Maui day 4

Ahhhh – today we decided to head for the beach. The clouds that had gathered during the evening had dispersed and the sun was shining. It was rather windy, but certainly not cold. We are on the windward side of the island after all.

After a late breakfast we went down the path to a private garden area owned by the hotel with access to the beach. A swim was on the list of things to do and the water was beautiful, clean and clear. No surf to battle with, just gentle waves breaking on the shore.

It’s only a small beach so we went for a walk along to the other end and back then decided we would drive up to the summit of Mt Haleakala. The entry fee we paid yesterday was good for two more days so we thought we might as well make use of it.

We drove through vast tracts of eucalypts, introduced as a source of timber and now an invasive species, on the slopes of the majestic volcano. At 7000’ we weren’t quite in the clouds, but getting close. The temperature had dropped 10 deg F. At 8000’ we were above the clouds, the road snaking across the slopes of the volcano. They were resurfacing the road and as we waited at a control point we could watch the clouds forming and re-forming as they moved around changing our view as they went.

Same view moments later

Formerly grazing land the paniolo (cowboys) built a two mile long wall in the late 1800s to guide the cattle down the mountain. There are still signs of the wall at a lookout point. There is still a lot of ranching on the mountain but Haleakala National Park was set aside to regenerate and preserve native high country flora, the Silversword being a prime example which is now firmly regenerating.

wall to guide cattle down the mountain

The Silversword, only found on the slopes of Mt Haleakala

When we reached the summit the view was just as amazing as I remembered only this time the air was clearer. Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa were very clear thrusting their peaks through the clouds surrounding the Big Island (Hawai’i). Haleakala is actually 200+m higher than Mt Everest when measured from its base deep in the ocean from where these islands have risen.

The desolate volcanic landscape

The Big Island in the distance - Mauna Kea (left) and Mauna Loa (right)

Satellite tracking facility used to track the passage of Venus recently

My passion for all things glacial is matched by my passion for the volcanic.

When we got back to our hotel the water bottles had been sucked in with the change in air pressure. It’s quite an experience.

Fish and chips for dinner rounded off a lovely day.