I had been watching for Nene – the state bird of Hawaii – across my visits in the park, but eventually just asked ranger friends and they pointed me to a subdivision of Volcano village just outside the park. Fair enough, the Nene flock was to be found on the fairground of the local golf course.

Can’t ever get enough of such a spectacular event. Lava lake in the crater again. Pele has come back to the surface to show her beauty.

Living the island life

Still Kona-side, I visited the 2nd Heiau and enjoyed a morning and an evening at different beaches, with a nice Birthday dinner in between at the Lava Lava Beach Club that was about to close done for major renovation works.

The last time I was at Po’ohonua o Honaunau that I can remember, I was dispatched as a volunteer from Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park to support the big festivities there in 2012. It sure felt much calmer this evening with a little drizzle from the sky.

Before heading to a quick shore dive, making up for a cancellation of a prearranged booking on the south shore, I looped around the eastern part of O’ahu.

I know, it is so far. But it felt like such a long time ago. I just had to go back. Call it my own treat for my (delayed) 40th birthday 🙂

to prepare for our full forensic project highlighting both the massive extent of the destruction along the entire valley as well as the massive solidarity.

While carrying out forensic flood work, I was able to join the KAHR project excursion and presentation on site in the heavily affected city of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in the Ahr valley. The devastating effects after the “Bernd” floods from July 2021 are still incredibly present.