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Well up here in "Green Acres", LOL, snuck out on the front lanai at 3 am with hot cocoa and could see the pink and red clouds glowing and shimmering against the night sky, full of floaty clouds. The ocean entry is 30 miles from here as the crow flies, I'm told! Wow, certainly is spectacular the lava flow and the PW!
mella l
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
I was there Sunday Evening and the place was packed.
So packed... that they had to quit letting people in about 7:40 instead of 8:00 because there absolutely was no parking available.
From the entrance where the gate is... it's approximately 1-2 miles distance, and then you still have to walk another 3/4 mile or so to get to the viewing site.
It was so strange that there were actually people walking in from the Gates as they had a real long venture to go.
Amazingly enough, one Japanese tourist couple were taking an elderly down there from that Gate. I just couldn't believe my eyes thinking that this elderly that was getting assistance in just walking was going to hike that distance!
The view... spectacular! Will I go again... Definitely!
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It is the way, the way it is
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Last night (Wed) the ocean entry was just awesome. The best lava show I've seen in twenty years. Continuous fountaining and splatter explosions of 50-100'(my estimate from 1/2 mi away.) Royal Gardens surface flows, and a nice half moon with shooting stars.
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Where's the pics?
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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Joined: May 2007
My daughter went to the mainland and I let her take my camera. I feel somewhat naked without it. We did have some friends along with equipment. I'll try and get some of their digital files to post somewhere.
edit: My sources at the flow say it's still going strong today (thursday), check it out tonight!
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The ocean entry was amazing last night (Friday). We originally drove out to hang at our friend's property 1/4 mile away. But we could see HUGE activity from there, so we decided to go the viewing site to investigate. There was no wind, so the plume just sat & towered up into the sky, backlit by a bright moon - I caught myself saying 'oh my god, it looks like a volca..." tee hee. It looked so much like the footage I've seen of the Mt. Saint Helen's column!
The lava was going nuts, big sprays up in the air, big chunks, large orange billows absolutely lovely. Then... blue lightening in the plume! Egads, chicken skin. RIght as we were leaving someone said "whoa! look at the tornado!". Sure enough there was a twister coming off the east side of the column. I was so bummed we had to leave! The county folks who were walking out with us (closing time) said it was a very good showing, but not the most vigorous. I asked if the twisters and lightening were normal & he said "yeah, we see them a lot". OK, they have the best job *ever*.
* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *
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Well it's still going strong today (sat). Not only is the ocean entry activity unprecedented, there was a strange occurance at the road entrance the other day.
Two scammers put on orange vests and had a truck with a sign on it at the kalapana entrance. They were telling people that there was a $5 entry fee. They stayed a short time then left. These guys are "self employed" in the fullest sense of the words. If you see them, please try and get a picture or tag number.
While I appreciate their ingenuity, there are more suitable ways to get beer money than preying on visitors.
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I know the USGS is reporting high emissions from Pu u O o because of the increase lava flow but the plume this morning is gigantic. I don’t know if because of diminished trade winds or the just the way sun was hitting it but it’s the largest I’ve seen in years.
This morning I could actually see both plumes.
I come up from Hawaiian Beaches heading towards Pahoa and the cloud was big and white.
"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin
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