Honokohau,
White Sand Beach.
On Honokohau beach, one may swim in the Pacific Ocean, relax
to the sounds of wild birds, watch ducks on the pond, and
relish the scenery of Hualualai Mountain. There is no lifeguard.
To get there, take route 19 north from Kailua-Kona for three
miles and turn left on the access road to Honokohau Harbor.
Then take the first right turn which should take you around
to the dry dock area. Next continue to the end of the pavement
and park anywhere along there. Look for the signs of a path
between the large lava boulders. Once over the boulders continue
on the path until you see the ocean. Then follow the shore
to the right to get to the beach area.
Kamoamoa,
Black Sand Beach.
Kamoamoa is
now history. A few years ago it was covered with a new lava
flow. It was located in the most popular spot on the island,
the Volcano National Park. The black lava granules, which
covered the beach when caught by the sunlight, looked iridescent.
I would like to take you on a virtual field trip to the park.
So make yourself comfortable; we have plenty of time. Now,
you're ready to go to the Virtual Field Trips web site, where
you may find spectacular photos of the park.
Puu
Mahana, Green Sand Beach.
Puu Mahana,
Green Sand Beach, is located in the Kau' district. It is primarily
located on the slopes of Mauna Loa, the world's largest and
most massive active volcano on the southwestern part of the
island. To get to this beach, one must either use a four wheel
drive or hike six miles from South Point, Ka Lae, the southern
most tip of the United States.
Volcanologist,
Steve Mattox of University of North Dakota gives this explanation
for such a spectacular one of a kind place.
"The beach
formed by the erosion and concentration of olivine crystals
derived from the surrounding cone. The volcanic cone is Puu
Mahana and it is a tuff ring (a type of volcano formed by
the interaction of magma and shallow groundwater). The cone
is associated with the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa (although
the cone is not right on the rift). Mauna Loa flow can contain
abundant olivine crystals. As ocean waves crashed against
the coast they wore away at the cone and made a small bay
along the coast. The waves also removed the lighter grains
of sand (made of volcanic ash) leaving the denser olivine
crystals behind to form the beach. I do not know of another
green sand beach. Olivine is common in basalt lava. A few
crystals might be found in some andesite lava. It is never
found in dacite and rhyolite lava."
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