I did it! I finally went into a cave.

(If unable to view video, click HERE.)

I can hear you now, moaning about what a wimp I am.

Steven is a natural born cave dweller. How could he not be, he makes his living playing with clay.

And away I go...

I, on the other hand, am not. I stare up at the sky and think about stories to write.

Love this sign - but I think there should be one on the ground too, since that's where you are shining your light

Climbing down into a cave is not something I’ve ever looked forward to doing, and I can’t guarantee that I’ll ever do it again.

But since Steven loves caves, and our “fun days” are for him too, I willing jumped at the opportunity .

Our first stop was the HANA LAVA TUBE. The place is easy to find, there is a sign on Hana Hwy. Once you get there you connect with Jess to pay and get your flashlights. Since it’s nearly impossible to get good photos in a dark cave, you may want to check out their site for decent pictures.

Never thought something would be growing down there!

I was told if ever I was going to go into a cave, the Hana Lava Tube was a great way to start…I guess it’s a beginners cave.

Fortunately they have recently added hand-railings, which helps you to remember you aren’t heading into a world of no return. And flashlights so you can find your way out and to read the plaques explaining what you can only see if you shine the flashlight on it.

Caroline & Terri - under hole leading to surface, about 3/4's of the way into the cave

We did meet Caroline & Terri down in the cave, and while connecting with them I forgot about the fact that I was heading about a quarter mile into the earth.

Then some very young kids came frolicking along. Obviously, they’d been in a cave before, they weren’t the least bit afraid of having it come crashing down on them.

Steven said that I squealed, “RAPPELLING,” like Minnie Mouse on helium, when I read the sign that described the cave worms (see photo) that hang from the ceiling, stretching down 20 inches.

Rappel Planarian Flat Worms. They don't look so creepy on the ground. But I'm glad I didn't see any hanging from the ceiling

NOTE:  He also said he’s never heard me do that before. I just want to clarify that I am not normally a squealer.

Double click on the photo to read the write-up easier.

From the Hana Lava Tubes, we drove 5 minutes to the Wai’anapanapa State Park to check out the caves there.

The water was pretty funky at the first set of caves we came to.

Now these caves were a breeze; you never actually climb down into a dark hole in the earth; you can see the sky the entire time.

They are carved into the rock, and if you want to get back into the actual cave area you have to jump into the pools and swim under an over hang. We considered it, but a boy that jumped into the water said it was freezing….Steven and I declined. Maybe another time.

As you can see, at this one, the water was crystal clear. Very tempting.

If you are a die-hard spelunker, you may want to pass on both of these Hana cave sites. But, if you are a cave wimp like me, you should check them out next time you are in Hana.

I have to admit, we had fun!

Please, when driving to Hana, if you are poking along, pull to the side and let cars pass . Mahalo