Kalapana used to be a small fishing village with a world famous black sand beach nestling in the picturesque Kaimu bay. Lush grove of coconut palms and a serene seaside park lined along its shore. For many years, surfers and tourists flocked to Kaimu beach to enjoy the high surfs and the incredible fine black sands. But in 1990, Kilauea volcano erupted and Kalapana village was in the direct path of a massive lava flow. The lava completely destroyed the village and buried everything - including the beautiful Kaimu beach - under 40 - 80 feet of lava! For several months, the lava continued to flow into the ocean, filling the bay and adding new acres of land to the shoreline.
BEFORE / AFTER
Now, twenty years later, an awe-inspiring miracle is taking place: a new black sand beach is forming where the lava-extended land meets the ocean. This ongoing transformation is the result of ocean waves crashing relentlessly against the rocky shoreline, breaking large chunks of lava into smaller and smaller grains of sand over time. The young beach not only has a sweeping view of the Puna coastline, but also a stunning volcanic landscape where a looming crater is still smoldering on the mountainside. Standing at this spot, you can’t help but feel like you’re at the edge of the world! The new Kaimu Beach being formed at Kalapana is mere shadow of its former namesake. Keep in mind that this is a beach that is completely surrounded by lava and serves the purpose of being more of an example of how beaches are made on the Big Island rather than being a beach that you might actually enjoy actually laying-out on. The ocean here in fact is actually quite dangerous and not a place you should consider getting into at all. This is a great spot to visit however to get a sense of the great power of the goddess of volcanoes, Pele. There is a hiking path out across the lava beds to the ocean where you can observe a black sand beach in the making. From the trailhead to the beach is about 3/4 mile and it is pretty level. (2) (3)
This cache was created during GeoVenture 1 tour of Earthcaches with 16 cachers from around the world and 2 geologists exploring the big island for answers to life's persistent questions. And Geocaches. Be sure to check out the view of the beach using Google map satalite view. Note that the lava did not come from the top of Mauna Loa, but from a fissure further down the mountain, after travelling most of the way through a lava tube.
To log this cache, send me an e-mail with the answers to these questions. Do not include the answers in your on-line logs.
1. The path all the way to the beach is marked with what? What are you walking on?
2. Is the lava smooth, rounded pahoehoe or rough, chunky a'a?
3. What has been planted near the beach to restore it?
4. Describe the difference between the black sand at the water's edge versus any you find a few meters into the lava flow.
References 1. Wikipedia article on Kaimu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaim%C5%AB,_Hawaii 2. Tom's Barefoot Tours: https://www.tombarefoot.com/hawaii-information/kaimu-beach-at-kalapana/3389 3. Hubpages: http://punacoast.hubpages.com/hub/Hidden-Hawaii-Spectacular-New-Kaimu-Black-Sand-Beach-in-Kalapana-on-the-Big-Island 4. Photos: blogs.alohaliving.com and www.fotosearch.com