Papakōlea Beach is one of the 5 green sand beaches in the world
Papakōlea Beach , also known as Green Sand Beach or Mahana Beach, a green sandy beach located near South Point (Ka Lae), in the Kaṭū district on Hawaii Island. It is one of the only five beaches of green sand in the world, the others being in the Galapagos Islands, one in Guyana and one in Norway. The green "olive" colour of the sand comes from the presence of a semi-precious, green stone called olivine which comes from the volcanic cone (or ash cone) of Pu’u Mahana, a 49000-year-old volcano located southwest of the Mauna Loa fault, against which the beach is located. The erosive force of the ocean at the base of Pu’u o Mahana extracts from the olive trees of the ash and deposits them on the beach, giving the sand a green shade.
The last eruption of Pu’u Mahana took place 49,000 years ago. Since then, the ash cone has partially collapsed and has been eroded by the ocean. The ash cone is rich in olivine, a silicate mineral containing iron and magnesium. The ovine is a common mineral component of the Hawaiian lava and one of the first crystals to be formed when the magma cools. The ovine is known locally as the “Hawaian Diamond” and is found in the famous Diamond Head volcano on the island of Oahu.
The ovine is denser and harder than the other sand crystals and therefore tends to accumulate on the beach while the usual volcanic sand is carried away by the sea. Even if, in any case, these crystals are eventually taken away, the constant erosion of the ash cone ensures a steady supply of sand. However, it will end one day in the near future. Subsequently, the supply will be exhausted and the beach will look like any other.
beach of Papakōlea is 4.8 km from South Point (Ka Lae) and is on foot or in 4×4. Locals charge $15 the 4×4 ride from the car park to the beach but if you feel in the leg, you can do it by yourself.
Loading comments ...