Through My Eyes, In My Words:

The Geologic Evolution of the Hawaiian Islands

Taught by Lawrence L. Malinconico, associate professor of geology and environmental geosciences, and Dru Germanoski, professor and head of geology and environmental geosciences

Amy Spooner of Clifton Park, N.Y., is majoring in geology. She tutors children at the Boys and Girls Club of Easton in one of more than 25 programs of sustained voluntary service Lafayette students conduct each year under the auspices of the College's Landis Community Outreach Center. She is web manager for the College newspaper, The Lafayette, and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.

Over the January interim session, 23 other Lafayette students and I elected to take a geology course in Hawaii. The 19-day experience was unforgettable—absolutely amazing.

We did many things while we were there, the majority of which were geology related, but we were able to squeeze in some other things! We went to three islands, Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu. The focus of the trip was to see the progression of the islands through time and how they aged. Emphasis was placed on what geologic processes were at work on the islands. While we were there, we went to almost a dozen volcanoes. We hiked on Kilauea, an active volcano on Hawaii, and on Haleakala, an active volcano on Maui. We also ventured to an elevation of 13,000 feet twice in the same day, once to the top of Mauna Loa and once to the top of Mauna Kea, both in Hawaii.

Naturally, we could not go to the islands without spending time on the beach. We studied the progression of beaches, specifically the type of sand and the amount of coral present. We snorkeled at a variety of locations, and swam with sea turtles in Kona on the island of Hawaii. Dolphins and whales were commonly seen as well.

Although there was a substantial amount of work that needed to be done for the course, we had two days off, and everyone took advantage of the opportunities to explore the islands. Some took surfing lessons or went ocean-kayaking, while others chose to lie on the beach or go shopping. A few people went fishing, and one afternoon students caught a 310-pound blue marlin! Needless to say, we enjoyed the fresh fish that night!

I am thrilled that I went on this trip. I learned so much about Hawaii, and, as a geology major, I found everything very interesting. I met some amazing people and had the warmest January ever!