|
|
Lava Ocean Adventures |
 |
||
Lava Ocean Adventures would like to take you to the unspoiled Hamakua Waterfalls. For more information or to book your trip give us a call.
Please ask about specials ie, Kama'aina, Children, Groups, Military, Clubs, Weddings, Birthdays, Partys,etc.
Regular price is $89.00 per passenger
Historical Hamakua Waterfalls & Wildlife Encounters
A 2.5 hour tour along one of the most beautiful places in the world. Trip comes provided with beverages (juice&water), snacks, sunscreen, full marine head, covered seating, stereo sound, fresh water, and a personal guided tour. During our ocean tour we take you to see over 20 miles of remote coastline accessible only by boat. Come experience Hilo's magnificent waterfalls for yourself.
Most boat cruises depart from Kona. Whereas Lava Ocean Adventures specializes in providing quality ocean excursions on the Hilo side of the Big Island, Hawaii. Including Waterfall tours, Lava tours, Whale Watching, Dinner Cruises, Fishing Charters, and other boating services.
50 Waterfalls - Dolphin Encounters - Onomea Bay - Sugar Mills
Welcome Aboard, lets have some fun!
Your adventure will begin at Wailoa Harbor/Marina located near Suisan in Downtown Hilo. Look for the cream colored 34ft Cat style boat with the name "LONO." Shes hard to miss, a one of a kind here on island. Once onboard Captain Shane will give a safety briefing & from here on its time to enjoy another day on the water in paradise..
The tour begins as we exit the harbor with the band sand beach of Hilo Bay & Historical Hilo Town in the distance. While strolling through the Bay we'll see the Singing bridge located on the Wailuku River. Continuing north we begin to see the signs of eroison currenly taking place due to weathering and earthquakes.. In the distance there are surfers surfing at Honolii a popular Hilo hangout. We'll enjoy a wave or two then cruise to the first of our 50+ mystical waterfalls. Just around the corner is the second black sand beach known as the Mill. Beyond the beach sits the decay of the Papakaou Sugar Mill which was one of three small sugar companies that made up Mauna Kea Sugar Company 1885-1947. Next we enter into the garden of eden better known as Onomea Bay. This amazing tropical display is visually stunning to say the least. The three sheltered valleys are covered in Palm Trees with the Onomea stream flowing down the mountain into the sea. At the mouth of the stream sits two rocks represnting the lovers that gave thier lives to protect the bay. At the north side of the bay once sat the famous landmark the Onomea Arch, the arch attracted visitors to Onomea Bay long before the Garden was established.
During the trip we have the chance to experience the Spinner or Bottnosed dolphins. Usually we see the Spinner dolphins, a playful bunch who are best known for the acrobatics.
throught the trip e'll be cruising at speeds of up to 30 mph. On our way to the magical lands where waterfalls range from 50ft to over a couple hundred feet there are various points of interest including bridges, parks, and beautiful views of Mauna Kea. The waterfalls are located right on the water so you'll be close enough to feel the mist while enjoying the sounds of the fresh water cascading into the Pacific Ocean. These waterfalls are one of the most amazing sights to see here on island. Our journey turns around at Malua Gulch which is a lush jungle valley and is also the first major gulch when you are driving from Hilo to Kona. From here its back along the coastline to Hilo. On the way home many days we can see the volcano in the background toward Hilo.
Once back in Hilo we'll tour the bay passing Coconut Island, Reeds Bay, the Port of Hilo, and on a clear day you should have a great view of the volcano Kilauea in the distance.
Tour Highlights
50 Waterfalls
Waterfalls Anyone? Well most see just the popular Rainbow and Akaka falls. If your looking for a waterfall adventure then your in the right place. We have beautiful array of different fall including double falls cascading well over a couple hundred feet, magical lagoons, and hidden jungle filled valleys with waterfalls.
Dolphin Encounters
How about some dolphin fun? Daily we encounter 2 types of dolphins here on the East side the Spinner and Bottlenosed Dolphins. The Spinners are multi colored (greys & white Belly) are best known for thier playful attitude and acrobatical abilty, quite often seen jumping well out of the water while spinning 4+ times. When excited you will see the belly turn pink to red. The Bottlenosed dolphin is dark grey in color and is a much larger dolphin. Make sure you have pleantly of film : )
Onomea Bay
The 25 acre valley was originally purchased and developed by Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse in 1978, and opened to the public in 1984. Inland you have the Garden whichis a non-profit enterprise "dedicated to providing a plant sanctuary, a living seed bank, and a study center for trees and plants of the tropical world and to preserving the incredibly beautiful natural environment of Onomea Bay for generations to come. In 1912-1922 Manuel Tavares began this vision by planting the valley with 80 to 100 foot tall palms.
The Garden used to be a fishing village known as Kahali'i with fresh water fed by the Onomea stream that flows year round. In the early 1800's this area became a major shipping port and the tsunami of 1946 hit this area hard and destroyed what was left of the Kahali'i village only Rock Wall walls remain of this once thriving village.
Sugar Mills
During the 1800's sugar was the major crop of harvest here along the Hamakua coast. During this time many agriculture techniques were invented and perfected that are still used today. Below is some info on two fo the sugar mills you will pass on our journey.
PEPEEKEO SUGAR COMPANY HISTORY
Located on slopes of Mauna Kea the company, called the Metcalf Plantation,
was started at Kaupakuea in 1857 by Theophilus Metcalf and the first crop
was harvested in 1859. Mr. Metcalf's was the first factory in Hawaii to
use the vacuum pan in 1863. In 1874 ater death of Metcalf , purchased
by Messrs. Afong and Achuck and the name changed to Pepeekeo Sugar Company
Produced 1800 tons of sugar. By 1910 the annual yield was 8,000 tons processed
by a 9-roller mill with a capacity to grind 60 tons of cane per day. The
warehouse could store 24,000 bags of sugar, which were loaded onto interisland
steamers by steel cables from the sea cliff. Harvested cane was delivered
to the mill by railroad cars and 15 miles of stationary flumes There were
700 employees at Pepeekeo Sugar, all of whom worked on the day labor system,
there being no contract laborers at the plantationBy 1914, homesteaders
were using 625 acres to grow cane that was processed at the company mill.By
1923 Mr. Webster's good farming practices had increased the yield from
3.1 tons to 4.6 tons per acre in 15 years. Most of the cane of the plantation
was Yellow Caledonia and Pepeekeo Sugar kept some ratoon crops for as
long as 12 to 18 years. The soil was improved annually with 50,000 tons
of Waianae coral sand as well as bone meal and guano. Eucalyptus trees
were planted as windbreaks, protecting the fields near the ohia forests
Water sources at Waiaama Stream and Kauku Hill provided clear water form
natural filter beds for all plantation uses including turning a water
wheel to generate power. 20 miles of permanent flumes brought cane to
the mill. In 1936 At age 80, after 32 years at Pepeekeo manager, Mr. Webster
retired. In 1941, harvested cane was trucked to the mill for the first
time, due to a shortage of water for fluming. Though water shortages continued
for the next two years, a record crop was produced in 1944. March 1946
saw Hanomu Sugar Co. merged with Pepeekeo and Mr. A. Douglas Ednie became
manager of the combined plantations. M r. Ednie had a difficult year,
however, as Pepeekeo Sugar showed a loss of $141,430, the first loss in
10 years. An industry-wide strike, higher labor costs, unfavorable weather,
and the April tidal wave that destroyed the railroad and terminals in
Hilo added to the problems of 1946.
The late 1950s brought numerous union slowdowns, walkouts, and shutdowns
to Pepeekeo.
In 1971 Wainaku, Hakalau, Pepeekeo, and Papaikou sugar companies were
consolidated in a processing cooperative that also included independent
cane growers. Two years later, Pepeekeo Sugar merged with Mauna Kea Sugar
to form Mauna Kea Sugar Co., Inc., the state's fourth largest sugar company
with 18,000 acres of cane. The mills at Wainaku and Hakalau were closed
as the Pepeekeo mill was modernized to double its capacity by 1974.
Here are some interesting fact from the Onomea Sugar Company In 1879 Onomea was the first Hawaiian sugar plantation to use commercial fertilizer on its fields. By 1926 a major player in Hawaii, the plantation had grown from 300 acres to 27,427 acres. By 1941, over 3,000 men, women and children were living in six villages on the plantation After World War II, the company experienced financial problems due to labor scarcity and later to high wage raises In May of 1965, a proposal was made to merge Onomea Sugar Co. and Hilo Sugar Co. into Mauna Kea Sugar Co. This is just one of many Sugar operations that operated here.
Other tour points of interest
Secluded Coves, Lava Ocean Arches,
Hawaiian Landmarks, Surf Spots, Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, Sea birds,
Marine Life, Hakalau, Kole Kole, and much more.
