M A U I

Our next port of call was Lahaina, where modern Hawaii has its roots deeply embedded. In the mid 1800's, Kamehameha the Great established residence here after he conquered Maui in a bloody battle in the Iao Valley. Whalers came by the thousands to winter in this little port. Humpback whales migrating to their Hawaiian breeding waters from the Aleutians still make whale watching a popular winter pastime. Lahaina combines elements of the past and present. The town stretches out for two miles along the water, but is only four blocks deep. Lahaina's landmark Banyan tree is more than a century old. It was only 8 feet tall when planted, but now it takes up an entire city block.

To the east of Lahaina is the 10,023-foot volcano, Haleakala, which has long been dormant, although it is not extinct. The abyss is Maui's treasure. Although the island has no shortage of splendor, Haleakala National Park's eerie landscape, nestled into the huge crater, easily wins all beauty contests.

K O N A

The island of Hawaii is by far the largest and newest in the Hawaiian Island chain. It has the most varied environment; from warm beaches to tropical rain forests to the freezing mountain tops of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. There are the ranches of Waimea, an active volcano zone of Kilauea and other numerous ecologies in between.

K I L A U E A    V O L C A N O

As we began our voyage back to San Diego, we passed by the Kilauea Volcano as the island of Hawaii has been growing since its most recent eruption began in 1983.