From Sea to Mountain Top

Yesterday was our first full day on the Big Island and it was a FULL day! In the morning we ate breakfast and explained Kona. We snorkeled in the cove right behind our house. 
Our cottage is the one right next to the really bright white roof. 
On the Big Island they have yellow tangs everywhere in the water. They are so bright you can see them from the shoreline. 
Me with the Tangs.

Here is a photo of the Kona Bay. 

In the afternoon/evening/night we booked a tour to go up to the top of Mauna Kea, the oldest volcano and tallest mountain on the island. We started at sea level and drove all the way to the top at 13,000ft to watch the sunset and stargaze. 


A van picked us up in Kona and up we went! The drive was about an hour and a half to the visitor center at 10,000 ft. 

Here we ate some dinner and acclimated for about 40 minutes before being ready to go up to the summit. The mountain was very barren and with all the volcanic rock. The tour had everything timed down to the minute for our safety, and also so we saw the sunset right on time. 

Mauna Kea is above the clouds, so it is perfect for stargazing. There are 13 observatory telescopes on top. They are serious about light pollution here so all 13 can see far away places into space. We had to dim our cell phones and use red lights so it wouldn’t ruin the telescope’s imaging. 

Above the cloud cover. There were unexpected high clouds yesterday, but that made for more colors in the sunset so that was ok. 

Oh! I should mention that while it’s 80+degrees at sea level, at the visitor center it was 58 and windy. Just like home! We brought a ton of layers and they gave us parkas to wear. 

The last 30 minutes to the top is a steep unpaved grade. They do this on purpose so people don’t drive rental cars to the top. You have to have 4wheel drive and get your breaks inspected before going up. I was really thankful to have someone else driving. My Jeep at home could make it up the road, but the driving is intense!

First we saw this satellite. It is operated remotely in New Mexico and was pretty crazy when it started moving!

We kept going up to the top from here and the road became paved again. They couldn’t have the lenses from the telescopes damaged while building them so they ended up paving the last 5 mile section. 

Lava rock, it was dusty! Now the temp was about 40 degrees with 48mph wind!! With the windchill it was below freezing. 

Here I am at the top just before sunset. Burrrr. 

The land looks like something on Mars. 

Coolest sunset we have ever seen! Right over Syd’s head above the cloud is the tallest mountain on Maui. 

Right under the moon is the official top of Mauna Kea. It is a sacred location for Hawaiians and the summit is closed to visitors. There is a trail and a Hianu or alter up there that Hawaiians still use for ceremonies. I loved how the moon was right over the top. 

After sunset we drove back down to 10,000ft to stargaze. Our tour guide set up a telescope and found different constellations for us. It was really cool! Here is a group photo in the moonlight. 
The moon through the telescope. 

We didn’t get home until midnight, but it was an experience I will never forget! Pretty amazing to see one of the most remote places in the world that has so much meaning and importance. Thank you Mauna Kea for allowing us to admire your beauty and the depths of our universe!