12-05-2009, 03:51 PM
i've been out twice this week. good surface flow as of tuesday if you hike out past the plume. i've never stopped at the "viewing station". Down here most of us who live here either wait til after 10pm when the cops are gone or take the road down to the coast and hike in past the cops. it only takes and extra five minutes. i don't ever bring anything other than a light or two out with me, preferring to travel light. always one extra light in the group, preferrbly a headlamp. I stick to the coast so i don't get lost and try to only go out on full moons and clear nights. the osurf does come up and drench the coast and there are many unstable cliffs. also some great blowholes and arches. low surf and tides are a plus. where the flow enters the water if the tide is low and waves are calm and if the access is there you can walk right up to the flow. steam can easily occlude things otherwise. a tripod is a necesity for any successfull pics. if you walk past the cinder hill (usually very voggy) and look back there is usually an unobstructed lava fall into the ocean.
please recognize i am a healthy active young person who does this sort of thing commonly. this hike requires, climbing up rocky escarpements, hiking for a solid hour, possibly getting soaked by the ocean, possibly being in the rain and wind the whole time, lots of large black holes, voids, cracks, and collapsed tubes, unstable and sometimes slippery lava, an extremely unstable area, (13 acres fell in a few years ago, try outrunning that!), very sharp lava, caustic gases, and occasionally if you're lucky large plumes of molten magma, smoldering ejecta, and fast moving lava.
I have seen amazing things, but as you walk around and see changes you recognize how unsafe it can be, the sand is very sharp and can cut you in addition to irritating your skin, the vog can definately cause problems, and i've had hot lava land feet away from me. but it can be a sublimely meaningfull experience. it certainly brings joy to many. make your own way.
please recognize i am a healthy active young person who does this sort of thing commonly. this hike requires, climbing up rocky escarpements, hiking for a solid hour, possibly getting soaked by the ocean, possibly being in the rain and wind the whole time, lots of large black holes, voids, cracks, and collapsed tubes, unstable and sometimes slippery lava, an extremely unstable area, (13 acres fell in a few years ago, try outrunning that!), very sharp lava, caustic gases, and occasionally if you're lucky large plumes of molten magma, smoldering ejecta, and fast moving lava.
I have seen amazing things, but as you walk around and see changes you recognize how unsafe it can be, the sand is very sharp and can cut you in addition to irritating your skin, the vog can definately cause problems, and i've had hot lava land feet away from me. but it can be a sublimely meaningfull experience. it certainly brings joy to many. make your own way.