What a beautiful day at the black sand beach! I visited the main black sand beach on the big island (Punalu'u beach) and spotted some amazing wildlife and vegetation.
The name Punalu'u originates from the ancient Hawaiians that would dive into the beach's ocean with a jug in hand to collect fresh water. Translated, Punalu'u literally means "spring [water] diver for."
The black sand around the waters of Punalu'u is incredibly beautiful.
This gorgeous black sand is created when a lava flow comes in contact with the ocean. It instantly hardens and shatters, resulting in the black sand dispersed along the beach.
Lounging around on the lava sand, are some huge sea turtles.
Hawaii is home to five species of sea turtles Green (chelonia mydas), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Loggerhear (Caretta caretta), and Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). Upon looking at some photos on the internet, I believe that the turtles I spotted on the beach are Olive Ridleys. The name Olive Ridley comes from the colour of their shell. Their shell begins as a grey colour that slowly turns into an olive green once the turtles become adults. They are also some of the smallest sea turtles weighing up to 100 pounds and their shell length reaching around 2 feet.
After a bit of a walk across the beach, I came across a very fascinating tree.
The roots are so incredibly tall, they grow above the ground due to the fact that ground is made of lava rock and is too hard to expand and grow in. However, the tree still needs the stability and support to grow tall and has to compensate for the lack of ground conditions by spreading out it's roots and making them incredibly tall. What a feat of engineering!
Punalu'u is truly amazing. Between the diverse vegetation, roaming wildlife, and incredible black sand, it is really breathtaking.
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