Newest Pahoa Flow Moving Northeast

As of Dec. 2, 2014, the area where the two lines of descent (the blue lines) is approximately 400 yards from the current flow.  At the current rate of advancement, it should reach it sometime today.  So, tomorrow will give a better idea of which direction the flow will take.  It could follow the current line, which would take it toward the Pahoa Marketplace, it could take the more northerly track or split and take both.  On the other hand, as we’ve seen in the past, it could very well take a completely unexpected path or stop, like the original flow.

The original flow, shown in pink above, advanced at an average rate closer to 100 yards or less daily.

This video is from the Dec 1, 2014 update and has some great video shots, as well as good information on what’s happened.

The community of Pahoa and its surrounding subdivisions has been threatened by advancing lava since June 2014.  To date, as far as I know, only one residential property has been completely lost to the lava.  A few other properties have been affected with the lava entering and covering part of their property, but otherwise, damage has been minimal to this point.  Of course, there was ranch/cattle land covered along the way, as well.

The Civil Defense, Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Hawaii County, the state of Hawaii, and the utility companies have all made great efforts to keep the public aware of on-going activity while trying to maintain as much of the utilities and road access available to the residents of Pahoa.  The Federal government and FEMA has been somewhat slow to provide much assistance.  Lava, and its unique properties, is not something national emergency procedures address well.

I’m sure FEMA would act quicker had the entire community of Pahoa disappeared under a massive advance of lava, but the fact that this is a slowly developing situation and with unknown properties affected, they seem to be at a loss as to what to do.  Even President Obama, who likes to claim Hawaii as his birthplace, was slow to declare a State of Emergency which provides access to federal aid to affected families and small business owners.

The problem with not only federal aid, but with homeowners’ insurance, is that they don’t kick in until and unless your residence or business has been destroyed.  They do not consider you’re leaving or evacuating in advance of the lava, as their problem.  In fact, homeowners’ insurance goes so far as to punish those who evacuate by declaring your home as vacant, therefore limited in coverage if covered at all.  The other problem that the state is looking into is the cancellation or non-renewal of policies on properties in the affected areas by insurance companies.

Cafe 100 in Hilo (808 Kilauea Ave.), is the birthplace of this all-in-one, nutritionists’ nightmare, local favorite!  The classic loco-moco is a bowl of rice, an egg fried over-easy, one hamburger patty, all smothered, generously in brown gravy.  (You can feel your arteries harden with each delicious bite.)

Cafe 100 is a must-stop for my family whenever we’re in Hilo…the variations on the theme seem to be endless.  While I love the original, classic loco-moco, I also enjoy the Spam loco-moco and the Portuguese-sausage loco-moco.

On the other end of the island, in Waimea, is the Hawaiian Style Cafe (64-1290 Kawaihae Rd.), which is credited for what might just be the biggest loco-moco  using a 1-pound hamburger patty!  While the following video runs 22 minutes, the Hawaiian Style Cafe is covered within the first 4 1/2 minutes…although, you might want to watch the rest of the video as well.

Of course, today, there are various renditions on this Hawaii favorite at many restaurants throughout the state.  I’d be curious to know which and from where,  is your favorite?

One of the many Kona Historical Society’s projects, the Kona Coffee Living History Farm is a 5 1/2 acre farm with coffee and macadamia-nut trees, a farmhouse, and a coffee-processing mill, circa 1913.  It is a reflection of life for some of the thousands of Japanese immigrants living in the area pre-1945.

The Kona Coffee Living History Farm has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1994.

My maternal grandmother grew up on such a coffee farm and I vividly remember visiting my great-grandmother there.  We had many “chats”, even though she spoke no English and I spoke no Japanese.  Somehow,  we still managed to sit and “talk” to one another.

I remember her as a frail, petite, weather-withered old woman who still rolled her own cigarettes, even at age 80, and who’s whole face would light up when she smiled.  They still had to use an outhouse and water was supplied by the rain.  An old tobacco pouch was tied around the water faucet in the kitchen, to catch leaves and whatever else happened to fall into the rain catchment system.

The Kona Coffee Living History Farm can be found on Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy 11), between mile markers 111 and 112.   Its approximately 14 miles from Kailua.  If you’re coming from Kailua, it will be just beyond Captain Cook.

The Story Behind The Kona Coffee Living History Farm

They open Mondays thru Thursdays from 10:00- 2:00 PM, although the visitors’ kiosk opens at 9:00 AM.  They close the gate at 2:00, so you’ll want to be sure to arrive by 1:00 PM.

Entry fee is $20 for adults, $5.00 for children 5-12, and no charge for children under 5.  The Kona Coffee Living History Farm is currently offering a special of $15 (25% off!) for adults, making this a great time to visit if you’re in, or planning on being in Kona.

You can reach them by calling (808)323-2006 or email them at coffeefarm@konahistorical.org.

My #1 Pick for a Scenic View of Honolulu

Without a doubt, the best view of the Honolulu city-scape would be from the Puu Ualakaa State Wayside park area up Round Top Drive.  The park is a popular destination for locals looking for a getaway picnic site without having to go too far.

View from Puu Ualakaa State Park

Map to Puu Ualakaa State Wayside Park

There is also a roadside pullout area, just below Puu Ualakaa State Wayside park, that overlooks Manoa Valley and the University of  Hawaii campus along the way.  The map has this spot marked as well.  This is a good spot to view the city lights from since the park closes at dusk.  The view is not as spectacular because the hillside permits viewing east only and blocks 2/3rds of the city.

An added bonus of this location at night is the hillside opposite the viewing area.  There are hundreds of Night-Blooming Cereus plants clinging to the rocks and, as the name implies, they only blossom at night.  The whole side of the hill is covered in these beautiful flowers.

My #2 Pick for a Scenic View of Honolulu

A second choice would be the view from the Punchbowl National Cemetery lookout, located beyond the gravesites.  Its vantage point is a little lower than Puu Ualakaa State Wayside park area, but its also much easier to get to.

Map to Punchbowl National Cemetary

Once you’re on Pensacola Street, there will be signs directing you to Punchbowl Cemetery.

Don’t forget to take your camera!

Punaluu

In an earlier post, I talked about my favorite place on the Big Island, South Point.  In it, I mentioned Papakolea, the green-sand beach.  I thought I should probably make you aware of a much more  accessible black-sand beach.  (If you remember, reaching Papakolea required a 2.5 mile hike each way or a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get there.)

Punaluu Beach State Park is located about 20 miles from South Point, toward Hilo.   You simply take a short drive off of Mamalahoa Highway, between the towns of Naalehu and Pahala, and you can just about drive onto the beach.  Do not attempt to do so, as this is also a favorite resting spot of the Hawaiian green sea turtle, a protected species.

Punaluu is a great spot to take a break from the long drive between Hilo and Kailua-Kona.  There is a protected inlet located behind the picnic pavilions that usually provides a calm, shallow, sandy bottomed area that’s just great for the little ones.  (My granddaughter was a year old when we took her there and she was as happy as can be walking around this safe haven.)

There are other black sand beaches on the Big Island, specifically on the eastern shores, south of Hilo.  This is a very lightly visited area of the Big Island, simply because it requires veering off of Mamalahoa Highway on the around-the-island drive that many undertake to make in a day…a big mistake.  (See Drive Around the Big Island posts #2 of 3.)

You take Highway 130 South at Kea’au, go down to the town of Pahoa and can take Highway 130 to the beach or take one of the many side roads that all end up at the water’s edge.  Be sure to pick up a map.

Punaluu remains my favorite black sand beach, although except for the kiddie area, its really not the best swimming beach.  But, it is a great spot to observe the many sea turtles that frequent the area, except for mating season when they head to the islands of the French Frigate Shoals, part of the Hawaiian Island Archipelago, where 90% of the green sea turtles lay their eggs.

If you are a regular follower of my blog, you know that as a general rule, Hawaii resorts reviews are not my thing.   However, I must admit, I just came across an article in WestsideToday.com, a California e-magazine, that I thought I would refer people to who might be interested in some of the resorts on Maui.

Maui Resorts Review

In this resorts review, the author, Pearson Brown, stayed at and gives his reactions to:

• Fairmont Kea Lani, in south Maui
• Makena Beach and Golf Resort (formerly the Maui Prince), also in south Maui
• Napili Kai Beach Resort, in west Maui

Although more noted for its golf and tennis packages, Mr. Brown manages to not focus his review of the Makena Beach and Golf Resort on these athletic endeavors, but rather on those amenities that everyone in the family could enjoy.  He traveled with a close friend and his pre-school aged son, so does take the time to mention some kid-focused activities available at these resorts, as well.

Beyond the resorts review…

More than just a resorts review, this article also reviews a handful of attractions that anyone who visits Maui might enjoy visiting as well.  Links to previous blog posts here have been given for further information, and links are also provided for those I haven’t.

Mixed in with the resorts review are some observations about the Maui Theatre’s Ulalena  and the Grand Luau at Honua’ula (www.honuaula-luau.com) at the Grand Wailea resort.  He makes stops at Surfing Goat Dairy (www.surfinggoatdairy.com), Ali’i Kula Lavender Gardens, and the Maui Ocean Center, the Hawaiian Aquarium, (www.mauioceancenter.com), making this more than your typical resorts review, and reminding you that even in Hawaii, its more than just the beaches.

So, if your travel plans involve finding a nice resort on Maui, I think you will find the resorts review provided in  “A Near Escape To Maui” (WestsideToday.com) of  interest.  But, even if you don’t plan on staying at a resort, you may still find the author’s take on some of the activities worth your read.

Ka Lae…South Point

I’m sure everyone who ever spent any time at all in Hawaii has a special place that they remember with fond memories.  Maybe its because I have strong memories of time spent fishing with my grandfathers, uncles, dad and sister, as well as with my two daughters…or maybe its just because it has such a raw beauty all its own, but my favorite spot is South Point, aka Ka Lae, on the Big Island.

For most, its nothing more than a blip on a map or in a travel brochure/guide that simply makes note of the fact that it is the southernmost point of the US.   (Key West is the southernmost of the contiguous 48 states, but South Point, is further south.)

The contrasting sight of the calm waters of Kona on one side and the turbulent, wind-whipped waters on the other, makes it an interesting place to visit.  Almost always windy, South Point has been the site of a World War II outpost, a former U.S. Army- then U.S. Air Force satellite-tracking station, and an abandoned wind-turbine farm, the Kamaoa Wind Farm.

Update:  As of March 29. 2012, Apollo Energy Corp., owners of the Kamaoa Wind Farm, announced that the dismantling of all 37 of the rusted remains of the Mitsubishi turbines will be completed by the end of the week.  The pieces will be stored on-site until a buyer for the scrap can be found.  Apollo Energy Corp. is also joint-owners of the Pakini Nui Wind Farm, which can be seen from South Point as you look back to the northwest.

Left: South Point

Right: Mahana Bay

View along the way to Mahana Bay

Mahana Bay and Papakolea (Green Sand Beach)

It is also your gateway to the famous green sand beach.  “Back in the day”, before someone decided to add it to the tourists brochures, locals referred to it as Mahana Bay, or simply as Mahana.  Once it was “put on the map”, it now goes by its much longer Hawaiian-name Papakolea Beach.  (I admit, the first time I heard it called that was only a few years ago.)

Regardless of how you come to call it, it is the only green sand beach that I am aware of and even though it requires an hour to hour-fifteen minute hike to get to it, there are a surprising number of people who visit this once desolate beach.  (Once a favorite fishing spot of mine.)

Note:  If you decide to take the hike, please make sure you wear a hat, sunscreen, and a pair of sunglasses wouldn’t hurt either.  Just as, if not more, important is to remember to bring your own refreshments as there are no services in the area.  As a matter of fact, South Point is about 12-15 miles away from the nearest eatery in either Ocean View Estates or Naalehu.

On a visit, it during February 2010,  we had a sideshow of whale’s breaching off the coast as we made the trek there and back.   I remember making a plea for one of them to display a full breach as opposed to just the spray we were witnessing everywhere.

And, about half way back from our visit to Mahana Bay, we were not only treated to a full breach, but mom was followed seconds later by junior!  It was an awesome site that just made my day complete!

I hope you will find the time to visit South Point, rather than just drive-by the turn off.

Merrie Monarch Festival – Hilo

Didn’t get your tickets to attend the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition?  Don’t feel bad, thousands of others also missed out as this venue usually sells out before the first of the year.  The good news is, there are a lot of activities that you can attend, many of which are free, during this week long celebration hosted by the town of Hilo.

To quote their website, ” the major purpose of the festival is the perpetuation, preservation, and promotion of the art of hula and the Hawaiian culture through education.”  The Merrie Monarch Festival had its beginning in 1964, sponsored by the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce and continued by the private Merrie Monarch Festival community organization, a non-profit organization.

King Kalakaua…The Merrie Monarch

The Merrie Monarch Festival is dedicated to the memory of King David Kalakaua, aka the Merrie Monarch.  King Kalakaua reigned from 1874-1891 and was responsible for the resurrection of Hawaiian cultural traditions that had been all but eradicated by the missionaries.   He encouraged the re-birth of Hawaiian mythology, medicine, chant, and hula.

Merrie Monarch Festival Is Born

The original program for the first few years included a King Kalakaua look-alike contest, barber shop quartet entertainment, a relay race, and a Holuku Ball.  A far cry from the festival being held today.

It changed direction to include the hula competition in 1971, which was perfectly timed for the renewed interest in Hawaiian culture throughout Hawaii to launch its popularity.  What may have surprised everyone was how its popularity spread world-wide!

The World’s Premiere Hula Competition

From its humble beginnings with nine female hula dancers entered in that initial contest in 1971, male competition was added in 1976, and the groundwork was laid for the prestigious world-wide competition it has become.  The hula competition now takes place over 3-days as entrants from around the world vie for the coveted title of Winner of the Merrie Monarch Festival.

There are now 8 awards that are given for top performers and top hula halaus (schools).  The prestige of winning this annual competition cannot be over-stated.  You can view a listing of all the winners since 1998 at www.kalena.com.  Here are performances by some of the 2011 Merrie Monarch Festival Hula Competition winners.

MERRIE MONARCH FESTIVAL 2011 Hâlau Ke’alaokamaile

MISS ALOHA HULA WINNER 2011 Tori Hulali Canha

Ke Kai O Kahiki – 1st Kāne Overall, 1st Kāne Kahiko

The festivities have expanded to cover a full-week and include hula demonstrations, exhibits, arts & crafts, and food vendors to make sure that there is a little something for everyone.  It includes a crowd favorite, the Merrie Monarch Royal Parade, held on Saturday morning and winds its way through downtown Hilo.

So, as you can see, Hawaiian culture, song, and dance are all being safely preserved and shared for generations to come, just as the Merrie Monarch himself, King David Kalakaua wanted. If you’re going to be on the Big Island during the second week of April, I strongly encourage you to take the time to experience at least a part of the Merrie Monarch Festival, enjoy the entertainment, experience the love, and savor the foods!