Lava Flowing Into Ocean

[daWoods]

For those interested, this is the scene early this morning on the Big Island.

[teamfour]

Man that is a great shot! I hope it is still flowing in a couple of weeks. Is this flow accessible by land?

[Ka Honu]

Another pic & article from today's paper...

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 9, 2004

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID BOYLE

Lava from Kilauea Volcano began entering the ocean once again on Saturday, drawing more visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

 

 

 

 

Kilauea lava steams

into sea in 3 cascades

 

By Peter Serafin

Special to the Star-Bulletin

 

 

VOLCANO, Hawaii » Officials at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park report an increase in the number of visitors since Saturday, when lava from Kilauea once again began entering the ocean.

 

As of yesterday the current surface flow was about 100 yards wide and penetrating up to 15 yards further into the ocean from the existing coastline.

 

"Lava in the PKK flow continues to pour onto the old Lae'apuki delta and then into the ocean," reports Don Swanson, research scientist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. "From a distance, three large cascades are visible coming down the old sea cliff, and other smaller cascades drop into the sea from the front of the delta."

 

Lava from Kilauea last reached the ocean in late summer.

 

While the ocean entry is spectacular, it can also be dangerous. When the lava hits the ocean, it creates an acid steam plume of "laze," or lava haze containing sulfuric, hydrochloric and other harmful acids.

 

Ranger Jim Gale, the park's chief of interpretation, warns park visitors about other unique dangers caused by current conditions. "'Limu o pele' are tiny glass pieces in the laze that look like flecks of thin, transparent seaweed," said Gale. "The hydrofluoric acid in the steam plume can even scratch eyeglasses and camera lenses, to say nothing of what it can do to your eyes and throat." Current activity is occurring inside the park about three miles along the coastline from the end of Chain of Craters Road. A typical round-trip hike from that point to the flow takes four to six hours, Gale said.

[daWoods]

teamfour, as you can see from ka honu's post, it's about a three mile walk from the end of Chain of Craters road. Walking over lava is hard even for those in top shape. We were lucky the last time there, in February of last year. The lava was entering the ocean in large amounts right at the end of the road, no walking needed.

[808lady]

Thanks for sharing the photos daWoods. While BI residents and visitors are enjoying the lava, we on Oahu are enjoying VOG. There is a haze all over our island. I was able to see the lava a couple of years ago. What an awesome thing--to view the newest land on the planet as it is being created. As we like to say here...Lucky we live (or visit) Hawaii!

[cruisingfreak]

What beautiful pictures.

 

Hope we get to see it in person, when we're there in December.

 

 

 

Minette

[Splinter]

We are on the Island Princess now. On Wednesday night (11/10) we passed by the lava flow area on the Big Island on board ship. You could see red lava several places on the hillside, and a fairly good sized flow going into the ocean, but we have done this trip several times before and this was the lowest flow we have seen in the last 15 years. Still a sight to see though!

[teamfour]

I just saw this update on the USGS website.

 

 

0535 November 18

Glow hangs over the PKK flow on the coastal flat this morning, indicating numerous breakouts between Paliuli and the coast. The flow near the sea cliff is thickening, and breakouts in it are now visible for the first time from near the end of the pavement on the Chain of Craters Road.

 

Looks like I will be spending some time at the end of the Chain of Craters Road!:D

[Nath]

We saw lava last year (Sept. 2004) but had to hike and climb for over 3 hours to reach it. It was quite a sight but well worth the effort. After a two hour walk, us girls, turnaround and the guys keep going higher where they could see some laval. The video and digital shots are amazing. We are going to sail Hawaii on the Infinity in only 17 days and are hoping to see lava again. It would be nice to see right from the chain of crater road this time!

 

Mahalo - Nath