Singing Tree Frogs on Lava Rock (standard:non fiction, 1150 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Oct 15 2012	Views/Reads: 2553/1905	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Coquis or Tree Frogs on the Big Island is a big noise nuisance. This invasive species from Puerto Rico took over all the trees on Puna side of the Big Island, while the residents got used to the singing chorus from 6 PM to 6 AM, for visitors not used thi

Singing Tree Frogs on Lava Rock 

Subba Rao 

Here on the Big Island of Hawaii, people do not refer to 

highways with numbers as I-29 or I-80 as they do on the mainland nor 

they use highway names. If one seeks direction from the locals, they 

advise you to take this or that road and take a turn so and so to reach 

a destination.  Obviously one cannot get lost on an island, sooner or 

later one will reach the destination. Hawaii Belt road goes all around 

the island acquiring other names as it touches areas of interest but 

primarily route 11 and 19 would take around the island. 

After a visit, Juggernaut drove from Kailua Kona, an area that 

caters for the tourists since the weather is dry with lots of sunshine 

and good beaches and golf courses. On the Big island, the wind blows 

from east to west, the gasses from volcanic activity or VOG as they 

call it here impacts Kona area, the southwestern part of the island. 

The route 190 also called Mamalahoa Highway goes through slabs of shiny 

grey black lava rock with sparse vegetation to reach few thousand feet 

above the sea level to reach a cool and green town Waimea, a town that 

resembles Mandeville on the mountains of Manchester parish in Jamaica. 

It is ironic that the area of Jamaica and Big Island is very similar 

around 4,000 sq. miles. As the highway turns south along the Honokaa 

coast, the scenery is spectacular with cliffs and gorges. The soils 

here seem rich with lots of vegetation. As approaching Hilo, the 

largest town on the Big Island and second largest after Honolulu among 

the Hawaiian Islands, one can see several small waterfalls and beach 

parks without sandy beaches but small rivers crashing into  ocean waves 

creating a wonderful scenery. The water here is cold and at some 

locations one can get into shallow pools of water formed on volcanic 

rock outgrowths or tide pools. 

The top soil near and north of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii 

was developed over basaltic volcanic rocks and volcanic ash is rich in 

nutrients. With abundant but not excessive rainfall and warm weather, 

the nutrient rich top soil supports a wide variety of vegetables, 

flower and fruit trees. As one travels south towards Pahoa and Kalpana 

in Puna district, the landscape turns into tropical rainforest with 

annual rainfall over 130 inches that is detrimental to top soil 

development. Under intense rain, the conditions were not favorable for 

weathered material from lava rock to accumulate to form top soil. In 


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