Big Island Photos

These photos were all taken on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Big Island is so large in size, that all of the other Hawaiian Islands could fit inside of it. In contrast to it's size, the Big Island has only about 10% of the state's population (as of 1980 U.S. Bureau of the Census statistics).
A black sand beach
A lush, tropical bridge
Building meets lava flow!
Why does a lava flow cross a road?
Lava flowing into the ocean
Rainbow Falls- close up
Rainbow Falls- over the top
Rainbow Falls- far shot
The "Boiling Pots"

Black Sand Beach
This is a photo of a black sand beach, whose name slips me at the moment. There used to be a more popular black sand beach than this one, but a recent (as of the time of this photo) eruption of Kilauea (the most continuously active volcano in the world) buried the beach and the road leading to it.
The black sand is actually volcanic ash. The Big Island also has green sand beaches, which are comprised of olivine crystals. I've even heard rumors of red sand beaches, but have never seen one.

A Bridge in the Tropics
This was an area behind the black sand beach in the photo above.

Building Meets Lava Flow!
This was once a building, possibly a ranger station in Volcanoes National Park. It was totally engulfed in a lava flow. The lava won.

Why does a lava flow cross a road?
Because it can!
This was once a major road on the southern part of the island. Another Kilauea eruption obliterated the road to the point that it may never be repaired. I remember walking across the cooled flow. It was at least a half of a mile wide.

Lava Flowing Into the Ocean
Kilauea was erupting at the time that this photo was taken. This is one of the flows spilling into the ocean. You can plainly see the steam rising from the rapidly cooling lava. If you look closely in the center of the photo, you may be able to see a small stream of red-hot lava.

Close-up of Rainbow Falls
This is a close-up of Rainbow Falls- one of the more popular water falls on the Big Island. The impressiveness of a waterfall varies greatly with the rainfall in it's area. A waterfall can be fairly large and awe-inspiring on one trip, and barely a trickle of water on your next visit. This photo is usually how Rainbow Falls looked when I would see it.

Over the Top
This is a look down from over the top of another part of Rainbow Falls. I don't think it was the main falls in the photo above, but a little further downstream.

Far View of Rainbow Falls
This is a shot of Rainbow Falls from a distance. At the time of the photo, the area was pretty much in it's natural state, and could be widely explored. Within a few years, a housing development sprouted up to the left of this photo, and cut off some of the access down to the falls.

The "Boiling Pots"
This is an area downstream of Rainbow Falls, called "The Boiling Pots" due to the shape of the pools of water.

	Black Sand Beach This is a photo of a black sand beach, whose name slips me at the moment. There used to be a more popular black sand beach than this one, but a recent (as of the time of this photo) eruption of Kilauea (the most continuously active volcano in the world) buried the beach and the road leading to it. The black sand is actually volcanic ash. The Big Island also has green sand beaches, which are comprised of olivine crystals. I've even heard rumors of red sand beaches, but have never seen one.
	A Bridge in the Tropics This was an area behind the black sand beach in the photo above.
	Building Meets Lava Flow! This was once a building, possibly a ranger station in Volcanoes National Park. It was totally engulfed in a lava flow. The lava won.
	Why does a lava flow cross a road? Because it can! This was once a major road on the southern part of the island. Another Kilauea eruption obliterated the road to the point that it may never be repaired. I remember walking across the cooled flow. It was at least a half of a mile wide.
	Lava Flowing Into the Ocean Kilauea was erupting at the time that this photo was taken. This is one of the flows spilling into the ocean. You can plainly see the steam rising from the rapidly cooling lava. If you look closely in the center of the photo, you may be able to see a small stream of red-hot lava.
	Close-up of Rainbow Falls This is a close-up of Rainbow Falls- one of the more popular water falls on the Big Island. The impressiveness of a waterfall varies greatly with the rainfall in it's area. A waterfall can be fairly large and awe-inspiring on one trip, and barely a trickle of water on your next visit. This photo is usually how Rainbow Falls looked when I would see it.
	Over the Top This is a look down from over the top of another part of Rainbow Falls. I don't think it was the main falls in the photo above, but a little further downstream.
	Far View of Rainbow Falls This is a shot of Rainbow Falls from a distance. At the time of the photo, the area was pretty much in it's natural state, and could be widely explored. Within a few years, a housing development sprouted up to the left of this photo, and cut off some of the access down to the falls.
	The "Boiling Pots" This is an area downstream of Rainbow Falls, called "The Boiling Pots" due to the shape of the pools of water.