Description: I have been fortunate to visit and explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the surrounding area many times over the past ten years. On my first visit to Hawaii in August 2000, I remember not knowing what to expect as I landed in Kona only to see the expansive landscape of old crusty lava throughout the area. I have read many travel reports from visitors arriving to great disappointment to not see the lush white sand beaches that most associate with Hawaii. This is the Big Island, however, home to Madam Pele, the Goddess that continues to create and expand the land beneath our feet. And a trip to Hawaii cannot be considered complete without a visit here, where it has continued to happen since 1983.
Each trip to the volcano region is different. The location of the lava flow, what mode of transportation is necessary to even catch a mere glimpse of Madam Pele at work, and the times of day are all variants to be considered when vacationing on the Big Island.
Admittedly on that first trip was a bit overwhelming as it was my first trip, ever, to Hawaii. I tried to take in as much as possible, including the Circle Island Tours by bus (Roberts of Hawaii) and plane (Mukalele Flightseeing) which included Volcanoes National Park. I do not recall having the opportunity to see the lava flow, however, at any point of the tours. In fact, I recall on the flightseeing tour that they were unable at the time to even enter the airspace over the active volcano area.
Returning to Kona in December 2005, my family and I were treated to a view of the lava from the end of the Chain of Crater Road. At night, we could also see the faint glow and steam of the lava entering the ocean a couple of miles away. The flow had subsided on the hillside and was not visible from the same point at the end of Chain of Crater Road but my friend Cathy and I did hike out to the viewing area out on the actual lava field to see the flow into the ocean. It was an outstanding sight, even if it was raining and cold.
I again returned to the Big Island in September 2007 and 2009 and David and I got to see the lava up close and personally via air and sea! In 2007 we took the Circle Island Tour with Island Hoppers and flew right over the very active flow. With my camera window open to shoot photos, I could feel the heat coming up off the ground. It was special to be that close, even if you couldn’t really see the fire red molten nature of the slow moving lava.
In 2009 we took the most adventurous voyage to see the lava entering the ocean via Lava Ocean Adventures and the Lava Kai. Doing the sunrise tour meant leaving the boat dock at around 4:30am for arrival at the flow just before daybreak. As we approached the area, off in the distance in the darkness of night, we could see the lava up on the high hillside, an area that until just this past week, visitors could view from the county viewing area at the end of Hwy 130 (but that’s a different story).
At the lava’s entry into the ocean, the steam and heat could be felt even though we were several hundred yards from the actual lava tube and entry points. The bursts and eruptions of the lava were pretty much beyond words. We were there at the coastal point watching new land being formed by Pele, live. It was spectacular!
So here we are in May 2010 and I’ve just returned from yet another wonderful week on the Big Island of Hawaii. This time it was my sister Pam who joined me; her first trip to Hawaii and the first experience with anything as exotic as watching an active volcano. To say the least, she was not disappointed. We went out to the county viewing area on our first full day in Kona. I had planned this largely because there had been a lot of reports on current flow given the close proximity to the viewing area. We got to see the lava pouring down the hillside, but was much more unexpected was just how close to the end of the viewing area the lower flow activity was. There were trees bursting into flames from the extreme heat generate by the lava, less than 200 yards from us.
We had considered going back again as reports continued to indicate outstanding evening viewing opportunities. Unfortunately, being nearly three hours from Kona, it was too much of a trip to make later in our vacation stay. Reading the daily updates made us both wish we had, especially when this week (Wednesday, May 5th) it was reported that the lava had totally engulfed the viewing area and the entire area was unsafe for public viewing, resulting in it being closed down indefinitely.
So right now (as of today’s writing of 5/7/10), there is apparently no legal way on land to see the lava flow . . . and many locals advise against taking the lava viewing boats like what we did with Lava Ocean Adventures. Speaking of the uncertainly of the lava activity, the ocean flow has stopped . . . dried up . . . back around the first of this year. It wasn’t until Thursday, April 29th that the flow had again reached the ocean creating the opportunity to see it by boat. Everyone will have to make their own risk assessment as to whether or not this is something for them. For David and me, we would not hesitate to do it again!
Mahalo Pele for the wonderful shows throughout the years! I cannot wait to be back on the Big Island to see and experience perhaps the greatest marvel of nature.
For status updates here are some good resources:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/HMcam/ (Halema'uma'u Overlook Webcam)
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/KIcam/ (HVO/Jagger Museum Webcam)
http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php (USGS Update)
Close