day 4 - Blogabond

We didn’t get up bright and early but I think we slept fairly well. Then it was up and breakfast and off to explore Hawaii.

View from room at Waimea Lodge

We drove through pasture lands of the Parker Ranch and onto the Old Mamalahoa Highway- a small country lane that wound up through the lush hill country that used to be the main road.

Old Mamalahoa Highway - cattle country

We stopped off at what is known as cave no3- an old miners quarry that goes into an old lava tube from an old Mauna Kea flow. These caves were also used by early Hawaiians and some contain structures that may have been built by them. Our torches weren’t strong enough to explore any further than a couple of metres beyond the cave entrance but it was good to explore something that was so quiet and unspoilt.

Cave No3 with Anne and Tam

Cave No3 and Abbie

From here we rejoined the new main road and the other tourists to go to Waipi’o Valley overlook. As we didn’t have a 4 wheel drive car, to travel into the steep sided valley, we stayed at the overlook. Legend has it that the valley was gouged out by a powerful warrior with his club to prove how strong he was, and was once a powerful place where kings made decisions and homes to many living on farms. In 1946 a large tsunami struck washing everything away and then most people left although a few farmers still remain as is evident from the taro fields we could see.

Waipio Valley

Waipio Valley with Anne, Abbie and Tam

From Waipi’o valley we drove inland, or mauka, to Kalopa Native Forest Park for a picnic lunch. There were huge ohia trees and tree ferns. We also had our first encounter with a mongoose. You know the sort of thing – Oh look isn’t it cute etc etc then finding them everywhere after a few days its just oh no another stupid mongoose trying to get run over!
Then we headed south along the Hamakua coast to Laupahoehoe Point. Here on April 1st 1946 a tsunami with a 30’ wave struck a school on the coast sweeping 21 children and 3 adults to their death. There were records of the event by those involved describing how they survived but others did not and a memorial.

Laupohoehoe Point, memorial to tsunami victims

Laupohoehoe Point, the sea

All was quiet when we were there with some locals swimming in what used to be the harbour. Abbie couldn’t resist the temptation and had a little paddle in the rock pools.
As we stayed here quite a while we had to miss out on several other sites and drive the main highway to Hilo where we did a quick shop and then made our way to Turtle House.

written by

AnneC on August 8, 2009 from Hilo, United States

from the travel blog: summer 09

Send a Compliment

comment on this...