The West Maui Mountains or West Maui Volcano, known to the Hawaiians as Maui Komohana and to geologists as Mauna Kahalawai, forms a much eroded shield volcano that constitutes the western one-quarter of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Since its last eruption approximately 320,000 years ago, the West Maui Mountains have undergone substantial stream erosion.
The West Maui Mountains were formed through at least three series of major volcanic eruptions during its shield building period, starting 1.4 million years ago. The mountains used to be over 13,000 feet high, but have collapsed and eroded down to 5,100 feet. Rocks from the latest major shield-building eruptions are called the Honolua volcanics, which are roughly 500,000 years old. However, there were several re-juvenated stage eruptions more recently, the last dating to roughly 320,000 years ago. [source: Wikipedia]
One specific phenomenon of the volcanic activities are lava tubes. They are formed when the outer crust of a lava flow hardens and gradually builds solid walls and a ceiling. When the lava flow stops and the last of it passes downhill, a lava tube is formed. When a lava tube is formed close to the sea, a blowhole may occur: water is pressed into this tube and is blown up into the air like a gush spring.
The Nakalele Point blowhole (GC51CYR) is well known, but I assume not all people know that there is a second one nearby. On your way to Blowhole Number 2 you can enjoy the “lunar landscape” and look for some other caches.
The coordinates lead you to a waypoint above this blowhole. As blowholes are very dangerous, I do not publish the coordinates of the blowhole itself. Stay at the waypoint, watch and enjoy the blowhole, the breathtaking landscape and the rough sea clashing against the cliffs.
To log the cache please go to the waypoint and answer the following questions:
1. Observe the blowhole: how high does it spray the water?
2. From the given coordinates: is the blowhole left hand or right hand?
3. Estimate the size of the basin, where the blowhole is.
4. Look around: can you see layers in the rocks?
5. Which colours can you see in the stones bottom up (minimum three)?
6. Take a picture of you at the lookot – without spoilers please
Mail the answers to blowhole.two@web.de. You must not wait for the reply. I will send you a confirmation and tell you if I have any questions.
The answers must be sent within 24 hours after logging. Otherwise the logs will be cancelled.