Hilo Hawaii 2/17/24
Hilo Hawaii
Today we’re docking at Hilo port on Hilo Bay on the island of Hawaii, also just known as the Big Island. It’s the youngest in the Hawaiian chain and still growing, with Kilauea volcano adding new land every year as it continues to erupt. There is usually a traditional show with Hawaiian music and dancing to greet cruise ships on arrival, showcasing that welcoming spirit of the islands.
Hilo is located on the windward side of the island, the side that gets more moisture, hence the lush, green, tropical beauty you see everywhere. It’s the oldest city in the Hawaiian Islands and the name means “to twist, or braid”, but since history here has been passed down orally rather than written, apparently the reason why Hilo was called that has been lost. The city began around 1100 AD when inhabitants arrived from Polynesia. It was the political center during the time of King Kamehameha, warrior, diplomat, and leader who unified the islands into a single kingdom in 1820. By the late 1800s the main source of revenue was sugar cane, with workers coming from China, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and even as far as Portugal, to fulfill three-to-five-year contracts doing exhaustive and sometimes brutal labor. Sugar plantations closed down in the 1990s. It may surprise you to know that one of the largest cattle ranches in the U.S. is located on the Big Island. Parker Ranch was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Waimea. It covers over 130,000 acres (52,600 hectares) and runs around 26,000 head of cattle. Hilo itself has been damaged twice by major tsunamis in the 20th century, the largest, in 1946, sending a 46 ft (14 m) wall of water crashing in. It’s also suffered from earthquakes and lava flows, but the people keep rebuilding and currently Hilo is known as a shipping center for orchids, papaya and macadamia nuts, besides a tourist destination.
Hawaii Island is home to the world’s tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, and here you thought that record went to Mount Everest. The trick is you have to measure Mauna Kea from its underwater base to the top to get its height of 33,481 ft (10,205 m), versus Everest’s 29,032 ft (8,849 m), it’s just that half of the mountain here is below the ocean surface. Another geologic fact to know is that Hilo is located on two shield volcanoes, the dormant Mauna Kea and the active Mauna Loa. And since I know what your next question will be, shield volcanoes have gently sloping sides due to the watery consistency of the basaltic lava that flows from them, they typically build up slowly, are slow moving and don’t have violent eruptions.
One of the loveliest places for a stroll in the city is the Queen Lili’uokalani Gardens, named for the last queen of the Hawaiian kingdom, who donated the land in 1907. In 1917 it opened as a Japanese-style garden to honor Hawaii’s Japanese immigrants. You can get great views here overlooking Hilo Bay and Coconut Island, the tiny island that’s just a footbridge away from the park. It’s a relaxing spot with two black sand beaches, restrooms, a picnic area, and tide pools. Also, in town you can find the Pacific Tsunami Museum that was founded in 1993 and is open daily from 10 a.m.-4:00 p.m. It’s a great way to learn more about this natural phenomenon, and you can learn from docents who are tsunami survivors that share their stories as you visit the displays. Another unique spot to visit is the Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, located on the Hilo campus of the University of Hawaii. It’s both an astronomy and culture education center, additionally it includes information about the world’s largest collection of astronomical observatories that sit atop Mauna Kea.
A little further from town is the Wailuku River State Park where you’ll find the lovely Rainbow Falls. It’s not the tallest waterfall in the area but if you get there early enough in the day, you’ll see rainbows in the mist. The water slides over a lava cave that is supposed to be the home of the ancient Hawaiian goddess of the moon, Hina.
Probably the island’s highlight is the Volcanoes National Park, site of Kilauea Crater, the most active volcano in the world, and home of Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is almost the same size as the entire island of Oahu and contains 70 million years of the history of the Hawaiian Islands. It’s located about an hour from Hilo and things to see there include the Chain of Craters Drive, Kilauea volcano rim, Halema’uma’u. Crater, and lava tubes, plus some hiking trails within the park as well.
We had an easy day in Hilo, as we have visited many times before and have seen th volcanoes, the waterfalls, and the surrounding areas of Hilo. We tried to get to the flower gardens but ran out of time, as we both got haircuts, and I got my nails done. I do miss the ease of scheduling those appointments at home and not on this cruise, but we did it. Took a walk to the Japanese gardens to meet Katheen and Mike Malarney's grandson Jack for lunch. Mickey found the Hilo Cafe from Diners Drive-ins and Dives, and it did not disappoint. We had a two-hour lunch catching up with Jack, who is attending university in Hilo. He is quite the accomplished young man and is mastering linguistics. He speaks Chinese which would be a bonus for us when we visit that country if we could only stow him away. A nice break for him and us!!! Tried to get to the tsunami museum but it had closed for the day by the time we finished lunch, so back on board for us for cocktails and on to Kona tomorrow.
Comments
Post a Comment