11-15-2016, 04:37 AM
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.