Weekend Lava Adventure on the Big Island

July 30, 2013

Weekend Lava Adventure on the Big Island

This weekend I took a short, last minute trip to the Big Island with Josh and a couple of friends. Say Shaka!

Our goal? To see lava! Even though all of us have lived here for a while, none of us have ever been to see the lava, at least not closer than a two to three mile distance.

After a relaxing Saturday of hanging out in the geothermic pools and relaxing in the sun we headed to our campsite at Kalani Retreat to set up tents and swim around in their clothing optional (I opted for a swimsuit) pool! I wished I could have stayed their longer, they have really great activities like yoga, movie nights, and everyones favorite ecstatic dance! Everyone we ran into on the island told us about their 10AM ecstatic dance party. Next time…

The next morning we woke up at 2:30AM to start our hike*. Because this hike is over private property, we wanted to leave before disturbing anyone in the neighborhood and before we would get caught and ticketed.  As we got closer I could feel the heat from the lava flow and could see the glow reflecting on the clouds in the sky. We hiked three miles over expansive lava beds before we came upon this:

As the lava entered the water we could hear it crackling an popping. We sat and watched the lava from here for a while before my friends decided to go explore a closer view. I decided to stay here (I’m a worry wart) but my friends got some great shots of the lava close up. They said the heat from the lava flow hurt their face! They were that close! As the sun came up I got a few more shots of the lava before we headed back to camp.

Josh with the lava
Pele’s Braid

The sunrise on the way back was unreal!

When we got back to Kalani, breakfast was being served. It was heathy and delicious! After a nap, we broke down our tents and began driving towards Kona. We stopped at South Point (the most southern point in the US) to jump! I did not jump (worry wart) but I got some shots of the crew taking the plunge.

By the time we got to Kona the sun was setting. Kona delivered on a great sunset!

Then it was time to head home. My trip was short but so inspiring. I have been working on a new jewelry style, and the trip has inspired me to push it even further. I’ll share with you my new inspiration on my next post! In the meantime you can see some of my new Hawaii Inspired jewelry by clicking on the image below:

Hawaii Inspired Paper Earrings

*Because of the danger factor of the lava hike, I DO NOT recommend it. If in doubt go with a boat tour or a certified lava hiking tour. We latched on to a hiking party with multiple years of experience. Never hike out if you can not see the red glow of the lava. The risk of getting lost and turned around is great.



Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in News

March Wallpaper Club Download
March Wallpaper Club Download

March 18, 2024

Read More

Green Jewelry For Saint Patrick's Day
Green Jewelry For Saint Patrick's Day

March 12, 2024

So you can skip the pinches this year on St. Patrick's Day, we picked out some of our favorite green jewelry.

Read More

Understanding the Colors of Pride: A Guide to the Different Pride Flags
Understanding the Colors of Pride: A Guide to the Different Pride Flags

June 24, 2023

Read More