Category: USA

Banyan Drive

Hilo HI

Banyan Drive in Hilo is a street lined with banyan trees, many were planted by famous people. These banyan trees are quite interesting. The hanging aerial roots are pretty strong – I pulled on a couple and there was no give at all. I can imagine Tarzan swing from tree to tree grabbing these roots!

Large banyan tree. Those are hanging roots.
Planted by First Lady Pat Nixon in 1972.
Amelia Earhart planted this tree in 1935.
Babe Ruth planted this tree in 1933.
England’s King George V planted this tree in 1934.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt planted this tree in 1934.
Large monkeypod, or hitachi tree.

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center

Keaau HI

The is the largest macadamia nut producer in the world. It is located just outside Hilo,
Hundreds of rows of macadamia nut trees line Macadamia Road on the three mile drive leading to the visitor center and processing plant.
At the visitor center there is a garden to stroll through. This is a plumeria.
Pink hibiscus.
Red hibiscus.
Tiger lily.
Red ginger.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

There are two active volcanoes in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park – Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Much of Mauna Loa is closed to visitors due to recent eruption. Kilauea last erupted in October 2023, but there is still a lot of smoke coming out of the crater.
This is the state flag of Hawai’i. The Union Jack (British flag) is used because Britain supported King Kamehameha I when he united the Hawaiian islands in 1793. The eight stripes represent the eight major islands of Hawai’i.
These are steam vents. The early morning was very dark and rainy, which accented the steam.
More steam vents.
This is the northern edge of the Halema‘Uma‘U Crater on the Kilauea volcano. Here also, the steam is more pronounced because of the cool, dark and rainy weather.
The center of Halema‘Uma‘U Crater.
Looking toward the southern rim of Halema‘Uma‘U Crater.
This is the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube.
The tube is fairly tall – I did not have to crouch at all to walk through the tube.
Just enough light to see my way through the tube.
Kilauea Iki crater.
Close up of Kilauea Iki crater.
Hikers in the Kilauea Iki crater.
After the sun came out, we went back to the Halema‘Uma‘U Crater. With the sun out and temperature rising, the smoke was not as pronounced.
Close up of Halema‘Uma‘U Crater.
Southern rim of Halema‘Uma‘U Crater.
From the Volcano House, to the northeast of the Kilauea caldera, this was a pretty impressive view of Halema‘Uma‘U Crater.
Zooming in to Halema‘Uma‘U Crater from Volcano House.
We were here!

Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea is the highest point in Hawai’i and a sacred site for native Hawaiian culture. The peak is 13,803 feet above sea level. It is the tallest sea mountain in the world from base at the sea floor to peak – over 33,000 feet. Mauna Kea’s summit is home to the world’s largest observatory for optical, infrared and submillimeter astronomy. Research teams from eleven different countries operate 13 telescopes atop Mauna Kea.

So peaceful up here. After the sunset we descended to about 9,000 to see the undiluted sky. Our guide pointed out the various constellations. This was better than any observatory I have been to – this was the real thing! We saw Jupiter, Orion, the Little Dipper, Aries, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Persius and Aquarius, to name a few.

Lava field at base of Mauna Kea.
Cinder cones on the side of Mauna Kea.
Very Large Baseline Array, one of a series of ten satellite antennas around the US. It changed its angle slightly every 30 seconds or so while we were there.
Above 9,000 feet elevation, the landscape looks like Mars!
The telescopes on Mauna Kea are operated by 12 separate nonprofit observatories. Each has its own strengths with varying fields of view and sensitivities to light from radio to ultraviolet wavelengths, all important to the scientific productivity of Mauna Kea.

Mauna Kea is the world’s premier site for astronomy research because of the mountain’s high altitude, gentle slopes, calm air and dark skies allow for the clearest visibility on Earth for astronomical observation.
Subaru telescope.
Gemini telescope.
The Subaru and two Keck telescopes.
More satellite antennas.
The true summit of Mauna Kea, a few feet higher than I am standing. It is a native sacred site, so visitors are not allow.
This view is Mauna Loa to the south of Mauna Kea.
A more complete view of Mauna Loa as the sun sets on Mauna Kea. Mauna Loa has elevation of 13,677 feet, and is part of the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
The mountain in the distance is Haleakalā on Maui! Two days earlier, we stood at the top of Haleakalā for sunrise and saw Mauna Kea in the distance! Amazing!
Sunset on Mauna Kea! At almost 14,000 feet elevation, from here no clouds are above us!
My group was not the only one at the summit for sunset!

Island of Hawai’i Eastern Shore

We left Waikoloa Village on the northwest shore, headed for Hilo on the eastern shore.

Waikoloa Village.
The view of Mauna Kea from across a lava field.
There is a lot of agriculture on the island of Hawai’i. We saw a quite a few cattle farms. We were told that the primary crops on the island are tropical flowers and fruits. Early this morning, we drove through some rain and low clouds.
After a morning drive of almost an hour and a half, the payoff: Waipiʻo Valley Lookout in Waimea HI.
Close up of Kaluahine Falls.
The cove at Laupāhoehoe Point.
Laupāhoehoe Point.
The turbulent waves at Laupāhoehoe Point this morning.
Rough waves on the rocks!
Another lovely bunch of coconuts.
Saffron finches at ‘Akaka Falls State Park.
Similar to the hike to Manoa Falls, the hike to ‘Akaka Falls was steep and in the jungle.
Bamboo.
Banyan tree.
‘Akaka Falls is 442 feet tall, about twice the height of Niagara Falls. And it had a bit of a rainbow!
Bird of paradise.