Fabulous Wailuku Falls!

I occasionally go outside of the strict city limits of Hilo for my photos (I usually stay within a 20 minute drive or so), but this one is definitely with in the limits of Hilo...this lovely series of falls are on the Wailuku river (wai refers to water and luku has connotations of danger, so Wailuku means "dangerous water", sadly this is very true and we lost a Malahini (new resident) just a few months back), yet every one swims and plays in this river anyway, and you can see why!

It is like this thru out the majority of the river and all of the bends and slides make it seem like an especially gorgeous water park, this is just below the old KPUA radio station and is very challenging to get to...as you can see the valley walls are very steep here and that largest fall is a 20'-30' drop, most people don't make it to the bottom pool. (Enlarge the photo and look at that lava on the pool sides, its like it was sculpted by the water while it was still hot!)

I was able to get this photo while I toured a lovely property up at the top of the valley...after viewing the home we took a leisurely amble thru a well maintained back yard complete with lily ponds and flowering ginger plants, down a shady path to the edge of the drop off where a considerate homeowner had set a chair at the perfect viewing position,very nice! So relaxing...I really would have a hammock strung right at that spot...