LAVA DOG
Sonya, the World Heritage Pointer, Explores Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

World Heritage Site: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
State/Province: Hawaii
Country: USA
Continent: North America
Year it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1987
Maps: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Island of Hawaii - The Big Island Hawaiian Islands Pacific Ocean
Episodes: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3

Episode 1: Talking Turtle Heads and Lava – Surf & Turf Hawaiian Style
by Rose Muenker

"What's that dark gray stuff?" Sonya asked as she pointed at the barren landscape.

"It's lava that turned into rock," the airport van driver explained.

"Lava? Like the gooey liquid that volcanoes spew out their tops when they erupt?"

"Yup. It was red hot and flowed like thick honey when it spilled out of a volcano. That was a long, long time ago."

Sonya had just arrived on the Island of Hawaii, the biggest of the Hawaiian Islands. Nicknamed "the Big Island," it has five volcanoes.

They erupted for many years. The molten lava that flowed out of them created the land that became the island.

"Are all the volcanoes quiet now?" Sonya asked the driver.

"No. Kilauea and Mauna Loa are still active. They're both in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park."

"I came all this way to go to the park. Is it dangerous?"

"You always need to be careful. And you may not be able to go on some trails for safety reasons," he replied. "But there's lots to see and do."

"I can't wait to see it!"

"Here's the Kohala Coast resort where you'll meet your adventure guide. You've got some time before he arrives."

Sonya jumped out of the van. "How do I say 'thank you' in Hawaiian?"

"Ma-HA-lo," the driver said.

"Mahalo!" Sonya thanked him. She was proud to learn a new word.

She started to run toward the beach on lava rock.

"Yikes, it's sharp!" she exclaimed. "I better follow the path."

Palm trees lined a golden sand beach. The ocean was bright blue. Sonya dashed onto the sand.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" she cried with each step. The hot sun made the sand burning hot.

"Ah-h-h," she sighed when her paws touched the water.

"Surprised you, huh?" a voice asked.

Sonya looked around. There was nobody near her.

"I'm down here. In the water," it said.

Sonya's eyes popped open when she saw an odd-looking head poking through the water. "What are you?"

"I'm a green sea turtle. My Hawaiian name is honu."

"I'm a dog. My name is Sonya. I'm here to visit the Kilauea Volcano."

"That's great!" the turtle said. "Be sure to go sightseeing on the way there. There're lots of beautiful things to see."

"Come along with me!"

"I can't join you, little one. I live in the sea, not on land like you," the honu said. "But I can give you some sightseeing tips."

The turtle blurted out several ideas. Then it slipped under the water and swam away.

Sonya dashed back across the hot beach as fast as she could.

"Sonya? Aloha. I'm your guide, Tom," a young man at the resort entrance said. "Hop in."

Inside the van, she said, "I've got a list of places to see on our way to the park." She told him all of the honu's suggestions.

"Sounds good." Tom replied. "Our first stop will be to see the statue of Kamehameha the Great."

Kamehameha united the islands of Hawaii and became their first king. Sonya stood at the foot of the tall, life-size statue.

"He was really tall!"

"They say 6' 6" and he was strong, too." Tom told her. "One legend says he carried a rock that weighed 1,000 pounds between two villages without dropping it!"

"While we're on this part of the island, I'd like to show you some gorgeous views. OK?"

Farther up the road, they stood on the edge of a high cliff and watched ocean waves lap the shore far below.

"The sand on that beach looks black!" Sonya remarked.

"It is black. This island also has green sand beaches."

Later they hiked in a forested area with beautiful waterfalls and pools.

"Go ahead and jump in," Tom said.

Sonya doggie paddled around a cool pond. "O-o-o, this feels so good!"

Back on the highway, they rode past big cattle ranches.

"See that tall mountain? That's Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano. There's an observatory on top with huge telescopes to study the planets and stars."

On the other side of the island, the landscape was lush and green.

"There's a lot more rain on this side," Tom explained. "Beautiful, exotic flowers are grown here.'"

"Can we see some?"

"Sure. We'll stop at the flower market in Hilo." In the market, vendors sold flowers, fruits, quilts, jewelry and many other things.

"H-m-m, it smells so wonderful!" Sonya sniffed at buckets filled with gorgeous flowers

"Take all the time you want," Tom said. "We're not far from the park.

Sonya sniffed anthuriums and other flowers she had never seen before. Their exotic perfume made her head spin.

"These are the best smells I've ever sniffed!"

Grinning from ear to ear, she hopped back into the van for the ride up the mountain slope to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

To be continued...

Go to Sonya's Picks for links to websites about the sights and sounds of this World Heritage Site.

Test your understanding of words used in this story with the Word Match game.

LAVA DOG Sonya, the World Heritage Pointer, Explores Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

LAVA DOG
Sonya, the World Heritage Pointer, Explores Hawaii Volcanoes National Park