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Hawaii, Aloha, the Big Island, land of fire and ice, jungle and desert, heavens and earth, an island of huge diversity that begs for the use of superlatives. Biggest, youngest, southernmors, highest mountains, largest orchid industry in the world, home of the world's most active volcanic crater, location of the biggest privately owned ranch in the United States, site of the premier stargazing observatory that sits atop a nearly 14,000-foot mountain, the only place in Hawaii where it snows, birthplace of Hawaii's great warrior king, Kamehamea, legendary residence of the Fire Goddess, Pele, and the birthing place of the next Hawaiian island. Called Lo'ihi, this volcanic fetus is growing 22 miles offshore, 3,000 feet below the surface. |
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As you travel around the 4,030 square mile island, you will soon be able to discern the older, quiter parts of the island, reminiscent of Kauai or Maui, with verdant valleys and cascading waterfalls, rollinf hils of lush green grass, and hundred s of acres of tropical rain forests. In contrast, the youthful and more rambunctious parts of the island are pocketed with cindercones and flooded with giant rivers and narrow fingers of pahoehoe and a'a lava flows that spread a rich tapestry of color and texture across the broad plains leading down to the lava laced coastline and the surrounding Pacific Ocean. |
