The Big Island in 2002

Draft as of February 25, 2002 9:13 am

Aloha! In May, 2000, we wrote, “We’ll return to the big island. We have so much left to do there. Whale watching (January through March are supposed to be good), and more birding top the list, which includes a trip to the National Energy Laboratory, a couple of days at the Volcanoes Park, seeing two botanical gardens, and visiting the Captain Cook monument. Lots more snorkeling to do, too.”

In February 2002, we shortened the list just a bit with an eight-day return trip, this time to celebrate Sue’s and our friend Ilse’s 60^th birthdays! Our brief report may awaken in you strong interests in the Hawaii. We’ll be pleased to help you with planning your first (or next) visit there, but we’re not experts yet. More returns are needed!

Sunday, February 10: We met Ilse and Ugur at San Francisco airport, as they had flown in from San Diego, and together, we boarded United flight 41 to Kona, about 5 hours away. We arrived to ideal weather for the two convertibles we’d reserved – ours a yellow Mustang, theirs a black one. We drove to Marlin Road in Kailua-Kona, about 10.5 miles from the airport. Our friends Caroline and Mike own this lovely house, and offered it for our use for this celebration.

Mike and Caroline’s home is located in the Sunset View district of Kona, aptly named for its westward-facing orientation. It feels secluded because of the gardens around it. The sound of its outdoor water fountain began immediately to soothe us and drain away the stress of the trip. From any window on the west side of the house - and there are many – we could see 150⁰ of Pacific Ocean, and much of Kona.

We opened the house, and left our luggage. We ate a late lunch, setting a pattern for the rest of the week, this time at Huggo’s On The Rocks. This little place serves a few sandwiches and drinks at the surf line in Kailua. Sated, we felt confident enough to provision our kitchen for our stay. First the Farmer’s Market for fruits, veggies and flowers.

Besides, papayas, lemons, and oranges, we found small – about 1 inch in diameter - green “Chinese” lemons costing us $2 for about a pint. These were the juiciest fruits we’d seen in a long time! Among the vegetables, we bought a few perfect avocados. The flowers – orchids, anthuriums, and others – graced our tables and the entry to the house, and they lasted so well that Ilse and Sue brought home bouquets!

Sunday’s sunset rivaled many wonderful ones we have seen from San Francisco and from Ilse and Ugur’s home in Colorado. We lined up deck chairs on the patio and watched again as the ocean swallowed the sun! We toasted the sun, the ocean, and our very good fortune to be with one another and part of the Hawaii scene, and, of course, the ladies’ birthdays! Soon after our light suppers, we headed off to bed.

Monday, February 11: Each morning of the week (except Friday) featured an extravagant brunch prepared by Ugur, with help from the rest of us. We’d feast on fresh fruit, tea, perhaps eggs and sausages, cheese, toast and jam. Each day was a little different, and each better than the last. Brunches generally started by 9:30 or 10:00, and lasted an hour or so.

These brunches provided sustenance for our heavy tourist schedule, of course, but more importantly, these meals - and our evening meals – provided time to visit with one another. We’d share the preparation and clean-up duties, chattering all the while. It was during the relaxed times around the brunch table on the patio, and around the dining room table in the evening, that we learned and taught and entertained one another. We reminisced about previous adventures, and started to plan, or at least consider, future ones.

After cleanup, we loaded a small subset of clothes for our two-day visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park into our cars but before we could leave, we watched a wild turkey, and her chick perambulate across the front yard. Wild? We subsequently saw Japanese White Eyes, yellow-billed cardinals, and several others of the local birds, including the ubiquitous Cardinal, the state bird of Virginia.

We drove south on route 11. We stopped first at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park. This beautiful place of refuge continues today to be held as sacred ground by Hawaiians, and it spoke to us and connected us to those people and their island. We spent a couple of hours there, visiting the several buildings, and seeing the sea urchins, the crabs and small fish, as well as green sea turtles (hono) grazing at the shoreline.

Leaving, we impulsively turned into the nearby Hope Family Coffee Farms, located in Captain Cook, where we met Jack, the manager of the farm. As he said, “we love to talk about coffee.” He talked, and brewed coffee for us. He taught us to slurp it real fast to get its “chocolate” taste to explode in the back or our throats. Ric, our party’s coffee addict, found this Kona coffee (Estate grade, Medium roast) a delightful brew. Even Ilse, who’s a confirmed tea drinker, enjoyed it. We brought some back.

Ric’d only had Kona blend coffee before this trip. Jack told us that Starbuck’s (and Peet’s here in San Francisco) had been selling as “Kona” coffee some blend that included Kona and other coffees. The Kona coffee growers have won a lawsuit that prohibits that practice. Ric had always thought Kona coffee meant “sweet” or “flavored” coffee, but not so. Kona is good and rich, and expensive! When we asked why so expensive, Jack told us that the supply is always less than the demand.

Monday’s late lunch was Mexican, sort of. We found a small place in Captain Cook called “Senior Billy’s and Grandma’s” which features both Mexican and American menus. We had various tamales, tacos, rice and beans, all OK. We continued our drive to Volcano, stopping after just a few minutes to put the tops up. We drove in rain or showers most of the rest of the way, arriving at the park just after 5:00. There, we drove around Crater Rim Drive in the park, and we stopped to walk through the Thurston Lava Tube.

We checked into the Guest House at Volcano about 7 pm, and drove right back to town (about a mile each way) to purchase some provisions for the evening meal – Progresso clam chowder, salad, bread, etc. This small, somewhat primitive store stocked some surprising finds. Most were aimed at the Japanese tourists, but we like them too! (Sue and Ric had looked forward to dining again at Surt’s Restaurant, but Surt’s is no longer in business. It was probably a victim of the economic downturn. After September 11, American tourism declined. Also the Japanese tourists stayed away for a while, in deference to the US mourning its losses.)

Back at the “Twins” hosts Bonnie Goodell and Alan Miller are developing an interesting place, with several overnight options available. We had reserved the Twins, a pair of small buildings that share a patio. Each building is a small one-bedroom apartment. However, the bedroom is separated from the living area by a wall in which there’s a large opening that resembles a window without glass. One gains privacy by pulling down a window shade.

Alan’s cabinet-making skills show in the precise fit of the trim around the deep-set windows: His sills are 8 inches deep, and he’s made molding from old redwood staves of no-longer-used rain barrels. Bonnie has designed energy-saving systems, and a rain water-capture system, and she reports with glee how they’ve reduced their utility costs over previous years. For example, solar roof panels help to pre-heat the hot water; and timer switches (like you’ve seen on bathroom heat lamps or vents) turn on the hot water heaters for no more than 30 minutes.

Bonnie and Alan have used the three USGS rift maps of the island to decorate the rooms. Their fledgling gardens included both pink Anthuriums and fresh parsley! We were all asleep early that chilly and rainy evening, and none of us dreamed of volcanoes or earthquakes.

Tuesday, February 12: After another wonderful brunch, we set out to the park to walk the Kilauea Iki Trail, one of several established day hikes. But first, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center for a film overview of the volcanoes and their links to the Islands’ ecological development. Armed with maps, cameras, and water, we drove to the trail’s beginning. We walked out about 2 miles on the Crater rim trail, and returned about 2 miles on the Kilauea Iki trail. Total descent was about 2,000 feet. Barbara and Robert Decker write in their book, Road Guide to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, “Trail provides stark contrast between lush fern-ohi’a jungle and steaming crust of the young [formed in 1959] lava lake . . .”

The contrast is eerie as well as stark. At the rim, we walked in the shade of trees, with birds and flowers all around. But the crater floor was nearly devoid of life, except for the occasional plant that took root in a crevice. There’s no shade, and nothing to block the wind. The steam coming out of the surface cracks results from rainwater that has leached into the areas warmed by the lava.

We drove to town after our nearly 3 hour walk, and ate another late lunch at an un-named local spot, having missed the Lava Rock Café. We then purchased supper provisions (Chicken soup—which we brightened up with lemon juice, frozen veggies, bread) and took them to the guesthouse. Then, we returned to the park.

We drove the Chain of Craters Road, a scenic 40-mile roundtrip drive. From its junction with Crater Rim Drive at the summit of Kilauea, the road descends 3,700' to the coast and dead-ends where a 1995 lava flow crossed the road. We stopped at most of the viewing points along the road, and arrived at the end just at sunset. So did hundreds of other people, so we dropped off the ladies where the lava ended the road, and drove back about ½ mile to find parking at the roadside.

Seeing the lava flows above us, several miles away, we were reminded of distant campfires. We were never close enough to see the lava flowing or to feel its power. Nothing about the scene seemed dangerous, until we contemplated the reason that the road ends abruptly under several feet of lava.

During the day, the weather had cleared and the rain had stopped. The temperatures in Volcano Village were cool, but at the shore at sunset, we rejoiced in the balmy evening breeze. As we regained the 3700 feet of altitude, we gradually lost at least twenty degrees of temperature. So we drove with the top down and the heater on! Out there, the stars shine ever so much brighter than we city dwellers are used to. Orion (the constellation) seemed even closer than when Ric walked home with him from his boy scout meetings all those years ago.

Another good supper and visit, and off to bed!

Wednesday, February 13: This morning’s brunch was accompanied by a “Today” show story about the Zamboni, the machine used to smooth the ice at skating rinks. (Sue and Ric are ice skating fans.) This item included an interview with the person in charge of ice resurfacing at the Olympic games. After cleanup, and pack up, we checked out, bid Bonnie “farewell,” bought gas, and drove to Hilo, on the east coast of the island.

Although we’d had some rain earlier that morning, we soon had clearing and sunshine, and the tops were down for the rest of the drive. We made an “obligatory” stop at Hilo Hattie’s, a clothing and souvenir store. The ladies left with new Hawaiian dresses, Ugur with some shirts, and all of us with a few gifts for family or friends.

Tops down now, we drove on to and through the Liloukalani Gardens on the shore of Hilo Bay, and noted the gardens as a “next visit” item. Leaving Hilo, we drove the seven miles north, to the beginning of the 4 mile Pepe’ ekeo Scenic Drive, a road which leads through old growth trees to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, located on Onomea Bay. (Entrance fee is $15 per adult, and we received packages of Macadamia nuts when we showed them our rental car keys.)

We were offered the use of “Off!” to repel the many mosquitoes, and we were thankful for it. We saw tropical plants – orchids, gingers, bromeliads, lots more - from all over the world in these gardens. We saw the lovely Onomea Falls, and stood over powerful ocean vistas, feeling the shore tremble with each wave’s crash. We strolled through these gardens for only 1½ hours, and although we saw it all, we saw it too fast to remember much. Fortunately, we had cameras with us. Farther north are the World Botanical Gardens, a target for another visit.

We then drove on to Akaka Falls State Park[1] where we saw both Akaka and Kahuna falls, in a gorgeous setting. The hike to see the falls takes about 20 minutes, and drops about 400 feet. While there, we were accosted by a native Hawaiian of the Akaka family, and the wife of a local artist. From her, we eventually purchased copies of two of the artist’s wood block prints.

We next set off for Hopoka’a to visit Kana’aina Woods, Inc., a company that specializes in wooden bowls and salad serving tools called “huli hands” (also called “bear claws”). The business was closed however, so we continued to on Waimea. By now, it was too late even for a late lunch, so we planned an early dinner at Merriman’s restaurant there. But we were too hungry to wait the hour until they opened, so we ate next door, at “Aoli’s” where we had good lamb, beef and ahi.

Sue and Ric had the top down on the after dark ride “home” to Kailua. We were glad to be warm again after our experience with the cool weather in Volcano, and we all sat and talked about the adventures so far.

Thursday, February 14. After brunch, and exchange of Valentine’s cards, we drove north to the Waikoloa Beach resort area, to sun, swim and snorkel at the Anaeho’omalu Bay and Beach Park. It was there that we first hypothesized Ilse’s former life as a fish! She so loves to be in the water that we were sure she’d soon have fins and scales.

While there, we watched people on surfboards being pulled by the wind in small versions of parasailing kites. They moved very fast over the surface, and sometimes above the surface!

We took our late lunch at Hama Yu, a Japanese restaurant nearby, having a typical box (actually a tray) lunch which included teriyaki chicken, tempura vegetables, rice and a sushi called “California roll.” This roll has avocado and (cooked) imitation crab. After lunch, we window shopped some of the surrounding stores, and arranged for attending a luau on Friday night. To get us half-price tickets to the luau, Ilse and Ugur agreed to visit a time-share property, and listen to a sales pitch.

At brunch that morning, we’d looked over a cookbook at the house, and found a wonderful-sounding recipe for seared ahi (tuna) with a salsa of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and shrimp. So we stopped at the fish market at Honokohau Marina (where the fishing boats tie up) to buy the evening’s supper. We arrived at the house just in time to see the sunset, so dinner was prepared after dark, in the usually slow and relaxed fashion of this vacation.

Friday, February 15. Ilse and Ugur left early for the beach, swimming and snorkeling before going to the timeshare appointment. Sue and Ric stayed at the house, reading and writing email. We finally went downtown to Quinn’s (in Kailua) for a noontime lunch, having had no huge brunch (Boy! Were we spoiled!). Just as lunch was finished, we received a phone call from Ilse, who said excitedly, “Come and see what we bought!” Well, you can guess who now has a timeshare on the Kona coast, and it’s truly a beautiful place, fully furnished, with two bedroom and two and a half baths!

We next went to Tropical Exports, a nursery specializing in orchids, and sent some to Moms, and friends. We returned to the house just in time for Sue and Ilse to slip on their Hawaiian dresses for the luau, which started at 6:00. We arrived at the Royal Kona Hotel to find flower leis waiting to be purchased, and a photographer ready to snap pictures. Of course we had to purchase the one of us four.

Luau is a big show, preceded by a big meal. A live band (electric guitar, bass, and ukulele, and synthesized drums) provided fine music both before the meal and during the show. The cooks had roasted a pig, as well as providing a very elaborate buffet. The buffet had the usual salads etc., as well as typical Hawaiian additions like Maui sweet potato, poi, coconut pudding, and lomi lomi (a relish of chopped cooked salmon, tomatoes, onions, and other ingredients.) So the meal was large, and we were instructed by the master of ceremonies to eat like Hawaiians. “Don’t eat until you’re full. Eat until you’re tired.”

Part of the evening’s entertainment included recognizing those people on honeymoon and celebrating an anniversary. One couple, married 60 years, were asked for advice about how to make a marriage last. She said, “Work hard.” He said, “Shut up.”

The luau ended with a demonstration of dances from the several Polynesian islands and island nations, including Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti, and Tonga. All the dancers, male and female, performed very professionally. Although we have no gauge of their authenticity, we believe that we saw at least some semblance of the true spirit of the dances.

We returned early enough to meet Cat and Glen, friends of Mike and Caroline. Cat and Glen had also come over from San Francisco, and were staying in the apartment behind the garage. On their way, Cat had won a bottle of champagne by guessing the exact mid-point of the flight, within 34 seconds. It was a great delight to make new mainland friends on Hawaii.

Saturday, February 16. After an even later than usual brunch, we set out for a couple of quick errands before going to the beach. Those quick errands took more than 4 hours. We’d hardly left the house but we stopped at a corner lot where the homeowner had planted milkweed trees (probably Calotropis gigantean) as part of the landscaping. In upstate New York, where I grew up, milkweed is just that – a weed. Here in Hawaii, it’s used as landscaping.

Milkweed is the food source for Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), and Ilse has just spent months working on educational software about monarchs, to be used as part of elementary school science curricula. So you can imagine her excitement at seeing Monarchs in Hawaii. White Monarchs (form nivosus) are here too! Lots of still pictures and video footage were taken.

Back to our errands: We started for the “record store,” intent on purchasing some CDs of slack key guitar music, only to find that store out of business. So we hiked the half-mile to Mele Kai Music, to find our CDs. But that took us right through an arts and crafts fair, so that simple walk took 45 minutes. Sue and Ric now own 6 hand-quilted placemats, made by Roma Marks.

And across the street from the music store, we found another farmers’ market, from which we provisioned for the evening’s meal. For that night’s meal, we shopped at the local “Sack and Save” grocery for Parker Ranch steaks. And in a final attempt to find enough passion fruit to make preserves (What? On vacation?), we stopped at another farmers’ market. Sure enough, Ugur found nearly a peck.

All this shopping had tired us out, so Ilse and Ugur went to the beach in the middle of town, while Ric and Sue took all our shopping spoils back to the house. Then they too went to the beach, finally trying and liking Kahaluu Bay Beach Park. We saw close up honos grazing at the shoreline, and we snorkeled and swam a bit. Ilse and Ugur come by to see that beach just before sun down, as it’s very near their new timeshare community, and it’s a good place to snorkel.

On a hill overlooking the gorgeous ocean sunset, we each filled our gas tanks on the way back to the house, for the next day we’d return our rental cars. Finally, back that evening to make a wonderful guacamole, grill the steaks that we’d marinated, make the passion fruit preserves, and listen to some of our new CDs. And so we spent yet another perfect evening in Paradise.

Sunday, February 17. While Ric and Sue slept in, Ilse and Ugur spent the early morning at the beach. We filled our morning with making, eating, and cleaning up after brunch, cleaning the house, washing and drying sheets and towels, and packing for the return trip. We closed and locked the house just after noon, stopped to deposit our garbage at the dump, and sped on to the airport.

At Kona airport, we spent 1½ hours in line, passing through two Agricultural inspections, checking baggage and clearing security. This process certainly took much longer than any other check in process we’ve experienced, and it seemed to be caused by lack of personnel to process the customers checking baggage. But if we had to stand in line anywhere, standing in the Hawaiian sunshine can’t be beat!

We had an easy flight home, going from 84 degrees on the Big Island to 48 in San Francisco. We certainly feel blessed that we’ve had this wonderful time with our friends, and that we have much more to do on Hawaii.

Mahalo, Mike and Caroline, for the gift of the use of your house in Kona!

Return to Ric and Sue’s home page.

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[1] Located just north of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii, Akaka Falls tumbles over 420 feet into a stream-eroded gorge. Legends say that a Hawaiian Akua (God) named Akaka lived beside the waterfall. Akaka's cousin, Kiha, offended Akaka and was condemned to jump over the falls. His body was transformed into a red-brown pohaku (stone) that lies in the pool today.

Akaka was married and had an ilio (dog). He also was a kolohe (rascal) who had two wahines (girlfriends). One was named Lehua, on the north side, and the other named Maile, on the south side. One day while he was with Lehua, Akaka's kanewahine (wife) unexpectedly returned home and called for him. Feeling guilty, he raced back with his faithful dog. Near the edge of the cliff, Akaka slipped and fell into Kiha's grave. His dog remained at the cliff and turned into stone. Running to save Akaka, his wife also turned into stone at the edge of the falls. Upon hearing Akaka's fate, Maile and Lehua wept and turned into waterfalls, located further down.