OT: Hawaii lava flow

[UConnChapette]

Fascinating stuff...I feel badly for the folks in Pahoa as the lava creeps ever closer to their homes. Living in the shadow of an active volcano I guess you always know there is that risk. I have been through plenty of nature's violent wrath - earthquake, brush fire, tornado, hurricane, blizzards. I guess the good thing about a lava flow is you have plenty of time to gather your important belongings, papers, photographs, etc. Still may not save your home, but you can save your life and what is most important to you belongings wise.

Some day I will take that dream trip to Hawaii. I don't want to get up close and personal with an active lava flow, but would love to walk on an old lava field, long since cooled.

 

[UcMiami]

My sister lives on Maui and I have visited often though never the big island. The lava flows are generally slow and inexorable on Hawaii - but a bigger problem for the general population is the vog, the mixture of noxious gasses that have been venting in various concentrations over the last 5 years. A number of people have had to leave the Big Island because they were having serious medical reactions. Even on Maui when the 'Kona winds' blow people have had serious respiratory reactions. And no one knows the long term consequences of breathing the various chemical compounds involved.

 

[msf22b]

I went to the big Island with my 19-year old 5 or 6 years ago.
We had lunch in the town, sweet place.

For the best coverage check-out: bigislandvideonews.com

 

[watanabe]

I lived in,and rased children in Puna for 16 years. It's magic. Lava is part of the land. The windward side has no vog, just lush jungle and forest with a people that live.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I'd love to visit that volcano some day.

Volcanoes and full gales in the middle of the ocean remind us that
when push comes to shove, nature still rules.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Visited the Big Island just about 2 years ago, was fascinating. Volcano's and their affect are not something you see every day.

 

[ctfjr]

We vacationed on the Big Island in 2005. Here are my images from a 'doors off' helicopter ride over the volcano. btw it was like going over a blast furnace.

http://www.molaver.org/kilauea_volcano_1.htm

 

[UcMiami]

One of the fascinating facts of the Hawaiian Islands is that the sea floor is about 20,000 feet below the waves which means the islands are actually 30,000 foot mountains the largest mountains in the world both by volume and by height above the 'plain' .

 

[watanabe]

One of the fascinating facts of the Hawaiian Islands is that the sea floor is about 20,000 feet below the waves which means the islands are actually 30,000 foot mountains the largest mountains in the world both by volume and by height above the 'plain' .

We used to fish for marlin from the cliffs in south Kona. The ocean bottom drop offs are dramatic.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm headed to Oahu next week.

I've been to the Big Island one time, in 2003. The volcano was active at the time. The hills were red at nighttime. The road from Hilo stopped abruptly at a fence. On the other side of the fence was a cooled lava flow about 4' high that had some vegetation growing on it. The approach from the South has a ranger's station. A metal street sign there reads something like, "Danger. Hot lava." If those words don't get your attention, the fact that the metal sign is partly singed and partly melted will.

Aloha!

 

[SubbaBub]

I'm headed to Oahu next week.

I've been to the Big Island one time, in 2003. The volcano was active at the time. The hills were red at nighttime. The road from Hilo stopped abruptly at a fence. On the other side of the fence was a cooled lava flow about 4' high that had some vegetation growing on it. The approach from the South has a ranger's station. A metal street sign there reads something like, "Danger. Hot lava." If those words don't get your attention, the fact that the metal sign is partly singed and partly melted will.

Aloha!

Hiked it with a guide in 2007. Got up close and personal with the lava. One of the "cooler" things I've seen in person.

You know it's close when it feels like the door to a giant oven just opened.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Hiked it with a guide in 2007. Got up close and personal with the lava. One of the "cooler" things I've seen in person.

You know it's close when it feels like the door to a giant oven just opened.

You know it's close when the heat comes through your shoes.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

We vacationed on the Big Island in 2005. Here are my images from a 'doors off' helicopter ride over the volcano. btw it was like going over a blast furnace.

http://www.molaver.org/kilauea_volcano_1.htm

Your photos are beautiful in a strange way. If some of them were presented as a "what is this" contest, I don't think there would be many folks guessing right.

While we visited the National Park museum briefly, on a day-tour, my wife and I are not brave folks taking helicopters, so hats off to you.

 

[UConnChapette]

A good friend of mine is currently in Hawaii and hiked over to the area of the lava flow. She said it was beautiful in a sad kind of way, knowing that people were going to lose homes and businesses. Mother Nature can be beautiful but deadly, and has no conscience. If you are in her way when she is in a rage, even a quiet one such as this, you will lose the battle.

 

[watanabe]

A good friend of mine is currently in Hawaii and hiked over to the area of the lava flow. She said it was beautiful in a sad kind of way, knowing that people were going to lose homes and businesses. Mother Nature can be beautiful but deadly, and has no conscience. If you are in her way when she is in a rage, even a quiet one such as this, you will lose the battle.

One of my friends, Al Yee is about to lose his home in Pahoa. He tried to build a berm around his property, but the lava is oozing around it. I think he'll lose it tomorrow. Kinda sad, but I've had dozens of friends lose their homes to Lava since the mid 80s. All part of living in Puna. Maybe that's why we're called Punatics.

 

[ctfjr]

Your photos are beautiful in a strange way. If some of them were presented as a "what is this" contest, I don't think there would be many folks guessing right.

While we visited the National Park museum briefly, on a day-tour, my wife and I are not brave folks taking helicopters, so hats off to you.

Thanks KB,

Shortly after I posted those images on my website I was contacted by the USGS & was asked to send them high res versions. Apparently it is pretty unusual to get images of the 'bench' breaking off.

We were also warned about hiking on top of newly formed 'crusts'. It seems that there is often liquid lava flowing in the tubes under the crust and it is not unusual for the crust to break while someone is walking on it
Didn't have to tell me twice.

 

[watanabe]

Try watch this!

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/video-man-vs-lava-alfred-lee-and-his-berm