20th February 2023

Today we planned an excursion to the active volcano Kīlauea, located in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, along with a brief stop at the Mauna Loa macadamia nut factory.

By the time we emerged from our cabin, the ship was already docked, but we were disappointed to find it raining on deck. Mauna Loa should have been visible from the ship, but the promised plumes of smoke from ongoing eruptions were nowhere to be seen, concealed beneath a thick blanket of heavy grey rainclouds that obscured everything at higher elevations.

Having finished breakfast by 9 am, we returned to our cabin to prepare for what was clearly going to be a wet day. Disembarkation was reasonably swift, considering most of the 2,600+ passengers were eager to feel solid ground beneath their feet. We dashed to the port terminal to escape the worst of a sudden downpour, then waited around twenty minutes to board our tour bus to the National Park.

None of the tours today was going to avoid the rain. This is the wettest of the islands, and we were on the rainy side of the volcanic chain, where annual rainfall can reach up to 180 inches. We’d been warned that at 4,000 feet, the summit of Kīlauea could be wet and chilly at any time of year, and to be prepared for changeable conditions, a raincoat, long trousers, and closed-toe shoes were advised. Naturally, some passengers leaving the ship were dressed more for a hot day at the beach. They were about to learn the hard way the value of reading the provided information and listening to the tour guides.

It rained steadily all the way to the visitor centre, located not far from the crater rim. We had an hour there and were told that the walk to the caldera viewing platform would take around half an hour each way. Stepping off the bus into heavy rain, Sue and I set off briskly along the path leading to the viewpoint. Most of our group chose the comfort of Volcano House, with its sheltered view and gift shop. Originally built in 1877, the building now houses the Volcano Art Centre as well as a hotel.

It took us just over ten minutes to reach the viewpoint. The rain had eased slightly, but the scene below was cloaked in mist, hardly ideal for photography. A few other determined tourists soon joined us, undeterred by the weather. We were briefly rewarded with a break in the downpour, during which the far side of the crater emerged into hazy view. The lava lake, blackened by rainfall, emitted clouds of steam that obscured any close inspection of its features. After about fifteen minutes, with the rain intensifying again, we made our way back to the relative sanctuary of Volcano House, its obscured view and inevitable gift shop. I may not have captured a decent photo of the volcano, but I did get the T-shirt!

Boarding the coach, we continued, making a very brief stop to view a couple of roadside fumaroles. There were many more in the area, but the weather had dampened the group’s enthusiasm for exploration. A little further along, we paused for twenty minutes at another viewpoint overlooking the now mostly concealed crater. However, on the walk to the platform, we were fortunate enough to spot the rare nēnē, the national bird of Hawai‘i.

We descended from the volcano in rain so heavy it filled the roadside gullies with frothing torrents, and made our way to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Factory. We’d been told it had been raining non-stop on the island for the past week, so it came as a pleasant surprise when, on arrival at the factory, the rain actually stopped. Still under a sky heavy with grey cloud, we spent half an hour wandering the site, sampling the macadamia nuts and their many flavoured variations in the factory shop, exploring the surrounding garden, and peering through the windows to watch the workers busily boxing up the fruits of their labour.

We returned to the ship and reboarded in yet another downpour. After discarding our sodden clothes in the cabin, we made our way to the Salty Dog Grill for burgers and chips.

We had originally planned a short afternoon walk to the nearby islet of Coconut Island, just half an hour’s stroll away, but the persistent drizzle and gloomy skies persuaded us otherwise. Instead, we opted for a game of backgammon and a film. There is, after all, a limit to our adventurousness, and today’s soaking had met it. With more rain forecast for tomorrow’s visit to Honolulu, we also need time to dry out our gear!

The evening’s entertainment was a colourful song-and-dance show titled Disco Boogie, featuring music from the 1980s.