Big Island, Hawaii (i)

Mon 30.09. On the first day in Maui, we decided to explore the shield volcano Kilauea. This volcano is considered one of the most active in the world. In May 2018, the first volcanic cone erupted again, so much of the national park was closed and not accessible to the public. However, we had an exciting day as we had access to the crater of the second volcanic cone. First, we took a walk around the almost circular slopes, then followed the beaten path and ventured through the rainforest that led us to the caldera. It was very impressive to walk on the lava lake formed by the 1959 eruption. Of course, the landscape is dominated by lava rock and all those plants that only grow on mineral-rich soil. After about two and a half hours of hiking, we returned to the starting point and then continued by car to reach the picturesque location of the 'lava trees'. The trunks of these trees have been petrified by lava flows. After this exciting excursion, we couldn't wait to plunge back into our beloved whirlpool.

Wed 02.10. Unfortunately, the weather on this day didn't really play in our favor, but we have to admit that we've been quite lucky so far. So we took the time to get to know the other side of the island. We visited Rainbowfall and took pictures in the Banyan tree forest, then continued on to Kailua-Kona. After a two-hour drive, we stopped for lunch with typical regional burgers. Silvan bravely ate a burger marinated with Kona-grown coffee! What a liver, guys!! In the evening, we soaked our feet in the waters of a small beach and enjoyed the last rays of sunshine.

Thu 03.10. A day of relaxation on the beach. We chose the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. Lucky choice. We were able to enjoy the company of several Hawaiian turtles sleeping on the beach. During snorkeling, the marine life was diverse but the water visibility wasn't optimal at all :( On the beach next to our beach towels, I had two Northern Cardinals posing in front of the camera. Meanwhile, I caught a glimpse of an animal sneaking up, it was a Marten. The fearless animal posed for a nice close-up.

Fri 04.10. Early in the morning, we already booked two tours. The first one is a snorkeling trip with dolphins. At 09:00, we boarded our small dinghy with 'only' 14 people. A few miles from the dolphin sighting, we got into the water and cautiously approached them. Needless to say, we were treated to a breathtaking spectacle. There were at least two dozen dolphins, including the calves. It was truly exciting to see them leap out of the water and then suddenly disappear into the depths of the ocean. The sight of these cute animals swimming freely in their natural environment will always be etched in our minds and hearts.

Our second tour started in the evening after sunset. The goal was to see the Manta Rays. This time our group consisted of about 60 people. We received a brief safety briefing, and were also advised to lay flat in the water and never touch the Mantas. After briefly sailing in the ocean, the crew launched some floating platforms and turned on the lights. The lights serve to attract the Plankton which acts as bait for the Manta Rays and they come to feed on it. As if by magic, we saw a swarm of Mantas around us. What a spectacle! They were swimming in the water with elegance and majesty. From the depths, they would emerge with their big mouths open towards the surface to eat the Plankton, and then plunge back in. Two hours in their company flew by, we never wanted to leave. But the water temperature dropped significantly and didn't allow us to stay longer. At 22:30, we were back in the harbor and returned home.