Hawaii Wilderness Adventure School

                    

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Updated Thursday, July 29, 2010 1:53 PM Mostly Cloudy 81°F High: 86°F Low: 71°F Wind: 10 mph Humidity: 65% MSN Weather Data provided by iMap

              

Hilo, Hawaii Updated Thursday, July 29, 2010 2:14 PM Mostly Cloudy 81°F High: 83°F Low: 68°F Wind: 14 mph Humidity: 69% MSN Weather Data provided by iMap

 HAWAIIAN HISTORY

• At 2,400 miles from the nearest major landmass, Hawaii was one of the last places on earth to become populated.
• Hawaii's first inhabitants are believed to have arrived in sailing canoes from the Marquesas Islands, about 500 A.D.
• About 1000 A.D., waves of Tahitians arrived and conquered the Marquesans. 
• Captain James Cook was the first European to make contact with Hawaii, in 1779.

 

 

 

THE LAND

• Hawaii is known as "the endangered species capital of the world." 
• It has more endangered and threatened species than all other U.S. states combined. 
• The Big Island has two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea.  Kilauea is the most active volcano in the world.   
• Mauna Loa is the tallest mountain on earth, when measured from the ocean floor. 
• Mauna Kea receives several inches of snow per year.