Pu’uhonua o Honaunau (Place of Refuge) National Park is just down the mountain. I hiked there yesterday along the shore trail, planning to go all the way to Ho’okena Beach. It was blazing sun, no shade, radiating hotter from the black lava (so hot you could fry a goat), so I only got halfway before turning back. No one there but me and wild goats.
One of the many great things about COVID is I get to experience Hawaii without the usual crush of tourists. I passed only one couple and asked them how far they were going. “Until we run out of beer” they said.
In ancient Hawaii, punishment was death if you violated the sacred laws, called kapu, a word derived from “taboo.” Such crimes included crossing a chief’s shadow, eating with women (still dicey, IMHO), or coming into contact with a chief’s fingernail clippings. But if you could evade the authorities and make it to a holy place of refuge, like here, you’d be rehabilitated and given another chance.
Blazing sun at sea level, rain on top of the mountain. In Hawaii you can go a mile and be in a completely different climate.
Lava rock shelf at water’s edge.
They’re not totem poles. In Hawaii they’re ki’i.
Looking from Place of Refuge towards Two Step, a black lava beach across the bay. The name comes from a submerged ledge you use to get in the water to avoid getting smashed back into the rocks by the waves.
Two Step is one of the best snorkeling places in Hawaii. Jump in and you’re in a giant tropical aquarium filled with dinner plate size, crazy color fish. The excellent snorkeling is the best thing about living on this side of the big island and Two Step is the closest beach to where I live.
(I’m in the middle.)
Last weekend was a hike at Kaloko-Honokohau Park, another black lava along turquoise water hike. You never get tired of hiking black lava along turquoise water, especially if there are lots of giant sea turtles.
Kaloko-Honokohau is a hang-out for them. Dozens were swimming around in shallow water. One monster, over 3 ft long, climbed up onto the beach between sunbathers and went to sleep.
The inland path back to the car was rough lava rock, a barren wasteland. The park ranger looked perplexed when I told him I was heading back this way. “Just watch your ankles” he said. I was going to say “Watch your own ankles, buddy, mine are stronger than yours any day,” but didn’t because he was being very nice and was carrying a gun.
It was easier to find the way back to the car on the shore path (just follow the water), but the rough lava trail was really cool. Raw, unused, trickier footing, it just seemed more hike-y. The chance of getting lost and starving to death was slim because Home Depot was just on the other side of the highway.
The “mill” where we process coffee, cacao, mac nuts and dry laundry. On sunny days it gets sweltering. I did a lot of hot yoga in pre-COVID times, which I could do here IF we get afternoon sunshine, which is rare.
But we might when Hurricane Doug hits. Hurricanes only hit the east side of the big island and can’t cross the 13,000 ft Mauna Loa (“long mountain”) volcano. We don’t get the hurricane rain or wind, but the odd effect is it sucks all the moisture out of the west side of the island. So the hurricane might bring only sunny weather here. Weird, eh?
Leon showing nephew Tyler how to husk mac nuts. Note the action shot of the mac nut falling into the hopper.
Drying husked (brown) and not-yet-husked (green) mac nuts.
So many valuable jobs skills I’m learning. Not only can I trim a tree, but I can load the remains into the pickup and take it to the landfill. (In truth, I already had these skills but it never hurts to practice.)
Snorkeling is one of the best things about the big island.
the loublog 