Our objective for the day was a visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This is the 44th (of 61) National Park we have visited. Our objective was the area around the Kilauea volcano which is the main part of the park. As you remember there was a big eruption last year about this time. All that has calmed down but there are big portions of the park that are closed to the public because of damage done by the eruption. The damage is mainly due to fissures that opened up. We had a couple ranger talks which were interesting because these guys actually saw much of the eruption. Although the main thing that get to the news was the destruction of Leilani Estates where the fissures opened up and the lava flowed, up on the volcano the lava pool enlarged itself greatly over a few days. That would have been something to see.

After a full day in the park which included a hike to the petroglyphs and viewing of Holei Sea Arch, we headed back to the Dolphin Bay Hotel and got showered up so we could go to dinner with my high school friend Joan and her husband Gerry. It was a good evening. I hadn't seen Joan in fifty years. They moved to Hilo five years ago and have a beautiful house on the ocean which they have remodeled. It was a pleasant evening. Life is good!