Puna's newest black sand beach?

[VancouverIslander]

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/upload...e-1543.jpg

Not sure if I'd go for a swim or picnic though.

Me ka ha`aha`a,
Mike

[Obie]

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/upload...e-1555.jpg

When you see the big picture !!!

[lquade]

not a good place to be when the shelf lets go...

[seekir]

quote:

---

not a good place to be when the shelf lets go...

---

I used to be a (fixed wing) Pu'u O'o tour pilot. I just happened to be out there once at about 500 feet when the shelf gave way. We could see the still glowing core of the shelf as it began to crack and separate from the shore and slide down the steep submarine slope into the water. There was of course an instant explosive reaction when the water rushed in and came into contact with the red-hot lava. Shattered rock and globs of molten lava and steam erupted in spectacular fury. The resulting cloud of steam and gases eventually rose up, perhaps to 10,000 feet in the sky after the reaction ended.

When I see news footage of the tour boats (which I don't recall approaching the ocean entry in such numbers back then) it makes me quiver. I remember the news story of the discovery of the bodies of two poached hikers, a couple who must've gotten a bit too close to the entry at just the wrong time when a similar event occurred. Terrible way to go.

[lquade]

yeah 4 people were killed on a bench collapse in the early 2000s when i worked up at the park. i don't think they were tourists either, but folks who should have known better. i bet that was something to see from the air!!

[seekir]

I have to confess that I didn't understand what all the concern about approaching the ocean entry was about till I saw an actual collapse—it just isn't obvious how steep the sea floor is near the shore there, and the bench appears cool, solid, and stable to the casual onlooker.