Lava + Water
January 9, 2017 4:36 PM Subscribe
Lava entering the ocean at Kamokuna viewed from the Kalapana side of the flow (flikr). For more recent lava, like another view of the ocean entry, or a lake of lava in Halema‘uma‘u, see "What's going on with the volcano?" at the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The facebook page is also quite nice.
Saw this a couple weeks ago from a boat 20 feet away and it was one of the most raw and elemental experiences of my life. I came away moved.
To anyone who can make it -- it's worth the effort to get out there and get close to new land being formed. Turns out they *are* making more of it.
posted by So You're Saying These Are Pants? at 4:59 PM on January 9, 2017 [6 favorites]
To anyone who can make it -- it's worth the effort to get out there and get close to new land being formed. Turns out they *are* making more of it.
posted by So You're Saying These Are Pants? at 4:59 PM on January 9, 2017 [6 favorites]
One of the things my kids are never going to believe, along with dial phones and life before the internet, is that you used to be allowed to (i.e. not actively prevented from) walk right up to the lava flow as it fell into the ocean. We poked sticks into it which caught fire immediately and we roasted marshmallows over the lava. Mmmmm...mmmagma...
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 5:12 PM on January 9, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 5:12 PM on January 9, 2017 [7 favorites]
Saw this a couple weeks ago from a boat 20 feet away and it was one of the most raw and elemental experiences of my life. I came away moved.
I felt the same way. Definitely one of the top experiences of my life. Just the grey sky and the grey water and the grey land, and in contrast this fiery red molten stuff, falling into the water with a sizzle and smoke. It was incredible!
posted by peacheater at 5:45 PM on January 9, 2017
I felt the same way. Definitely one of the top experiences of my life. Just the grey sky and the grey water and the grey land, and in contrast this fiery red molten stuff, falling into the water with a sizzle and smoke. It was incredible!
posted by peacheater at 5:45 PM on January 9, 2017
When lava pours out near the sea surface, tremendous volcanic explosions sometimes occur
In time, submarine sea-mounts or islands are formed
When lava flows underwater, it behaves differently
A new contraption to capture a 'dandelion' in one piece has been put together by the crew
The preparation for a dive is always a tense time
When lava pours out near the sea surface, tremendous volcanic explosions sometimes occur
posted by robotmachine at 6:31 PM on January 9, 2017 [6 favorites]
In time, submarine sea-mounts or islands are formed
When lava flows underwater, it behaves differently
A new contraption to capture a 'dandelion' in one piece has been put together by the crew
The preparation for a dive is always a tense time
When lava pours out near the sea surface, tremendous volcanic explosions sometimes occur
posted by robotmachine at 6:31 PM on January 9, 2017 [6 favorites]
I am pretty sure there's video of lava actually "squirting" out under the water in one of the Attenborough docs, probably Living Planet. I've wondered about the steely nerved divers who shot that footage. Anyone know much about how and where that was acquired?
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 6:38 PM on January 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 6:38 PM on January 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Probably a drone sub shaped like a turtle knowing the BBC. Drones are the obvious choice for studying these things up close.
posted by adept256 at 6:47 PM on January 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 6:47 PM on January 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
One of the things my kids are never going to believe, along with dial phones and life before the internet, is that you used to be allowed to (i.e. not actively prevented from) walk right up to the lava flow as it fell into the ocean.
When I was there a few months ago they were allowing you to do this. There was a park ranger (wearing a respirator for the slufiric acid in the air) making the rounds telling clusters of people to please back away from a few locations but not really making a concerted effort to block off the larger area. Friends of mine found the soles of their shoes partially melted after leaving. A local amateur tour guide demonstrated how quickly the lava hardens by bashing a still-glowing tongue of the flow with a rock hammer. The rock is so fresh you leave footprints in the thin crust of its top layers. I also saw several young 'ae ferns already sprouting.
Just lately a 22-acre portion of the lava delta has collapsed and fallen into the ocean, and the flow has created a "lava firehose" pouring directly out of the cliffside into the ocean
posted by 3urypteris at 7:28 PM on January 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
When I was there a few months ago they were allowing you to do this. There was a park ranger (wearing a respirator for the slufiric acid in the air) making the rounds telling clusters of people to please back away from a few locations but not really making a concerted effort to block off the larger area. Friends of mine found the soles of their shoes partially melted after leaving. A local amateur tour guide demonstrated how quickly the lava hardens by bashing a still-glowing tongue of the flow with a rock hammer. The rock is so fresh you leave footprints in the thin crust of its top layers. I also saw several young 'ae ferns already sprouting.
Just lately a 22-acre portion of the lava delta has collapsed and fallen into the ocean, and the flow has created a "lava firehose" pouring directly out of the cliffside into the ocean
posted by 3urypteris at 7:28 PM on January 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Actually I should clarify, they don't let you near the bottom of the sea cliffs (it'd be extremely difficult to get there at all) but they do allow you to wander at will atop the cliff where there is hot lava at the surface.
posted by 3urypteris at 7:30 PM on January 9, 2017
posted by 3urypteris at 7:30 PM on January 9, 2017
Oh wow, the lava lake is awesome! When we were there about 15 years ago, there was a lava outfall into the sea but no lava visible in the crater. Which bummed me out, because the visitor center had a quote from Mark Twain (I think) describing the bubbling fountains of lava and lovely paintings showing Hawaiian volcano gods and goddesses leaping out of lava pools.
We wanted to go back if the lava lake ever reappeared, so I hope the volcano can hang on until we can afford another trip!
posted by Quietgal at 7:52 PM on January 9, 2017
We wanted to go back if the lava lake ever reappeared, so I hope the volcano can hang on until we can afford another trip!
posted by Quietgal at 7:52 PM on January 9, 2017
Sigh. Like so many things, this just makes me wish I was in Hawaii.
posted by imalaowai at 9:24 PM on January 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by imalaowai at 9:24 PM on January 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Wow. Very cool. And hot. At the same time.
This came up as a related video: USGS scientist describes lava delta collapse.
Had no idea that this was how it worked...just thought it formed more land. A leeetle more complicated than that!
Thanks for posting this.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:58 PM on January 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
This came up as a related video: USGS scientist describes lava delta collapse.
Had no idea that this was how it worked...just thought it formed more land. A leeetle more complicated than that!
Thanks for posting this.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:58 PM on January 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Robot machine, the same snippets popped into my head also. I believe that's actually Leslie Nielsen, but I've never seen the footage it's taken from.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 1:24 AM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Jon Mitchell at 1:24 AM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
@John Mitchell: https://youtu.be/N2qmf24O0yo
It is around the 40m mark.
posted by robotmachine at 4:02 AM on January 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
It is around the 40m mark.
posted by robotmachine at 4:02 AM on January 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
Oh wow, I missed the delta collapse by a day! It was pretty damn impressive the night before though. I highly recommend the evening viewing as you can clearly see not only the lava flowing into the ocean but the crisscrossing delta as well.
posted by rouftop at 9:20 AM on January 10, 2017
posted by rouftop at 9:20 AM on January 10, 2017
"What the everloving F*CK!?" --fish
posted by gottabefunky at 9:43 AM on January 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by gottabefunky at 9:43 AM on January 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
When I was there a few months ago they were allowing you to do this. There was a park ranger (wearing a respirator for the slufiric acid in the air) making the rounds telling clusters of people to please back away from a few locations but not really making a concerted effort to block off the larger area. Friends of mine found the soles of their shoes partially melted after leaving. A local amateur tour guide demonstrated how quickly the lava hardens by bashing a still-glowing tongue of the flow with a rock hammer. The rock is so fresh you leave footprints in the thin crust of its top layers. I also saw several young 'ae ferns already sprouting.
Volcano National Park is about the one national park that I know of where the park service is not overly anal about the slightest chance that someone might hurt themselves, and basically will let you get up close to what's going on. Everywhere else they're pretty restrictive on things you can do. So I've always given them a bunch of credit at VNP. On the flip side, it's also the one national park that if the rangers actually start getting worried about people's safety, it probably means things have progressed to where you shouldn't really be there. (One day I was there, the ranger was leaving the lava flow site because of the current buildup of gases there. Basically, what he told people was that their official recommendation for that day was not to stick around very long, but that for a short period you'd be ok, but because the rangers are exposed to it much more often, he had to leave.)
posted by piper28 at 11:32 AM on January 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
Volcano National Park is about the one national park that I know of where the park service is not overly anal about the slightest chance that someone might hurt themselves, and basically will let you get up close to what's going on. Everywhere else they're pretty restrictive on things you can do. So I've always given them a bunch of credit at VNP. On the flip side, it's also the one national park that if the rangers actually start getting worried about people's safety, it probably means things have progressed to where you shouldn't really be there. (One day I was there, the ranger was leaving the lava flow site because of the current buildup of gases there. Basically, what he told people was that their official recommendation for that day was not to stick around very long, but that for a short period you'd be ok, but because the rangers are exposed to it much more often, he had to leave.)
posted by piper28 at 11:32 AM on January 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
My wife and I are absolutely in love with the Big Island. Its where we'd like to retire to someday - specifically to Volcano village right up by the park. We visit every year - multiple times if we can. It sounds like bullshit, but you can sense the power of the whole Earth coming up through the volcano. Its profound and humbling.
There are drawbacks to living there (water catchment instead of wells or reservoirs, for example and food prices are crazy high) but its one of the few places I've visited where I actually feel at piece. Plus, if I'm going to die in a natural disaster, volcanic explosion is one I'd choose (Spoiler: not likely to happen on Mauna Kea in the near geological future).
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:03 PM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
There are drawbacks to living there (water catchment instead of wells or reservoirs, for example and food prices are crazy high) but its one of the few places I've visited where I actually feel at piece. Plus, if I'm going to die in a natural disaster, volcanic explosion is one I'd choose (Spoiler: not likely to happen on Mauna Kea in the near geological future).
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:03 PM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Last week, I was at Hōlei Sea Arch about five miles away from the point where the lava flows into the ocean. I could clearly see the plume of gases but didn't like the smell at all. I'm sorry I didn't get to see actual lava flowing but I also had mixed feelings about getting any closer. Plus the boat tours we saw were about $500 for a couple for 30 min at the site.
posted by grouse at 12:43 PM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by grouse at 12:43 PM on January 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
We spent the rest of the day hiking Pu'u Huluhulu which was neat and Kīlauea Iki which was excellent. And still got to see the red glow in the crater before leaving in the evening.
posted by grouse at 1:32 PM on January 10, 2017
posted by grouse at 1:32 PM on January 10, 2017
When I first saw a lava outflow I was initially sort of unimpressed. There's lots of steam and whatnot but a lot of the action is obscured and what you're left with is this car-sized hole pouring molten rock out like its syrup or something. Its the realization that this is the innards of the earth coming out that smacked me. ITS MOLTEN ROCK. FROM THE INSIDE OF THE PLANET. Lava coming down the pali is super pretty at night and almost worth the dark trek through a Riddick/Pitch Black hellscape (which really, is worth doing at night for its own terrifying right).
posted by Ogre Lawless at 2:21 PM on January 10, 2017
posted by Ogre Lawless at 2:21 PM on January 10, 2017
A few months ago, I saw the flow entering the ocean with Hawaiian Lava Boat Tours. It's run by two guys who grew up on the Big Island and cost $200 per adult (no one under 8 or over 60 can go; I was briefly afraid I would fall off the boat, so this seems sensible to me.)
It was a terrific experience, and I recommend it.
posted by purpleclover at 2:35 PM on January 10, 2017
It was a terrific experience, and I recommend it.
posted by purpleclover at 2:35 PM on January 10, 2017
I could clearly see the plume of gases but didn't like the smell at all. I'm sorry I didn't get to see actual lava flowing but I also had mixed feelings about getting any closer.
It's worth noting that it's a very legit concern. The steam produced where the lava enters the water is really pretty nasty stuff. Obviously in addition to it being hot, it can also contain sulfuric acid and shards of glass in the air. Breathing it is *very* bad for ones health.
posted by piper28 at 10:08 AM on January 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's worth noting that it's a very legit concern. The steam produced where the lava enters the water is really pretty nasty stuff. Obviously in addition to it being hot, it can also contain sulfuric acid and shards of glass in the air. Breathing it is *very* bad for ones health.
posted by piper28 at 10:08 AM on January 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
Fire Hose of Lava Flows From Kilauea Volcano into Sea
posted by grouse at 4:07 PM on January 31, 2017
posted by grouse at 4:07 PM on January 31, 2017
The cliffs above the "firehose" recently collapsed, just as geologists were seeing up to monitor cracks in the ground. No one was hurt, and the lava tour boat caught the collapse on video.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 3:36 PM on February 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 3:36 PM on February 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
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