Tag Archives: Crown Princess

January 25, 2017 · 5:35 am

Port 1 Hilo — Thurston Lava Tube


Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube

Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube

Kilauea is not the only attraction within the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.  Just a half mile from the Kikauea Caldera overlook is the Thurston Lava Tube, known to the locals as Nāhuku.  I’m pretty sure that the lava tube did not get its name from famed millionaire castaway Thurston Howell, III, but you never know.  Actually, it was named after the Thurston family, missionary Asa and Lucy Thurston and their descendants.

The hike to Nāhuku

The hike to Nāhuku

It’s a short hike from the lava tube parking area on Crater Rim Drive to the lava tube entrance, and the vegetation along the way is quite spectacular.

The hike to Nāhuku

The hike to Nāhuku

And you’ll know when you’ve arrived:

Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube

Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube

This natural cave is a result of a lava flow from the nearby Kilauea Volcano.  A river of hot, molten lava crusts over along the outer edges, insulating the lava still flowing within.  When this molten lava drains from the channel, you get a lava tube.

Now for today’s photo gallery of this worthwhile Ricky’s Tour stop:

Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube
Looking down from above
The hike to Nāhuku
The hike to Nāhuku
Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube
Nāhuku — Thurston Lava Tube

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January 23, 2017 · 5:35 am

Port 1 Hilo — A closer look at Kilauea Caldera


Kilauea Caldera

Kilauea Caldera

The Kilauea Caldera is a forbidding landscape.  Hardly a speck of green intrudes into the area surrounding the smoking Halema’uma’u Crater in the distance.  The crater itself is 2,530 feet/770 meters wide, 2,950 feet/900 meters long, and is 270 feet/83 meters.

Kilauea Caldera

Kilauea Caldera

And that “smoke” you see rising from the floor of Halema’uma’u?  It’s deadly sulfur dioxide gas.

Now for today’s photo gallery of this hellish place and the beauty of the surrounding area:

Kilauea Caldera
Kilauea Caldera
Kilauea Caldera
Kilauea Caldera
Kilauea Caldera
Kilauea Caldera
Mauna Loa
Kahuku Ranch in the distance

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January 20, 2017 · 5:35 am

Port 1 Hilo — Rainbow Falls and Volcanoes National Park


Kilauea Caldera

Kilauea Caldera

Our next stop on Ricky’s tour bus was Rainbow Falls, aptly named depending on how the sunlight hits the spray rising from the Wailuku River.

Wailuku River

Wailuku River

The falls are quite the sight, and it’s very fun composing shots highlighting only certain aspects of the falling water.

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls

Still, the complete falls are themselves fun to capture, especially in portrait orientation.

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls

Check around the area for some beautiful flora, as well.

Rainbow Falls flora

Rainbow Falls flora

A little over an hour later we entered Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.  Here I let my inner Ansel Adams take over with a red-filtered (see: Black & White Photography—It’s All in the Color!) black-and-white panorama of the nearby area.  Below is a photo of the ranchlands and scrub beneath a cloud-shrouded Mauna Loa:

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park

Just beyond this ranchland we entered the national park overlook of the awesome and somewhat frightening Kilauea Caldera.

Volcanos National Park

Volcanos National Park

What’s so frightening about the Kilauea Caldera?  Take a look, and note the lack of vegetation and the smoke rising into the air.

Kilauea Caldera

Kilauea Caldera

We’ll be taking a closer (zoomed) view of the caldera on Monday.  Until then, here are two more images from the park:

Kilauea Caldera

Kilauea Caldera

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park

 

 

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