Hawaii Sunday (Two)

On my last day in Hawaii, I was all alone. My flight was at 5:30pm, so obviously the best choice was an 8 mile hike across lava fields in the blazing sun that was reflected off the ocean water. I headed out to do this hike, or at least as much of it as I could accomplish in my allotted time. I think I'm glad I gave the linked page above only a cursory read (focusing most on where to park). Had I read more carefully, I probably wouldn't have attempted this. In the end, this link claims I did about six miles of this hike (I didn't make it all the way to the black sand beach), but my step counter claimed 8, so I'm going with the larger number.

Before I set out from Kua Bay (around 8:40am), I set two ground rules: (1) no getting hurt and (2) turn back at 11am or when 1/3 of the water is gone, whichever was first. The terrain is very rugged. The path was pretty well marked for the first half mile or so, then I was just picking my way across the lava rocks along the coastline. For the first forty minutes (after leaving the boogie boarders at Kua Bay behind), I did not see a soul. I then ran into a group relaxing on a beach from the back of a 4WD, but they were a super welcome sight, since they were whale watching and happy to point the whales out to me. I didn't see anyone else until I arrived at Makalawena Beach. Only once did I turn too far inland and end up in the middle of some scrub and have to retrace my steps and stick closer to the water. Only once (right at two miles) did I regret my choice and give voice to some concern that there was no way I would make it back. But the beauty of Makalawena Beach was completely worth it. Alas, it was 11am. I took a different route back, choosing to walk up the "road" the 4WD vehicles use to get into the beach. Again, if I had perused the above link more carefully (specifically, the topo map), I would have noted the 342 foot climb to the top of Pu'u Kuili on the way back (there was also the 342 descent in the span of about a quarter mile). Had I noted the steepness of this climb, I probably would have avoided it. However, once I realized my mistake, I was basically committed. And the views from up top were amazing, including back out to the bays and beaches I had traversed earlier and inland to Moana Kea.

Once back at the parking lot (now overflowing with people visiting the beach at Kua Bay), I took a quick rinse (not a shower, unfortunately) before heading back into Kona Village to get some fast food poke (that's the raw fish in the last picture... delicious!).