Tag: Kilauea

Lava at the New Ocean Entry

The lava has been flowing into the ocean for a little over a month now and all my photographer friends are posting great photos. It is really past time I got myself down to Kalapana to see the lava. The real problem is that my vehicle has been in the shop and I had no way to carry the bike. The answer? Don wanted to make another go at it, his bike rack holds two! Can you pick me up on your way past Waikoloa?

61G lava flow ocean entry
The 61G lava flow ocean entry at Kamokuna under the light of a full Moon
While the lava is further from the end of the road than on my previous hikes, a full 4.5miles, it is actually easier to get to. When earlier flows looked like they would cut the main highway into Puna the county re-cut Chain of Craters road across the lava flows. The road is closed to motor vehicle traffic, but foot and bicycle traffic is allowed. This gives a direct access to the current 61G lava flow without having to cross country for miles across older flows.

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Getting to the Lava

Note! The contents of this posting are obsolete, there is currently no surface lava accessible on the island. When it does reach the surface again I will most likely be there, look to see an update of this article in the future!

The 61G flow reached the ocean a month ago, but only this last weekend did I get a chance to go out and see it for myself. It is quite a bit further to go than previous visits, about four and a half miles, but is it also much easier. I realized that my Getting to the Lava post is a bit outdated and a serious update is in order.

The 61G lava flow ocean entry at Kamokuna
The 61G lava flow ocean entry at Kamokuna
The 61G flow began on May 24th, breaking out on the southeastern flank of Pu’u O’o. The flow moved fairly quickly, cutting the re-built Chain of Craters Road and entering the ocean on July 26th. The flow is quite vigorous with an ample supply of lava. There are currently multiple surface breakouts and multiple ocean entry points. The flow is building new land near Kamokuna, the lava delta has added around 11 acres to the Big Island in one month.

61G Lava Flow Map
Map of the 61G lava flow as of July 2nd
With easier access and a dramatic ocean entry the 61G flow is drawing large crowds of visitors that have come to see the spectacle. In my opinion the trip is very much worth the effort. Still, there are inherent risks in experiencing raw nature like this. A little preparation is in order and may prevent a visit from becoming an emergency.

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No Doors

A helicopter ride over an active volcano… With no doors.

In mid-July deb and I took a helicopter flight over Kilauea with Paradise Helicopter. A lot of fun! I took all of the material we shot in our helicopter flight and assembled as a bit of video. A lot more view-able this way, more fun than a pile of images sitting on a disk.

On the other had I think I discovered all of the things that can go wrong when shooting from a helicopter with no doors! The wind and vibration is rough, making even the wide angle video of a GoPro jump about. Video shot on the DLSR’s was useless. I also discovered that helicopter blades passing in front of the Sun gives the GoPro Hero 4 Black exposure fits, with black ripples in the image. Thanks to image stabilization and fast shutter speeds the still photos are fairly good.

Seated in a steeply banking helicopter with nothing between me and the molten lava a couple hundred feet below is a thrill I will not soon forget. You can smell the sulfur and feel the heat. Hopefully a little of that comes through in the video.

No Doors

No Doors from Andrew Cooper on Vimeo

A Helicopter with No Doors

I had promised Deb a helicopter ride months ago. It is about time to deliver on that promise. Just waiting for the volcano to do something interesting. Will a new lava flow work?

The currently active Puʻu Oʻo vent on Kilauea
The currently active Puʻu Oʻo vent on Kilauea
Paradise Helicopter has a doors off Volcanoes and Waterfalls Extreme tour I really wanted to try. I have always been frustrated when shooting through a window on an aircraft, reflections or scuffed plastic windows always seem to spoil the shot. Not having a window, much less a door to shoot through was a huge incentive.

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