Today we drove to Hilo by way of the Saddle Road. Hilo is on the opposite side of the Big Island from Kona, where we are staying. The Saddle Road is a highway snaking between Mount Kileaua and the Mauna Loa volcanoes. When we first turned onto the highway we noticed a strong odor of sulphur which is the gas emitted for the volcanoes. If you have driven around the paper mills in Arkansas, you are familiar with the smell! After a stop at Rainbow Falls to view an impressive waterfall, we stopped for a quick bite to eat in Historic downtown Hilo. The buildings of this quaint coastal town took you back in time because history was evident in the architecture such as the Pacific Tsunami Museum. The museum holds pictures and many artifacts from tsunamis that have affected many Pacific Islands. I instantly made a connection to the tsunami that slammed into Laupahoeoe Point on April Fool's Day 1946. As many elementary children were arriving on a Monday morning an earthquake off the Aleutain Islands was creating a massive wave that would come ashore with a great force. The waters receded way beyond the norm and students ventured out to see the fish left behind only to be swept away by the next wave. A monument stands today to commemorate the 24 students who were killed. In the museum a colorful quilt can be found hanging that was made by local students in 1997 to remember the event. The story took my breathe away as I couldn't begin to comprehend such a catastrophic disaster occurring to my students.
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