Experiences with Kalapana you would like to share?

[ckg]

Just wondering if any folks would like to share their stories with Kalapana for those of us who were not around to live through that. I for one would love to learn from any wisdom gleaned from the experience.

[Kelena]

I have no story to share but I do have a book recommendation: Aloha O Kalapana, co-authored by Punawebber Frankie Stapleton. It is a beautiful book with astounding photographs that details the events in Kalapana. It's available on Amazon for less than $10.

[Carey]

from a thread on the LAST north flow in 2011, I posted this info on the Kapoho lava flow, there are some videos have insights, and memories of the Kapoho evacuation, which may help some:

"I had done a little PP for one of my classes on the 1960 eruption & used some images from these image files & clips from some of the videos (the 1st Flicker photo album has some unique BW photos....)

USGS 1960 info link:
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/history/1960Jan13/
Hazards link:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/hazards/hazards.html

Fred Rackle UH 1960 photos:
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~nat_haz/volca...allery.php
NPS history page:
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/onlin...4-2-7h.htm

UH CVAS video w/ Fred Rackle link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BsIm7iodIs
slightly better copy Fred Rackle erupt video #1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAvzcCadMzc
#2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DICsxnnUfs&feature=related
#3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyGl1JGEB5w&feature=related

Possibly colorized 8mm movie:
http://wn.com/Kapoho,_Hawai'i

Eruption photo, with the town in front, link:
http://www.cynical-c.com/2007/06/19/kila...ho-hawaii/

Flicker photo albums:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/konalunas/with/4071716848/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamaaina56/...438531603/

[leilaniguy]

i first saw Kalapana in 1989. It became my favorite place to go. Kaimu beach was so beautiful. There was so much there, so much to do. Harry K. park, tidepools, the beach, surfing, and Walter's store was right there handy. The lava was then as now agonizingly slow as it pushed through, tricking from yard to yard, occasionally igniting a house. By that time I had stopped going there, it was a circus with so many sightseers interfering in peoples personal tragedy. Watching Kaimu bay fill with lava was sickening.

[malolo]

Excruciatingly slow, yes. Chain of Craters Road was first covered in late '86 I believe? and little by little precious landmarks began to disappear... Queen's Bath, Harry K Brown Park, and on and on to Kaimu Bay in 1990.

Some of the families had lived there for generations and generations. I remember one of the lovely ladies in this film dispersing keiki palms and cycads to her friends, sprouted from giants in their yard-- giants that her grandfather had planted way way back.

The footage here's a bit shaky, but for those who remember Kalapana, it'll surely trigger both smiles and tears. The song "Hölei" is.... well, just listen to it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UqJOXkn6_jw

Speaking of music, another thing I'll never forget was the May Day Program at Pahoa High in 1990.

And yes, leilanidude, one important takeaway from the Kalapana-experience: unless someone specifically requests your assistance before/during/after, stay well away as folks deal with their loss.

[flyingsurfer]

I have photo's of the 1955 Puna eruption. That my Dad took. AS I find more. I scan and donate them to the Lyman museum. Have 1 of a young man siting on a fence rail. Would like to find out who he is.

[viviansuet]

know fellow who grew up in Kalapana then, might be able to help identify

[snorkle]

It was a time for locals to work together for the common good. I helped Buba ready his house for moving. We even saved the large landscape plants like clusters of Areca Palms and Hapuú. We'd trench around them and then yank them out of the ground with a 4x4. They did fine. The water coming out of the spigots was hot! You could hear the crackling of the burning foliage and the occasional methane explosion.

The house that Dr. Dan presently lives in a couple of miles up Hwy130 was just completed on the shoreline at Smashface. The lava crept down the coast, taking Kaimu, Left Point, most of the houses at Kalapana Shores, and was swiftly approaching Smashface. The owner had the house cut into three sections, braced up, and moved up the hill. The garage was on a slab and left there. Ironicaly, the lava stopped just before it got to where the house was.

A beautiful cresent shapped black sand beach was formed off Kaimu, but only lasted a week or so before being covered.

There wasn't much talk of diversion back then. Most people had been here long enough to realize the risks and rewards of choosing to live on the rift. It brought out the best of people, and like today's events, will ultimately leave Puna stronger.

[flyingsurfer]

viviansuet:
That would be great.
How do I make contact him?

[rbrgs]

Both my kids learned to swim in the keiki pond.