Lahaina is a former whaling town and was once the capital of Hawaii. The name means “cruel sun.” That’s a fair description, because on most days of the year Lahaina is hot–but that’s all right, because the abundant sunlight sets the gorgeous, bright blue water to sparkling, creating one of the most beautiful vistas on the island. But not today.

Away southeast, Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island has been steadily pumping out fumes and lava for the past twenty-seven years. Usually it’s not a bother to those of us who don’t live on the Big Island–that is, until our tradewinds cease to blow. Without the wind to sweep the fumes away, the volcanic smog or “vog” drifts up the island chain, enshrouding us in vapors.

Here’s a photo taken from a restaurant overlooking Front Street in Lahaina. The island across the water is Lana`i. See that dark “cloud” on the horizon, to the left of the island? That’s murk–like the stuff that belched out of Orodruin, I imagine. As soon as the sun sank behind that dark layer, it was gone. No colors, no glow, no beams of light. It just retreated behind a dark curtain, and the show was over.

Yes, that is a wrecked sailboat beside the sun’s light path. It’s been there for years.

Posted on: Saturday, December 18th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Categories: Maui.