Greetings from the centre of the earth
In Hawaii, if you’re brave enough, you can feel the island’s temperature through the soles of your boots, walking on ground that was until recently part of our planet’s molten core
Nothing is more fundamentally awe-inspiring than lava. This molten rock travels all the way from the centre of the Earth to pierce the crust of our planet’s surface like liquid fire: gleaming, bubbling and frothing as it spews out at temperatures of more than 700C (1300F). That’s hot enough to melt most metals, and there’s little need to expand on the devastation it can cause. Many of us were weaned on stories of infamous volcanic eruptions such as that which buried Pompeii, and have witnessed enough dramatic news footage of more recent events to know one simple truth: volcanoes are deadly.
Yet when coming face to face with a lava flow for the first time, it’s surprisingly easy to forget all fear and get lost in its raw beauty, which lures you closer despite emanating a most humbling power. Imagine the comfort of watching a log fire burn in your hearth on a winter’s night, while feeling the warmth on your skin – now multiply that by a million and you’ll start to get the picture. Vivid hues of red, yellow and orange blending together in soft flowing shapes, forming the heart of a river that swirls slowly in loose circular motions and oozes downslope. When the flow starts to cool, it folds back over on itself as it petrifies, taking on the shape and appearance of satin bed sheets, still ruffled from the night before.
One of the best places to enjoy such a sight is here on the magical island of Hawaii. Also known as the Big Island, this is the largest of the eight main islands that make up the archipelago and 50th state of the USA. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this is an easy place to reach: Hawaii remains one of the most remote places on Earth, sitting bang in the centre of the Pacific, some 2390 miles from California and 3850 miles from Japan. That said, it is still relatively well connected and there are regular flights into Honolulu, the capital of neighbouring Oahu Island, from where transit flights are easy to find.
We have hiked for several hours up the black and burnt-out landscape of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to find an active lava flow, and are standing on the flanks of Kilauea, a shield volcano that has been constantly erupting since 1983. Despite its active status, Kilauea remains perfectly safe to visit and live near as it is situated on a hotspot at the centre of the Pacific Plate, the Earth’s largest tectonic plate at 103 million square kilometres (40,000,000 square miles). Volcanic eruptions in the region are usually less violent than in locations nearer the edges, as there is less pressure and gas pushing the magma upwards.
‘We are now literally walking on brand new earth,’ explains Christopher Russell, a local volcanologist and guide who is showing us how to navigate the mountain. ‘The rock beneath our feet didn’t even exist this morning so there’s little chance anyone else has ever stood on the same spot. I like to tell people we’re enjoying the same experience as Neil Armstrong did when he landed on the Moon, but without having to fly all the way into space. That said, I’m sure man will one day walk on the Moon again, but this spot will most likely be covered by another flow later this week and disappear forever.’
It’s hard to believe that the molten liquid we can see just a few feet away will transform into anything near sturdy enough to support our weight, but the flow quickly starts to turn grey at the edges. Christopher demonstrates the strength of this newly formed crust by squashing it under his foot. Although he can make a small dent by stamping with all his force, the surface holds firm and doesn’t break.
‘A crust as thin as a few centimetres is safe enough to walk on,’ he explains, leading the way through a field of newly formed rock and navigating between an alarming number of red lava flows. ‘Don’t worry, there’s very little chance of walking on a spot that’s too thin. The heat that will come off that section will be hot enough to stop you dead in your tracks.’
It may not be that hot but walking over some parts is still uncomfortably warm, and glowing red lava veins gleam up at us through the cracks. Sporadically, little clouds of smoke emerge – these are mostly sulphur and gypsum, leaving behind yellow or white traces. The surface of this porous basalt doesn’t feel like rock but rather like densely packed snow. It crinkles and fragments underfoot, and if it wasn’t for the intense heat, and the fact that the surrounding landscape is black, you could imagine you were walking in a virgin snowfield.
On closer inspection the rock isn’t exactly black but varying shades of grey that reflect the light in different ways. At times it appears like melted black plastic, treacle or tar, and at others it shimmers silver and gold as it catches the sun. A bird’s-eye view makes it easier to distinguish the many different tones of basalt, and also offers the best vantage point from which to appreciate the way lava has moved and shaped the landscape. Lacking wings, we head to nearby Hilo airport, where we have arranged a charter flight with Paradise Helicopters, a company that specialises in aerial tours of the island. Customers can choose between a Hughes 500 helicopter or a Bell 407 with limousine-style seating. We pick the Hughes as it offers doors-off flying, which is better for taking photographs. As we take to the air our pilot, Sean Regehr, explains how volcanoes have shaped the islands.
“‘The islands of Hawaii wouldn’t actually exist without volcanoes,’”
‘The islands of Hawaii wouldn’t actually exist without volcanoes,’ he says, above the whirring of the helicopter blades. ‘They’re the result of old eruptions that took place hundreds of thousands of years ago. Big Island was born in the most recent spate of activity and is still growing. It’s made up of five volcanoes; only one of them is extinct.’
From the air we grasp what this fully means by flying east over the flanks of Kilauea towards the Pu’u ‘Ō‘ō, one of the main craters on the volcano. This permanent bed of lava constantly bellows large quantities of smoke and gas into the atmosphere – enough, in fact, to put even the most polluting factories to shame. Sean expertly manoeuvres his machine closer so that we end up hovering a few feet above the red sea. Sweat immediately starts pouring as we are subjected to the intense heat coming up from the crater and through the open doors. It’s an incredible experience, but only bearable for a few minutes. We’re glad when Sean pulls us out and flies down to the coast to show us where an underground lava tube pours out of the cliff into the sea.
In recent days the flow has subsided but the contrast of turquoise blue and white steam produced by the meeting of lava and ocean remains breathtaking. Through the translucent water you can see where the lava is creating a new rock shelf and expanding the island little by little. It helps to understand how these islands came to be. ‘Not only is Hawaii still growing but it can’t decide what weather it should have,’ adds Sean, flying us away from the volcano towards the north. ‘On Big Island we are lucky enough to enjoy four out of the five major climate zones in the world and eight out of the 13 sub-zones. That’s incredible for a territory of only 4028 square miles. But it means our weather goes from continuously wet in the east to arid dry desert in the west, passing by tundra climate and arable ranch land.
‘Hilo in the east is the wettest city in the USA, while Kona in the west is one of the world’s prime holiday destinations for its unspoilt sand beaches, palm trees and sunshine. I think it’s these contrasts that give Hawaii its special character. It’s a land of extremes. On one side Mother Nature can be incredibly destructive and powerful, yet on the other she can be kind, generous and forgiving.’
Finally the helicopter takes us up into the waterfalls on the northeast of the island, where lush green valleys covered in dense vegetation
are carved into the high cliffs and run deeply into the heartland. Running water gushes down from great heights over the rock face, creating beautiful waterfalls that catch the light, creating small rainbows and other tricks of refraction. The largest valley is called Waip’o, meaning ‘curved water’ in the local language. It’s six miles long and stands some 2000ft below the surrounding terrain. At its mouth there is a black sand beach lined with coconut trees that looks out towards the ocean.
It could be the setting of Jurassic Park but surprisingly it was where the ancient Hawaiians had their main settlement. Waipi’o Valley is the location of the ancient grass palaces of the old Hawaiian kings. It’s often referred to as the Valley of the Kings, and at one time there were as many as 10,000 people living there, but in 1946 a tsunami destroyed all infrastructure. Astonishingly, nobody was killed, but nobody ever rebuilt either, and now only a handful of people live there. Rumour says it is because of the presence of ancient burial caves found in either side of the mountains.
Local culture still plays a big role in the islands, dominating many aspects of Hawaiian life. We get a lesson in local beliefs from ‘Uncle’ Earl Regidor, Cultural Director at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, where we are staying in the northwest of the island. Here we are a long way from barren land or wet rainforest, and can relax amid palm trees and Caribbean-style white sand beaches. Earl played a vital part in ensuring that the exclusive five-star resort was developed with respect for local beliefs. The hotel celebrates Hawaiian culture through its rooms, villas and suites by exhibiting an extensive collection of native Hawaiian art and serving up Hawaiian-inspired fine dining.
Sitting on the immaculately trimmed lawns of the hotel resort, Earl gives us a lesson in local history under the shade of coconut trees. He explains stories of the Kupuna (ancestors), which make up the history and cultural beliefs of the Hawaiians, transmitted via song and dance. Earl is joined by Kapu Hoapili, a hula dance teacher who acts out the stories while he sings in a warm baritone voice, strumming on a ukulele guitar.
Hawaiians descend from travellers who crossed the sea from Polynesia. They believe in a number of gods who control different domains or elements. Pele the fire Goddess is one of the most important, as she is the creator of the islands of Hawaii. Her home is believed to be the fire pit called Halema’uma’u crater at the summit of Kilauea, but her domain encompasses all volcanic activity on the Big Island. Pele is renowned as a bit of a trickster who holds a grudge, and Earl warns us against angering her by bringing back bits of rock, unless we want to meet misfortune. He tells us one story in particular that reveals her vengeful spirit.
‘Ohi‘a the warrior and Lehua the maiden were two young lovers,’ says Earl with a serious voice but a twinkle in his eye. ‘One day the volcano goddess Pele fell in love with the handsome Ohi‘a and approached him. When he turned down her advances she was furious and, in a fit of jealousy, Pele transformed him into a twisted tree. Lehua was heartbroken and turned to the other gods to help her. They took pity but couldn’t undo Pele’s magic, so decided to turn Lehua into a flower and place her upon the Ohi‘a tree. That way the two lovers could be together forever, and it is said that when a Lehua flower is plucked from an Ohi‘a tree, the sky will rain with the separated lovers’ tears.’
The red Lehua flower is the official flower of the Big Island, and blossoms on the Ohi‘a tree, which is one of the most common on Hawaii. It is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, which is endemic to the six largest islands. It is a highly variable tree, being 20-25 metres (66–82 ft) tall in favourable situations, and a much smaller prostrate shrub when growing in boggy soils or directly on basalt. It produces a brilliant display of flowers, made up of a mass of stamens ranging from fiery red to yellow.
Surfboard shaper Gary Young uses all types of wood in his line of work and has a great admiration for the Lehua. ‘It’s the first plant that grows back on the volcano flows as all it needs is water to grow. When it sheds its leaves and old branches they fall to the floor and rot, which produces soil for other plants to take seed in. It’s the start of everything. Without the Lehua you wouldn’t have jungle-like vegetation on Hawaii.’
Gary has experimented with all sorts of local trees when making surfboards. He is a pioneer in this field and is currently experimenting with Albizia, a type of pest plant that is taking over the island. ‘It’s interesting to use something that is considered waste,’ he says. ‘On the island, the direct contact with nature is making people much more eco-conscious. And that’s fine by me. There are a lot of scientists who are coming here to work on interesting projects to do with the environment, nature and even energy. Hawaii is a hotbed of research and scientific discovery.’
One of the best places to see this in action is at the top of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano and the highest point on the island, located at more than 4207m (13,802 ft) above sea level. Here there is a series of independent astronomical research facilities and large observatories that look out into space. It is the world’s largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes that are operated by astronomers from 11 countries. The atmosphere above the mountain is extremely dry – which is important when measuring infrared and submillimetre radiation from celestial sources –and cloud-free, so that the proportion of clear nights is among the highest in the world. The distance from city lights and a strong island-wide lighting ordinance ensure an extremely dark sky, allowing observation of the faintest galaxies that lie at the very edge of the observable Universe.
Science and politics are extremely closely linked in Hawaii, which was the first state to sign a bill adopting the goals of the Paris agreement on climate change. Back in 2015, a bill passed by the Hawaiian legislature set out that, by 2045, the state aimed to be generating all of its electricity from renewable sources. It may seem like a long way off but, compared to reforesting barren land, shifting tectonic plates and the creation of new islands, it’s just a blink in geological time. The same phenomenon is happening 35 miles south and much deeper in the ocean, on the same tectonic rift. Lō‘ihi Seamount, a submarine volcano, has been erupting for 400,000 years and is expected to emerge above sea level in 10,000 years, adding another island to the archipelago.
