Around the Big Island

The Big Island is like having two islands in one; in contrast to the barren lava landscape that dominates the western half of the island, the east is lush and green. Waterfalls, like the one pictured below, are easily reached from nearby hiking trails.

No doubt about it, black is definitely the dominant color on the western half of the Big Island.

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Two giant volcanoes -- Mauna Kea ("white mountain") and Mauna Loa ("long mountain") form most of the island. Desolate Saddle Road traverses the valley between the two, from which it is possible to drive to the 13,800 foot summit of Mauna Kea. The summit is well above the cloud line, beyond where most vegetation can grow. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is necessary to reach the top.

The summit of Mauna Kea is home to observatories from all over the world.

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Hawaii's state bird, the relatively rare nene, thrives at higher elevations and seems remarkably unafraid of man. This allows for easy photo opportunities but probably accounts for one of the reasons why they are endangered.

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The photo below is of Puukohola Heiau, a Hawaiian religious structure built by King Kamehameha I in 1790.

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Ancient petroglyph fields, some carved hundreds of years ago, are found throughout the island.

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Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park preserves the site of an ancient Hawaiian city of refuge and offers modern-day sanctuary to the many green turtles that lie basking on its sands.

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The world's only seahorse farm offers a literal hands-on experience with these fascinating creatures.

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The Hilton Waikoloa offers a unique "dolphin encounter" to a handful of lucky guests.
Below are two pictures of me enjoying my participation in the show.

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A few miles of hiking beyond the end of the paved road at South Point reveals a truly unique reward: Hawaii's only "green sand" beach.

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In July 1991 the Big Island fell under the shadow of a total solar eclipse. I took the photo below with a small handheld camera on a drifting boat just off the western coast of the island.