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I had no idea how grueling the hike would be and probably I was better off not knowing that the lava terrain would stretch out to create a seemingly endless battle to reach our destination. Yet that final destination was more than reward for the effort to get there. It held an amazing oasis with a grove of coconut trees and a natural pool for swimming and snorkeling. Seven of us flew to Hilo on December 29, 2000. Our group consisted of theater related people, the purpose of the trip being to take our two visiting Indonesian theater teachers to a different place. It was different for me too. We were picked up by Leilani, a friend of Dave’s, our group leader who took us to Volcanoes National Park, drove us down Chain of Craters Road, and then just dropped us off at the edge of the road. We put on our backpacks which I’m convinced weight at least 40 pounds per person. They were heavy! We then began our trek. As we were told, the trail would be marked by ahu’s, which are piles of black lava rock, usually with a white piece of coral on top. We found them placed roughly 5-20 yards apart throughout the trip. So the path was easy to follow, as long as it was daylight.
We were immediately walking on lava rock. The lava was incredible! It was dark black and very shiny. Much of it had a gold sheen to it, and there was quite a bit of Pele’s hair which were seemingly golden pieces of string. There are two basic types of lava, a’a and pahoehoe. Pahoehoe is smooth and you can see how it rolled along, and a’a is rocky and sharp. Our first couple hours we couldn’t stop enough to look at the lava and take pictures, or was it an excuse to relax due to our burdens on our backs?
However, we were under certain time constraints. Because we started out in the early afternoon, we had to make sure to complete the 6 miles before sunset. Once the sun set there would be no light. After several hours of hiking, I was so sure we were almost there. Then one of the group members told me to look at the peninsula down the coast with the palm trees. I looked and looked and there I found it, off in the horizon! We had a much longer way to go than I had anticipated. Some of our group members were slower than the rest. I tried urging them starting at 4:00 to walk faster, that they could rest after we got there, that they’d be better off trudging along now than getting stuck in the dark. But I think all they could think of were the backpacks on their backs. Nothing I said meant anything. I felt that I should stay back since they included an older Indonesian man, another who is very small in build, and two not so in shape young ladies. The sun began to set and our destination was still off in the distance! So we all got stuck after the sun set, which is a lot faster down here in the tropics. However, we were actually close to our destination. The sunset behind the palm trees was incredible. Our group leader came back to guide us the rest of the way and we finally made it, using our flashlights, to the first oasis, Apua Pt! We set up our tents in the dark , just 20 feet from a shallow reef and all gathered around Dave and his cooking gear, waiting anxiously for food! We were so hungry! Because there was no water at this oasis, we had had to carry enough for two days. After dinner, we washed our dishes in the sea water, as we would every day.
As usual, I slept very well. I think I was the first up and I took a picture at sunrise of the immense volcano, Mauna Kea, off in the distance. Everyone got up early, and Dave showed us a pool of water where to bathe. The pool was a deep and narrow hole in the lava rock with a palm tree growing out of it and a large spider web right next to the steps accessing the water. I only noticed the spider web after washing my face and opening my eyes face to face with the spider. Considering that we were about to embark on another arduous hike, I didn’t do any more bathing. We set off, having been told it would be an easier hike. This time our destination was this mountain way far off in the distance. We would be going to the base of it.
Though we had eaten two meals, our packs were not much lighter, and in fact, it wasn’t my muscles that hurt but my bones because my pack was putting pressure on my shoulders. We hiked along, crossing literal rivers of lava. Much of the lava looked like it was so freshly dried, but it was actually 20-30 years old. We were going in the direction opposite of where the recent lava flows happened. On this hike, we got to take a lunch break! We hiked to the second oasis which was called Keahou. Above the oasis about 300 yards, there was a three sided shack with a water tank. We parked ourselves there, most of us collapsing on the one side where there was shade.
We never actually made it to the oasis as we wanted to conserve our energy for the rest of our hikes. We were really feeling our backpacks! Meanwhile, a butterfly made friends with us, landing on Hasan's face. After lunch, we took off again. The sign said only 1.7 miles to go! Well, as I had already learned, space on the lava fields expands! All I could think of was the scene in Poltergeist where the hallway never ends. It seemed like it was close but we never seemed to arrive. Well finally, I saw a green area, right at the bottom of a steep rocky cliff. We were there! I continued following the ahu’s up to the rocky cliff, and then the path seemed to stop. I couldn’t find the way toward the beach in the green area. Then one of the others came along and he passed me and began to climb the wall. I asked what he was doing and he said following the trail. We weren’t even there yet! So I had no choice but to climb up. Then it was back to the usual business of trudging along. But somehow, I sensed we were closer.
After hiking a bit, I could see some more palm trees. We were almost there! I walked on, and down the hill and made it! Dave had told us to meet at the tiki’s. I didn’t see any tiki's. So I joined the other member up front at the beach, took off my backpack, and walked around, waiting for the others. Finally Dave showed up. It turns out the tiki’s were way past the palm trees. In fact, the place we were going was not even in sight. Dave said he would go see if the area was open or not and would be back in 10-15 minutes. Even though it was across loose lava rocks along the beach and I was worn out, I decided to follow him, hoping like crazy it would be open.
About 20 minutes later we were still on our way there. Finally, though, I could see some more palm trees. It really did exist! We kept along, balancing along the rocks, and to our luck, it was empty! I put my pack down and while Dave went to get the rest, I went swimming!! The place we had settled down at was literally at the base of the mountain we had looked at miles ago. Unlike the first oasis before the rocks, this one had trees to create a shady area. The pool of water was a large oval shaped area, shallow, maybe up to 10 feet deep, with coral, fish, sea cucumbers, and it was so refreshing!
The mountain of rocks that was looming over us was called Kapukapu, or double kapu. Finally the others all showed up and we set up our tents, went swimming again and then got ready for dinner. Once it got dark, we were very much alone at this hard to reach oasis. We set up our dinner in an alcove of rocks by the beach. After dark, we were joined by the cockroaches and a grasshopper. We ate, played a little music with our plates, cups, and utensils, and looked at the billions of stars we could see. We saw a satellite pass really fast and I wondered if it was the space station, but by the time I ran back to get my binoculars it was too far away. Besides being limited in what you can do at night, we were all exhausted, so we all went to sleep pretty early.
The next day was our one full day of no backpacking!!! All we had to do was relax and enjoy the beautiful oasis. I was the first one up, so I took my book and went off to the alcove by the beach to read. Good thing I brought a really good book! It was worth the extra weight, being a hardcover. Finally everyone else got up and we had breakfast, which like every other breakfast consisted of two packets of instant oatmeal. I thought I would have a full day of rest and relaxation but it wasn’t to be. Dave said he was headed to go get some more water from us so I felt I had no choice but to go help him.
So we headed over the rocks and it was half hour to get there to the water tank up above the first Halape oasis. There was also a toilet up there. Literally just a toilet, no walls. But a beautiful view nonetheless. On the way, we stopped at a brackish water pool which was in a huge crevice in the lava. Inside there is a rare species of shrimp! So you’re not allowed to bring in any soap. The pool was so refreshing. Finally we made our way back and it was about a two hour journey. I had to do it again in the afternoon before dinner and breakfast the next day, and it also gave me the opportunity to bathe there after a hot day. But the two trips seemed to take up a large portion of the daylight.
That night was New Year’s Eve! So we had a big party at our eating site by the beach! So big in fact, that it fizzled out by about 9:30! I did manage to stay up until about 11:30 however. It was a bit cooler than the other nights and we were just so exhausted. The next day I was again the first up, so I went back to my spot to do some reading. After breakfast, I wanted to get my stuff packed up fast so I could go for another swim. I think my New Year’s Day morning swim was the best swim I’ll have had all year! No one else went swimming since they had to pack up their stuff.
We made our way at around 10, somewhat begrudgingly. We weren’t too happy to have our packs on, although they were certainly a lot lighter. I managed to pack my backpack without extending the bottom part this time, but it was certainly heavy nonetheless. The first part over those rocks was kind of the worst. Because one of us had gone up to the water shed, I got sent up to go get him and I got to have my last look at the toilet. The hike was not so bad and definitely went faster than coming in. We took a long lunch break about 1.7 miles in at the one oasis between the two points. We arrived back at Apua Point with about an hour left before sunset.
I wanted to walk around and check it out, but Dave was gonna show one of the Indonesians a fishing spot so I wanted to go fishing and went over to join them. It was out on the reef and the waves were really rough. It was exactly the type of area that I avoid because the waves can take you by surprise. Even the Indonesian went back to shore. I stuck it out a little bit and you won’t believe it but I caught a fish!! It was a sea bass and it was so cute!! I wanted to take it home as a pet but of course that wasn’t possible. It was too small to eat, so I had Dave take the hook out and throw it back in. I kept at it until after sunset but I didn’t get any more nibbles. For bait I used an opihi which is the shellfish that lives in a flat seashell. I don’t know its non-Hawaiian name if it has one.
That night, our last night, I noticed something amazing in the sky. Off in the distance, the clouds were glowing orange!! Somehow, somewhere there was enough lava to make the clouds glow! It was still quite far from us. That night, after we had eaten, one of the girls brought out her special Minangkabau pants which we all but one put on and we did Randai martial arts movements on the beach in the dark. It made me feel sad that I won’t be in the play even though I don’t really have the time for it. The next day we got off to an early start since we were being picked up at 12 noon. Along the way, we stopped at a cave in the lava which has real life petroglyphs on stones in front of it. Even though our backpacks were the lightest ever, the sun was also the strongest, plus this was the longest hike. So it was pretty hard and I developed a theory that it never really ended. I really believed it wouldn’t end, but finally after passing so many lava fields, some plant life, and more lava fields, we made it!!
I had never been on such an excruciating hike in my life! It was so worth it though and I immediately began missing Halape, even though we still hadn’t even gone home. Our drive took us up Chain of Craters Road and to a lookout point where we could look at what we had just done. I couldn’t believe it! It was so long and so barren and I definitely felt proud that I had done that! Oddly though, one of the best moments was yet to come! We had a 6:00 pm flight out of Hilo.
While we were waiting in line to get on the plane, I decided to walk up the line of people to see if I knew anyone. Just as I set out, someone passed me that looked oddly familiar and went to the back of the line. So I went back to see him, and it was exactly who I thought, someone I had met in Malaysia! He was here in Hawai`i studying on Oahu and took a vacation. Incidentally there was also someone from the Geography Department on the plane, as there was on my last flight coming home from L.A. Our plane took off just as the sun was beginning to set. There was a cloud cover which wasn’t quite as high as Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.
The result was the most beautiful scene of those two mountains with the sunset as a backdrop! Even though I took a couple pictures which did not come out quite as I saw it, I think the sight will stay inside me forever! I was lucky to get a window seat on the good side even though we were one of the last ones on the plane. We finally arrived back at Honolulu Airport. Our ride was not there, but the parents of one of the girls on our trip were there to help give us a ride.
We somehow managed to squeeze all of our bags plus ourselves into their SUV. We drove back to Dave's house and then made our way home. The trip to Halape was over. Aloha, Jeff |
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