Photos 6, page 16
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Lava Hike
| December 21, 2009 |
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| I wasn't sure where I wanted to go today, I just wanted to walk. So I ended up going out and following the edge of the new lava flow (green line) and then heading on out to get close to the lava ocean entry, something I've avoided due to the danger (see Lava Hike, 12/17) |
| Here's a closer look relative to Royal Gardens, now almost completely covered with lava (pink area). After leaving the parking area, I followed the edge of the new lava flows (red area, starting at "Edge") until I broke off and headed for the ocean entry at "No Edge" (green line). After that, I meandered my way back to where the original parking area was ("2-28 Start"). I was then going to head on to Royal Gardens, but decided that it was too far and too late in the day to make it out there and back. So I headed for the only available shade and then looped back to the car, coming in the back way... The lava tubes feeding the ocean entry are marked in the right image by the dull yellow lines |
| 12:11 PM after "Edge" The new and the old, where the new flow (pahoehoe) overtops the old flow (A'a) |
| 12:12 PM after "Edge" This is what it looks like at the edge of the new flow: old A'a lava on the left with dead burnt off brush laying along the edges |
| 12:34 PM after "No Edge" tubes marked by the rows of steam vents running diagonally down the hill, right to left. |
| 1:07 PM @ "Kipuka" I'm going to take a rest in the shade of that little clump of vegetation ahead... |
| 1:08 PM @ 015 MOVIE (31 MB) |
| 1:10 PM @ 015 Another look at the pali |
| 1:12 PM @ 015 For size reference, there's a helicopter just to the left of the peak of the plume |
| 1:17 PM @ "Nr Cst" (near Coast) Looking back at the public viewing area less than 1/2 mile away |
| 1:19 PM @ 018 This was once a river of lava |
| <-- 1:23 PM @ 021 ground? Those are PROJECTILES given off by lava explosions as the hot See those rocks littered around on the One of the reasons one mustn't go too close... |
| 1:29 PM @ 024 The plume with another helicopter... |
| 1:32 PM @ "Pole" |
| 1:34 PM @ "Pole" |
| I don't know what this is for but it must mark something for the USGS people... |
| 1:41 PM @ "Pole 2" |
| 1:43 PM @ "Pole 2" |
| 1:24 PM @ 022 This mound was built up of debris from lava explosions - note the scattered stones and the black sand. The present ocean entry is behind and to the right of the mound. This is why I gave the ocean entry a wide berth... |
| 2:37 PM @ 027 I'm really hot and tired. I'm heading for that shade! |
| I was going to head on out to Royal Gardens to see what havoc had been wrought since I had been there last. But after resting at "Rest" (2:05 PM), I decided I just didn't have enough gas left to make the journey out and back. I also like to get back to the car before 3:00 PM so I can get out of there before people show up to start setting up for the public opening at 5:00. I'm not supposed to be out there so I like to keep a low profile. On the way back, my cell phone rang (very weird in the middle of all that desolation) at "Fone". It was Robin wondering where I was... |
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