The Big Island of
Hawaii - Experience High & Low Adventure
By Caroline M. Jackson
“If you’re
claustrophobic, keep your eye on the light at the end of the long tunnel.
Don’t panic if you fall out the kayak. Just stand up in the water.” These
were the instructions from our native guide as we lined up to climb into our
flotilla of kayaks. We were in the Kohala Mountains on the northern tip of
Hawaii’s Big Island. Equipped with comfortable life vests and headlamps, we
were about to Flum’in da Ditch. In other words, we would be meandering along
a 3.5 mile-stretch of water through tunnels, over flumes and in open ditches.
Originally built to irrigate the Kohala sugar cane fields, the water now
supplies ranches and farms. In all, the ditch system runs for almost 23 miles
with 16 miles of tunnel and six miles of open ditch.
Once ensconced in our kayak,
our guide warned us to duck before entering tunnels and that in some
instances, we would be wise to lie horizontally. Paddles would also have to be
placed vertically in the kayak to avoid being ‘clotheslined’ at the tunnel
entrance. Soon we slipped from the warm tropical sunlight into the cool of our
first tunnel Someone up front got a little spooked in the dark, so a companion
started singing in a deep baritone voice which echoed off the walls. Between
tunnels -–the longest being 1,800’ – we emerged into canopied pristine
forest areas humming with bird life. Sometimes we would round a bend and be
unexpectedly showered by a cascading waterfall. Now we knew why we had been
advised to wear quick-drying swimsuits.
For our next ecotourism
experience, we took a Hawaiian Mountain Vehicle Tour through the same area.
After meeting our Kohala-born guide in the town of Hawi, we climbed aboard a
4WD Hummer which can traverse the most rugged terrain. Perched on the back
seat, we swung out of town and headed up a steep hill. We veered alongside a
sizeable reservoir. It does after all, take 500 gallons of water to make just
one pound of sugar. We bumped past flowering Australian Toon trees, guava
plants, cinnamon and eucalyptus trees. In the shadow of some Cook and
Ponderosa pines, we came across a herd of wild Longhorn cattle which seemed
quite unperturbed by our presence. En route, our guide ‘BJ’ regaled us
with tales of tracking down a 600lb. wild pigs. After splashing through
riverbeds and swamps, past cascading veils of water, our final stop was by a
pristine pond where we rested and drank in the surrounding tropical ambiance.
This was truly a Garden of Eden.
The following afternoon, we
decided to literally stick our heads in the clouds by taking a guided tour to
the top of Mauna Kea which stands at 13,796’. The 4WD vehicle took us along
the Saddle Road which is often dubbed the ‘straddle’ road because so many
people drive down the middle of the yellow line. The downside of ascending to
a high altitude is that it can cause headache, giddiness, nausea and shortness
of breath. The good news, however, is that these symptoms can be alleviated by
drinking water and our driver pointed out that there was oxygen on board for
any breathing problems. As we cut across the Big Island through a Military
Reserve, signs caught my attention: “Danger – Overhead artillery
firing,” and “Live Ammunition. Dud area”. Fleetingly, I wondered if I
should have been in an armored tank rather than a 4WD. The area is certainly
not the ideal picnic spot as some tourists apparently discovered after finding
themselves in the line of target practice. Onwards and upwards we climbed
until we reached the Visitor Information Center at 9,200 feet – an ideal
place to acclimatize ourselves before proceeding up the steep cinder path to
the summit. Our vehicle continued at a snail’s pace to minimize creating
clouds of red dust which can obstruct the visual field of the 13 observatories
which are lined up like toadstools along the ridge. Experiencing a slight
headache, we donned warm clothes and walked into the keening wind which
whipped at our parkas. Before us we watched a spectacular sunset while behind
us the automated telescopes opened like clams to study the heavens. On our
return journey, we stopped for a snack and some stargazing.
Now that we were hooked on
volcanoes, we decided to take a day trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
located on the flanks of Mauna Loa (long mountain). The Chain of Craters Road
leads to the Kilauea Caldera at 4,000’ which has excellent visitor centers
and maps depicting well-marked trails. Plugging our noses against the sulfuric
aromas, we followed the 11-mile drive round the caldera, a Spanish word
meaning ‘cauldron’. Our first walk took us along the Steaming Bluffs Trail
where wisps of steam arose from rock fissures. Other highlights included the
Jaggar Museum, the Halema’uma’u crater and my favorite, a trek out to the
lava caves which were like gigantic waves frozen in time.
Towards the end of the
circuit we enjoyed an easy walk along Devastation Trail. A board walk is laid
out atop a ten foot deep layer of cinders and pumice which was formed in 1959.
Today a skeletal forest of naked trees lies testimony to the last eruption.
Our final sojourn was a short walk through the Thurston Lava Tube gouged out
by a lava flow. Access is via a path which wends its way between a canopy of
giant tree ferns, home of many exotic birds.
Having plunged into the
adventure zone for our first few days, we decided to have a sedate pastoral
day with a visit to the Parker Ranch & Museum at Waimea. More reminiscent
of the green hills of Scotland than Hawaii, the 200,000 acres of surrounding
rangelands are fed by shrouds of cool misty rains carried by the Trade Winds.
One of the elegant historical Parker homes boasts interesting paintings and
objets d’art. To round off our day, we teamed up with Isaac Haworth for a
slow horse-drawn covered wagon trip through the rangelands.
Our last exploit was back at
sea level aboard the Orca Raft which leaves from Kailua Pier. Our immaculate
yellow craft hugged the Kona coast south to the Captain Cook monument where in
the shelter of Kealakekua Bay’s marine sanctuary, we enjoyed some
spectacular snorkeling. En route, our guide filled us in on the local history
of the coast and we eavesdropped on the eerie underwater sounds emanating from
nearby whales. At that moment, our raft seemed very small compared with these
behemoths of the ocean.
Information:
Flum’in da Ditch http://www.@flumindaditch.com
Forest & Trail Mauna Kea
Summit & Star Adventure http://www.hawaii-forest.com
Parker Ranch Historical Homes
& Adventures http://www.parkerranch.com
Orca Raft: http://www.fair-wind.com
Big Island Visitors Bureau: http://www.bigisland.org
Images by Hamish M. Jackson
