. All the guide books, maps, signs, and people will tell you a true 4-wheel drive vehicle is required... and they are right! Our 4x4 Ford Explorer would suffice, and thus we headed north from Hilo, up the Hamakua Coast to the Waipio Valley Lookout. During this trip to the Big Island, we found out the island was suffering from a big drought - consequently, the normally overcast skies here at the overlook were absolutely clear and blue. It looked as if a cold front had just blown through leaving no haze and the sunshine drenched the very green (and damp-looking) valley below.

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Big Island Adventures with Kids (Part 3 – Captain Cook)

On this day, we decided to kayak across Kealakekua Bay to the marine sanctuary known as Captain Cook (named after the monument on the far side of the bay where Captain Cook was killed by the native Hawaiians). We started off with breakfast at one of my favorites - the "Buns in the Sun" bakery and deli. They have a full breakfast menu and also offer great sandwiches for lunch. This particular morning I had the Kalua Pig with eggs and hash browns along with a POG (passiong fruit/orange juice/guava juice mixture). DE-LISH! We also grabbed some sandwiches to go (2 x Kalua Pig sandwiches!) and put them in our soft-cooler filled with ice. The cooler was also jam-packed with snacks for the kids. I've starved out there at Captain Cook before and did not want to take the chance again today (especially with kids).

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Big Island Adventures with Kids (Part 2 – Hilo/Hamakua)

Today, we were headed to Richardson's Ocean Center (a.k.a. Richardson's Black Sand Beach) in Hilo. This is one of the local Hilo-area beaches and happens to be a black sand beach. It is a small beach as far as sand goes, but the grounds here cover a vast area of tide pools (fed by the relentless Hilo waves pounding the shore) and a huge lava rock outcrop stretching out to form a perilous point that is absolutely obliterated by the southeastern swells.

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Question: Where to Stay on the Big Island

This question was received via email:

We would like a side of The Big Island where we can drive to the Volcano. Some of us want to do the helicopter tour, but we want it to be more tropical, more restaurants, and more things to see and do. Do we need to book a hotel in Kona or Hilo?  - Glenn A.

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Glenn,

We’ve written a few detailed articles that can help you decide:  Where to Stay on the Big Island, and an Overview of the Regions of the Big Island.

It is really going to depend on the exact activities you want to do.  If you want a lot of beach time then the Kohala Coast of Kona is probable where you want to be.  If you want to spend a lot of time at the Volcano and perhaps hiking/touring things such as the Waipio Valley, Akaka Falls, etc. then Hilo is for you.  You can still stay in Kona and visit the Volcanoes National Park – just factor in the 100 or so miles you will need to drive (each way) to get there…

If you have a list of specific activities you are interested in, let me know and I can help you answer your question.  Also, please take a look at our Big Island  itineraries section with ideas on how to plan your vacation depending on how long you have to spend on the Big Island.