Brian and the Blowhole

While our good friends Brian and Sara were here visiting me and Peggy for ten days (which by the way was just not enough time), we took a trip around the Big Island. One of our stops was at South Point, the most southern part of the island and in the whole U.S. South Point is pretty rugged, with 40-50 foot sea cliffs dropping off into the ocean. The landscape while driving from the main highway seems like a drive through cattle country, with cows and horses out in green pastures. You also pass a wind farm, with a few dozen huge windmills. At the end of the road is an area with ladders down to the ocean where fisherman climb into boats and some people jump off 40 foot cliffs into the sea. I've done it and it's a blast. There is also a cave where water from the ocean feeds in. Further in, the top of the cave has a giant skylight, a hole in the roof. The swell was really cranking from a winter storm, producing 15-20 foot waves that would smash into the cliffs, but also flow into the cave and blast out the top like a Hawaiian version of Old Faithful. Well, Brian decided to venture over by the blowhole and stand nearby. I watched as an enormous wall of water approached the cliffs and I was ready with the camera. In the photos you can see Brian before, standing next to the blowhole. Then you can see him during the "eruption," with a huge spray of water. This was the point when his girlfriend Sara became just a bit worried. I had faith though, and as Brian explained later, he had braced himself and was well away from the edge. The last photo is the after. Drenched. There were quite a few spectators who witnessed the show and yelled "look at that guy!" That will go down in the memory books for us and some tourists too.