By Mac Malambri
I woke up this morning to a nice morning run. Honestly, my sunburn did not hurt as much as I was expecting and I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I was fine. I ran down towards the resort in North Kona, but after only about a quarter of a mile, the road turns towards the highway, so I decided to turn around. I ran south for a while. I saw the sun gradually rise over the bay and reveal a cruise ship: the Pride of America. I believe that it is the only cruise ship registered in the US and thus able to dock directly at two US ports without stopping. That gives it the unique ability to operate in Hawaii. According to Kaden, it also means that everything will be crowded with today with cruise ship people.
After my run, I got my continental breakfast and got ready for the day. I strategically wore a white Columbia fishing shirt, so I could get great sun protection without overheating. We piled in the vans and departed for Pololu valley. Pololu valley is the north most valley of the King. Like Waipi’o, it is formed by the erosion of river valleys and gives way to a beautiful landscape. We drove north along the coast. Out of the endless sea, gradually emerged a faint outline. At first, it looked like an oddly shaped cloud that was just over the water. Eventually, one could recognize it as the island Maui. It was crazy to see another island for the first time.
Once we arrived at Pololu, we were greeted with a warning that there are no bathrooms. Furthermore, being sacred ground to native Hawaiians, we must leave the premises to releve ourselves. Accordingly, we drove 2 miles to a nearby state park to prepare for our journey. Pololu is protected by a private organizations that informs visitors of the significance of the location, the rules for respecting it, and safety information. It is actually really cool. The organization was created by a local woman who just cared about her home and keeping people safe. A volunteer told us that because of recent flooding, all the fish are dying. The bacterial growth this causes prevented us from getting in the water. Also, it is very steep and easy to get injured on the hike.
We then started down the hike. Jake and I took it easy: getting photos and appreciating the view. I can describe it as a narrow valley that gives way to brilliant torquoise water with two small islands that perfect the vista like a cherry perfects an ice-cream sunday. Those islands are actually formed by waves burrating the coast, until they are fully separated from the mainland.
At the bottom, we enjoyed a view of the seashore and the smell of rotting fish, Kaden was also sad because that flood destroyed the beautiful marsh that once existed there. Nevertheless, across a small stream, one could see the ancient burial grounds of native Hawaiian chiefs. It was in this valley that a young King Kamehmaeha hid from the rival Hawaiians who sought to kill him so he could not fulfill his profacized uniting of all the islands.
Along the shore, we learned about the process of creating the beach. Instead of basalts—like on the previous black sand beaches, or coral like on the white sand beaches—these beaches consist of minerals like Hawaiitate that are created in late stage eruptions.
We finally preceded up the trail. I had a lot of questions about my home state’s geology, so I walked slowly with Professor Knapp. That was probably smart, because it meant I got to enjoy the view, learn a lot of my home, and did not wear myself out too early. At the top, a member of our group became a victim of heat exhaustion. The wonderful people who cared for Pololu, helped this person back to health. We then retuned to the state park for lunch. There, we ate and then conducted a review of the trip so far. We were even graced by the presence of a local elementary school, practicing traditional Hawaiian customs. We then returned to the hotel. This night, we headed to another local place that Kaden knew. After that, we went to bed and prepared for the next day.