Into the haze

Did you know that the southernmost point in the USA is located on the Big Island of Hawaii? It's called Ka Lae ("The Point") (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka_Lae) also known as South Point. It is windy. And south. Every time I've been there the sun has shone and the crazy waves crashed in abundance. It's a popular fishing spot and I've heard tell that locals jump the cliffs into the wildly currented water.

South Point is a point rife with cliffs. The primary viewpoint is atop 35ish foot cliffs. I've never seen anyone jump from the cliffs, and that still holds. However. There is a lava tube back a short way from the cliff face, an ocean entry I would never dare to use. The large waves rushing into the tube seemed to raise and lower the water level by at least 10 feet. As I tried to peer over the edge from many feet away an older guy with a long white beard and scraggly long hair stepped off into the void, down into the roiling water. Soon after a young Aussie guy followed. The small crowd rushed over to the cliff face and we watched them struggle up a ladder bolted into the rock. Jon began stripping his shirt off, convinced that he too could defeat the ocean's wrath. We lured him away with the promise of malasadas at the Punalu'u Bake Shop which claims to be the southernmost bakery in the US (http://www.bakeshophawaii.com/). Reluctantly, drool slipping down his jaw, Jon re-donned his shirt and collapsed into the back seat.

Sugary sweet malasadas and unnecessary cups of coffee propelled us along the southern coast towards the volcano. As proof that an active volcano does reside on island, the haze of the vog grew thicker the nearer we got. By the time we arrived in the park (http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm), dusk preludes streaked across a sky hidden from our eyes by fog or vog or cloud. At the visitor's center we learned that a decent portion of the park has been closed because of the proliferation of poisonous gases. Maybe more because those gases can be deadly than the simple fact of their existence. After Jon finished taking pictures inside the center the Civic brought us to the Kilaeua Caldera overlook, where a magnificent view did not greet us. A solid wall of gray obscured all but the closest rocks. Inside the caldera a couple trails and a road typically allow visitors to get a ground's eye view. Unfortunately, that part of the park is closed because of recent activity. Within the caldera is the Halema'uma'u Crater from which is issuing a large plume of deadly gas. This we could not see. Instead steam vents back toward's the visitor's center provided us moist amusement until finally the decision was made to find our camping grounds for the night. These camping grounds, according to park maps, lay just beyond the border of the red cross-hatched "CLOSED" area. If the wind stayed right, all would be fine. If they shifted wrongly, well, hopefully we'd not find out. Back around the Caldera and down to a one-lane dirt road that brought us to the Kulanaokuaiki camping area. One tent had been pitched and a couple was eating a fast-food take-out picnic at one of the picnic tables. Otherwise the place was empty. From the trunk we grabbed our tent and sleeping bags and chose one of the free camping spots away from the parking lot. With true darkness descending we left the park and drove a couple miles down the road to the Town of Volcano for dinner.

On past visits, the C and I had tried in vain to eat at Thai Thai (http://www.yelp.com/biz/thai-thai-restaurant-volcano) a restaurant of great repute in the town of Volcano. All we had ever experienced was a "Closed" sign. Luck remained beside us this night and it was open! And the prices....a bit higher than we'd hoped. Nevertheless, hunger spoke louder than far off abused bank accounts and we grabbed a table. Oh my the food was worth the price! Spicy, very flavorful and great service. And portions big enough for half to be saved as breakfast. Yum!

Back in the campground a clear sky greeted us. Jon beseeched all the gods he could think of after dinner, desperate for stars and a decided lack of deadly gas. Some how he pulled it off. Our lone bottle of wine came out and while The C shivered in the tent, Jon and I stood and stared in amazement at the brilliant night sky. It was the perfect end to a damn good day. After finishing off the wine the three of us crowded into the tent for a cozy night's sleep.