Wed. 10-6-10 The Big Island

We've had a lot of fun playing tourist. The bus system here is free, but doesn't run after 5pm or on Sundays. Various cruise ships have been in frequently, and we can stand in their lines for free transportation to town if we want. Also, it's only a 2 mi. walk to the quaint downtown area of Hilo, which we've also done.
We rented a mini van with our friends and toured the island. Our first stop was Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We drove the crater rim road, and the rain and clouds didn't stop us walking to see the visitors center, the crater, Kilauea Caldera, steam vents, and lava tubes. We also stopped at the Jaggar Museum. The drive along the southern side brought us to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, where we saw three green turtles sleeping on....you guessed it, the black sand! We stopped for the night in Ocean View at Leilani B & B, to meet Randy and his wife Lynn. Randy (KH6RC) is one of the main voices on the PAC SEA NET that we check in with while under passage. These net controllers are all volunteers and put many hours into their 'hobby', offering a great service to cruisers. Sherry ran the net that night; there were 8 boats checking in from all over. We had an enjoyable evening at their peaceful place. The next day we drove to South Point (Ka Lae), where the cliffs have fishing 'camps' on the bluffs. With the offshore breeze, they use plastic bags to get their line and hooks offshore. It's the most southern tip in the U.S. - views from the vistas were a pleasure. We stopped next at Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (Place of Refuge), the Captain Cook Monument, and then on to Kailua Kona area to visit the marina and haul out yard at Honokohau Harbor. It was a full day's driving to get back to Hilo in the evening. The next morning the girls made a trip to the laundry with their many bags of laundry....finally...then 7 of us (our French friends from Moemoea Nui, Alain & Odile) were off to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, a wonderful spot on the coast north of Hilo.
There are many local booklets and visitor information resources, but theses are also invaluable when touring the islands:
Cruising Guide to the Hawaiian Islands, Carolyn & Bob Mehaffy
Charlie's Charts of the Hawaiiam Islands, Charles and Margo Wood