Jeff Moore, Alan Cressler, Don Coons
Our arrival into Kona was knid of crazy. It seemed strange watching such an enormous plane arrive into such a small airport. We exited the plane down stairs into the warm night air. My baggage took forever to arrive. The drive to Don's place rather sucked. I was very tired and felt a bit queasy.
The next morning, we got up at 7:23 AM and after breakfast eventually went into the lava tube near Don's house, the Kupka Kanohina Cave System. We descended breakdown into a large entrance and climbed down into passage that split left and right. We first went left through large passage passing below hanging roots and after a couple hundred feet reached a lava sump. We started our photo shoot here. I set up the first picture and then helped Alan take his shot. We progressed back to the passage split and went right this time. We climbed high up a breakdown slope to a large room. I descended the other side and set up my second shot. It proved somewhat difficult to take. Then we completed our through trip exiting the commercial entrance.
After lunch, we followed Don on another through trip. We entered the commercial entrance and followed breakdown floored passage until we eventually come to a short squeeze, a dug connection. After awhile, we reached another entrance. Then we did a traverse and continued to a really nice section of cave with prominent lava gutters and breakdown free floors. I really liked this section of cave. We also visited a lava fall. Eventually, we reached a skylight entrance and soon exited out another entrance. On our way to Kona to pick up our rental car we stopped at Honaunau Bay to snorkel. The water felt about 80 degrees and rather chilly upon entry but not bad once you're in. W saw a few British ____ early on. I also got to see spiny urchins, pencil urchin, a sea turtle, and many other fish. Snorkeling was quite enjoyable. As it grew darker we came back ashore and headed into Kona to get the jeep. We picked up the jeep but Alan forgot his GPS so about 1/2 an hour out of Kona we had to turn back around to retrieve it. We ate at Denny's, came back to Don's, and went to bed.
Kupka Kanohina
The lava landscape behind Don's house.
Kupka Kanohina
The back of Don's house.
Kupka Kanohina
Another view of Don's house.
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Kupka Kanohina
Jeff descends into one of the many entrances to the Kupka Kanohina Cave System.
Kupka Kanohina
Jeff descends into one of the many entrances to the Kupka Kanohina Cave System.
Kupka Kanohina
Jeff descends into one of the many entrances to the Kupka Kanohina Cave System.
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Viewed:
Kupka Kanohina
Jeff poses atop a larger boulder in the large lava tube.
Kupka Kanohina
Jeff poses at the top of a large breakdown slope.
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