As the northernmost of the seven valleys on the north shore, the views of Pololū Valley sure do not disappoint. These valleys were all created from erosion and off-shore landslides of Kohala, the oldest volcano on the island. It is estimated to be about 1 million years old and stopped erupting about 120,000 years ago. It is not likely to erupt again; however, it might when going through the rejuvenation stage.
This valley also has much cultural significance as it has been the home of ancient Hawaiians since around 300 AD. It also hid King Kamehameha when he was a child so that he would not be killed because of the prophecy that stated he would unite all the islands. This valley got a lot of rain and was the perfect place to grow Taro, a significant food source.
It was a short but steep hike down to the bottom, where we were met with black sand and the smell of rotting fish. The previous night, these fish had been washed down to the coast in flash floods. In examining the rocks, we found that they differed from those we had constantly been seeing: black, vesicular basalts. These rocks were lighter in color and had dots of white in them. This difference is due to the volcano’s age and how later-stage volcanos create lighter, more alkaline rocks.
