Day Six

March 10, 2007, Saturday

Whoa! I still feel a bit sore from the midnight hike at Volcano National Park. Anyways, today, we went on hikes that were far way easier compared to yesterday.

First, we walked on a boardwalk into the sulfur banks. The smoke crept through the yellow holes to stench the clear air. Now, if you don’t know what sulfur smells like, it smells like rotten eggs. Not a pleasant smell.

Here in the sulfur banks, there is hot lava beneath the ground causing all the commotions above. The yellow stuff that surrounds the sulfur vents is sulfuric crystals. With our pH probe at hand, we tested the pH level of the sulfur crystals. We snatched a spoonful of sulfur and mixed it with water. Then we checked the pH level the nasty yellow solution. It was between two to three on the pH scale. Now that’s acidic!

As a side study, we asked ourselves, “I wonder hot that steam is?” We grabbed are temperature probe and tested the burning steam. It was around 170 to 190 degrees in Fahrenheit. And yes, that’s why you don’t overexpose your skin right next to the sulfur banks.

Next, we took a leisure hike into the old lava flow. Instead of hiking on top of one, ASOF and local students hiked beneath one. The ancient molten lava that once went through carved these perfect tunnels submerged in the ground. Luckily, the underground passageways made it easier for us to hike down the trail. If you’re wondering what these tunnels are named, they’re some of the many lava tubes on the Hawaiian Islands.

Some of the lava tubes can go on for miles, while others are quite short in distance. Not all of the lava tubes allowed us young men, Wayne and Walker, to continue on with the whole journey. Apparently, some of them can get so small that you would have to start crawling. Instead of creeping through the tight spaces, we just stopped, took a picture, and headed back up above the ground.

With some science expeditions, we also went on our first water voyage. Not out on a boat! Instead, it was in the reefs of Hawaii. Yes, Walker and myself went on our first snorkeling expedition. It was quite scary the first couple minutes because we weren’t familiar to this type of surroundings. No later, our fears faded into the bubbles, which were made by the splashes of our fins.

The reef was filled with colorful corals of all sizes. There were corals that were purple, blue, yellow, and green. Swimming next to the corals were flashing fishes from clown to trumpet fishes. In the open reef, a prehistoric sea turtle passed beneath our bellies. With its scarred fins, it zoomed back into the clear ocean. Are eyes were amazed by such beauty that we never seen underneath those scurvy waves. Our explanation can’t be compared to the magnificence of the reef. Basically, you have to see it instead of hearing it.

And surprisingly, this week has gone by fast! We can’t believe tomorrow will be our last day in Hawaii.