Wewere up with the sun–that’s like 5:30 AMHST! After breakfast we decided to make this our first visit to the Volcano to check it out. We went by way of Rainbow Falls just outside Hilo’s downtown.
At Rainbow Falls we were disappointed at first. The information we had said best in the morning. When we arrived, there was no rainbow to be seen! And we could not do the geocache there because of too many muggles. They were everywhere! Maybe there will be fewer people not on a weekend day. And the sun was in and out of the clouds. So, we waited around and waited around. About 10 AM the sun peeked out for longer periods of time and we saw the hint of the rainbow from the main walkway. After watching at this spot for a few minutes, Joyce went up to the right so the sun was in a better position and the rainbow was more present. We both got a few shots from that spot.
There was a higher overlook that looked down on the falls and upriver. No rainbow up there. BUT, Joyce did it twice thereby ensuring that her fitbit would record more stairs climbed that Gary’s! We met a fellow photographer from Honolulu who had the same brand of travel tripod as Gary and he remarked on it. Saying that he had to actually go to B&H (the big photo store in NYC) to check it out. He had a Canon 5D MKIII for taking great photos.
We tried once more on the way out for the geocache, but there were still too many people about. Left for the Volcano National Park about 10:45. Once again our Senior Pass got us through the entrance gate without charge. Stopping at the visitor center to get the first of several earth caches in the park (Success!!), we also got some information from one of the rangers about various things to do in the park. Based on that information we decided to go along the Chain of Craters Road to the Sea Arch. Along the way we stopped at the Devastation Trail and took a 0.7 mile round trip walk to see over into one of the cratersthat people could hike across. Then we drove to the hike to the petroglyphs. It was 1.5 miles, but across the lava. Joyce was sure that it was 2 or maybe 5 miles! This took about an hour. Got a few photos from both the Devastation Trail and the petroglyphs.
On to the Sea Arch! Here we got the 2nd earth cache successfully by answering a couple of questions and sending a photo of us (Joyce) holding the GPSr with the Sea Arch in the background. Got a few other photos in the area. Then headed back up the Chain of Craters Road to make our way to the Lava Tube. It was really hot, too!
We stopped at one of the craters that was not named on the map and we didn’t document the name while there. Took a couple of panorama photos and some various shots of the crater.
At the Lava Tube, there were hordes of people! It was a walk down, down, down into the rain forest and back up into the Lava Tube. We were after our 3rd earth cache here. Successfully answered the questions and walked a short way into the tube. Too many people so we returned to the parking lot. Up, up and up that added about 4 stairs to our fitbits (Joyce is still ahead of me) stopping along the way to grab a few photos.
Since the weather was pretty clear we decided to try for dinner at the Volcano House (lodge and restaurant built by the CCC) and then stay for the night photography opportunity at the Jaggar Museum viewing area. We were lucky, the lounge was open and they had enough choices to make dinner. Joyce had three BBQ sliders and Gary had a pizza with pork and pineapple. A couple of local beers, too. The restaurant had views of the caldera and steam vents. Nice!
After dinner and the short drive to the Jaggar Museum, Gary set up his tripod for the night shots. Of course, it was only 5:30 and sunset was around 6:50 and dark was around 8 PM. Waiting on photograpy opportunities is not one of Joyce’s best loved activities. During the 3 hour wait, she found the 4th earth cache at the Jaggar Museum, logged all the day’s caches and waited in the car the last 30 minutes!
Leaving around 8:20, we arrived back at the guest house around 9:30. watched the news and called it a day!