Big Island part 1
Even though there is a lot to say about the CASS and about Oahu, I can't find the time to post updates. I will do a good summary when I can but this weekend was the field trip to Big Island and many asked for updates so here is a quick summary.
We left Oahu early Saturday morning. The inter-island flight is less than an hour, we just climb up, get a scenic view of all the islands and go down in the cloudy Hilo. Big Island is really young, less than a million years old. Erosion has only dug rocky rivers and there are waterfalls everywhere. We were ahead off our schedule so we had time to do hiking in the morning. Around Hilo there is heavy rain forest, as we climb up on the Mauna Kea we cross many different eco systems, from deciduous forest to shrub lands and tundra.
While getting acclimated at the Onizuka Station we went for a hike on cinder cones. The station is above most of the clouds, the view was breath taking. The oxygen lean air gave us a good buzz, a diluted preview of what to expect at the summit. We had the honor to get dinner at Halepauhaku, the small lodge where astronomers and support staff are hosted.
Guides lead the caravan of jeeps and trucks on a rough gravel road that reaches to the top. Rangers are closing the pack with spare oxygen masks in case someone faints. Above the clouds the is no vegetation, the landscape is essentially cinder cones with colors from dark tan to rust-red with most of them light tan as beach sand. We finally arrived and saw the telescopes. We were surrounded by the biggest mirrors and the best instrument in the world. The wind was cold and the air was lean, a strange sense of peace settled while we were lectured on those majestic instruments and on the geology of the Mauna Kea. The presentation included a visit inside of both Keck1 and the UH observatories.
After another meal at Halepauhaku we enjoyed the moonrise and the sunset between the station and the summit. We unfortunately went on one of the rare days when its too cloudy at the station to do star gazing but that gave of an excuse to enjoy mai-tais at Uncle Billy's tiki bar.
Sunday morning was rainy in Hilo. We nevertheless went for snorkeling at a blacksand beach. The coral reef was filled with colorful fished and sea urchins. We left Hilo around 10h for an exclusive lecture on the Kilauea and the geology of the Hawaiian Islands. We were fortunate enough to meet a geologist who was back from and active flow and who drew us a map of the area. The geology around the Kilauea is so active that all maps are obsolete as soon as they reach the printing press.
To get to the active flow required an hour of hiking on a pahoehoe lava field. The field reaches as far as you can see. The black iridescent rock is full of sharp millimeter long glassy flakes. I just touched the ground without without my gloves and I had blood droplets all over my hand. If someone was to use and ungloved hand to balance himself he would probably leave most of his skin on the rock. Walking on the lava field sounds like walking in the snow when its -30C, you hear tiny little obsidian crystals shattering as your feet crosses the devastated land. The porosity of the rock gives a great traction and its possible to climb on large, steep, busted out bubbles of clogged lava tubes to get a better view.
As we progressed the land gave signs that we were close to the active flow. The ground sounded hollow and there was fumes flowing out of cracks. Fresh pahoehoe flow has a dark silvery shine. With the wind on your back you can find the active flow by looking for wavy air. When you get close to the lava you can hear the sound of the barely solidified rock that is twisted by the pressure of the flow, the crust that cracks and viscous fluid that is bent into ripples. The wind pushes the convection away but the radiance is strong and the heat prevents you from stepping too close Pele's house.
We unfortunately had to leave the nursery of the future mountain to catch our plane. All exhausted, out of water, sweaty, wet by the rain but with a large smile on our face as a rainbow guided us. The beer that we had on the plane was the best that I've ever had.
