I just uploaded some of the many pictures we took over the week on the Big Island. The two pictures of the lava flow in the dark we're the best we could get. I brought a tripod to set up as the only light is from the flow itself, the moon had already set behind Kilauea. The problem was the wind which was gusting to 35mph most of the night and with a 200mm lense on the end of the camera it was near to imposible to get a steady shot.

I wish we could have hiked out further but the state has set up a rope line which you have to honor as it becomes very unstable past that point. On November 28th, over 40 acres of lava shelf colappsed in just under 4 hours and formed the New Delta at East Laeapuki. The road from the other side has also been closed off by the state to keep people away from the last few residents of the area. The road used to connect but was over run by lava in 1982 and the flow of lava has never stopped. Most of the flow now is in underground lava tubes which flow to the ocean, this is a good thing. If the tubes back up it will blow through the surface and the location and direction of the flow could destroy other areas .

The ATV riding was great as we were able to go in areas closed to the public. The company, ATV Outfitters, owns some of the land and gets permission from the other land owners to use their land also. It's a family run company and they are all native to the island. Most of the area is used for cattle ranching and the wild boars are a big problem to the cattle so in return for the use of the land, the group from ATV Outfitters locates the boars during the rides and returns later on to hunt them. Also make for some good Luau's.

We took some underwater pictures while snorkeling at Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Park and Refuge. I hope they come out as we saw dozens of beautiful fish as well and swam with the Honu, or Sea Turtle.

The more time I spend on the island the more I want to return. The people are great and the land has so much to offer. Kona has turned into a big tourist area but the rest of the island is very slow to change which is a good thing.

• Aloha from the Big Island by Bill Peck Monday 16th of January 2006 02:46:22 PM EST

  Are the wild boars native to the island? It sounds like the cattle are what have been brought in.

  Glad you guys had a great time! I look forward to going one day with you all!

  Reply
  • Aloha from the Big Island by Gil Peck Monday 16th of January 2006 07:56:48 PM EST

    Your right, the cattle was a gift by Captain George Vancouver to Kamehameha in 1793. They were kept off limits for 10 years to build up the herds. By 1815 the herds were very wild and dangourous and Kamehameha the Great hired Massachusetts-born John Palmer Parker to hunt the cattle. Today Parker Ranch is the largest privately owned cattle ranch in the US at just over 225,000 acres. The cattle is raised on "sweet Hawaiian grass" before being shipped off to the mainland and Canada. Here is where the pigs come in. Feral pigs are dangerous and they do an immense amount of environmental damage. They kill both native and domestic animals; they wallow in and erode water holes and they are always digging and rooting around in the soil for food they can find..

    Pigs are also a big problem to livestock farmers. They carry diseases, and can pass them on to the livestock.

    BTW, the paniolo or cowboy hat that Meg is wearing in one of the photo's I posted is from Parker Ranch, early birthday gift from Grandpa Carl.

    Reply
• Some underwater pics... by Gil Peck Saturday 21st of January 2006 01:24:53 PM EST

  Just picked up the pictures I shot underwater and after scanning the negatives, the prints were pretty bad, uploaded the better ones. I know its a cheap disposable camera but the pictures don't come close to showing you what we saw. It was if we were all swimming in someones aquarium. There was so many differant types, sizes, colors of fish and we still haven't id'ed them all. A friend of mine who dives alot said that the juvinal fish may look totaly differant from what they will look like as an adult so it makes it very difficult to figure out what they are.

  In the future is sure would be nice to have an underwater case for my camera and my birthday is coming up. Vicky too has the same camera and maybe you can get a deal on two!! Just kidding but what a cool place to get pictures. Next time we go back, I'm going to do much more snorkeling and maybe some diving too. Now I need to take a break and watch Finding Nemo.

  Reply