Some quick pictures to fill you in on the “living” part of “living and working on Mauna Loa.”
The fireworks in Hilo just weren’t that great. There were exceptionally long pauses between each burst, and the individual fireworks were exceedingly average. Oh well. At least we were able to see them, and I enjoyed taking pictures. The international members of our group were severely underwhelmed by American pyrotechnics, I’m afraid.
Today I finally made it to the beach for snorkeling. One of Hawai’i's most entertaining assets is its incredible snorkeling areas. I didn’t have very high hopes for this particular spot (Richardson Ocean Park) as it’s on the windward side of the island. However, the snorkeling turned out to be very good and I am extremely happy. I saw a squid, many humuhumunukunukuapua`a, some yellow tangs, and countless others. (Those pics are not mine, but rather the property of the sites that the links lead to.) Snorkeling is the perfect way to relax, since it’s as if I’m in an entirely different world. The only sound that is clearly audible is that of hidden shrimp making crackling noises. It’s like being part of the aquarium instead of just watching from the outside. Here’s the beach where I was.
Tomorrow is back to the grind. Stay tuned for more news from the volcano!
