Advice From A Volcano!

                      Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Advice from a Volcano

Stay active

Keep your inner fire burning

It's okay to let off steam

Go with the flow

Be uplifting

It's all a matter of time

Have a blast!

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is located on the island of Hawaii, the Big Island. Volcanoes became a National Park in 1916. 

One of the perks of turning 62 years of age in the United States of America is that you can buy a Senior Park Pass for $10.00. It is one of the single greatest retirement gifts you'll ever give yourself! On my 62 birthday, Bob drove me to Grand Canyon National Park so that I could partake in this wonderful gift. This little card gets you into 56 of our 58 National Parks for free! They are all gems and National treasures. Over the years, we have visited many and still have a few left on our bucket list. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is not to be missed. During our time here, we have been to the Park 4 times. There's lots to do and see besides viewing the active volcano!

           This blog is a compilation of 4 visits to the Park over a month's time. Information for my writing came from brochures provided by the Park, signs in the Park, 2 movies viewed at the Visitor's Center and online research. 

Rain and vog (foggy conditions created from a mixture of clouds and smoke from the volcano)
hampered our view of Kiluea Volcano on our first visit.

Love these visual the Park provides. 

                                   Hawaii Grows!

                 Hawaii: A Cluster of Volcanoes Rising from the Ocean Floor

The Hawaiian Islands were born of fire and water.  Of the six overlapping volcanoes of Hawaii, five have grown sufficiently high above sea level to create the islands. Loihi, the sixth and newest volcano, is still about 1 kilometer below sea level. Loihi is located about 28 miles east of Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. Sunlight does not yet reach its underwater summit. 

The Park Rangers say that at night it is glowing red and orange.
In the day, it appears to be just smokey. There's a raging bed of hot lava in there!

Volcanoes are monuments to Earth's origin, evidence that primordial forces are still at work. Volcanic Eruptions remind us that our planet is ever-changing. Volcanoes created the Hawaiian Island chain. The entire Hawaiian island chain is 1,500 miles long. Even the smallest island rises 15,000 ft. above the ocean floor.

Serendipity!
My cousin from Illinois and her hubby were on a Hawaiian Island cruise.
We picked them up in Hilo and spent the day with them.
Of course, we took them to the Park as it's one of the highlights of the island.
It was a cool 63º day at the Volcano.

The island of Hawaii (the BIg Island) is composed of 5 relatively young volcanoes. The oldest is Kohala. It last erupted about 60,000 years ago. Mauna Kea (called white mountain) last erupted about 4,600 years ago. The 3 remaining volcanoes, Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea have all erupted in the last 250 years--- Hualalai in 1801, Mauna Loa (long mountain) in 1984 and Kilauea on January 3, 1983. Kilauea is still active and a lava flow (Lava flows on land are only known since 1800 from historic records.) is headed for the town of Pohua right at this moment. It is somewhat stalled, but schools, homes, the police station and various other buildings in its path have already been evacuated. Scientists update the flow each day. We drove to Pohua. Telephone poles have been fortified with huge concrete barriers. Massive amounts of rock berms have been created  to try to direct the flow when it arrives. The small town's main street is in the direct path of the flow.  

Mauna Kea! It's so cool to be driving along the ocean road in 83º weather
and this gorgeous sight comes into view.
It's got the WOW factor of Mother Earth's beauty.


Kilauea Volcano

Kilauea is currently the most active of the Hawaiian volcanoes. A relatively small volcano, Kilauea grew on the slopes of its much larger neighbor, Mauna Loa, forming a low, ridge-like edifice on Mauna Loa's southeastern side. The east rift zone of Kilauea extends almost 90 kilometers east of the island of Hawaii, where numerous submarine eruptions have built a long underwater ridge. The peaks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea rise over 30,000 feet above their bases on the ocean floor. they are among the largest mountains on Earth.

Volcano activity is updated daily from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. These updates are available for visitors to the volcano and can also be found online. If I lived in the town of Pohua, I'd be checking that site daily! This update is from my last visit:

Saturday, March 21st, 2015 at 9:30am 

19º25'16" N 155º17'13" W

Summit Elevation 4091 feet

Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING

Current Activity: The 3 areas of breakouts in Kilauea's East Rift Zone continue to be active. All 3 are in the upslope portion of the flow field, within 6 miles of Pu'u O'o. The lower part of the flow field near Pahoa shows only minor activity and Kilauea continues to host lava lake at its summit.

                             Chain of Craters Road

On my last visit, I drove the Chain of Craters Rd. (there are no services (water, gas or food). This was the day Bob met a friend and played golf at Volcano Golf Club, not far from the Park. I dropped him off and spent 4 grand hours learning

more, seeing more and enjoying more of this surreal place.

This half-mile long crater can be seen from an overlook.
It was made by an eruption of the volcano years ago.
If you hike into it, the crater floor is still producing warmth.

From the Visitor's Center, it is a 38 mile round-trip drive that descends 3,700 feet to the coast and ends where lava has covered 10 miles of road since 1986. Work crews have been working diligently on reopening the rest of the road as it might be the only access (for both emergencies and every day actives) for the communities that may be stranded by the newest lava flow because it is scheduled to cross a major highway. 

It was 62º when I left the Visitor's Center.
I drove 19 miles downhill to the Pacific Ocean
 It was 85º there!

I made many stops along the highway to see a variety of landscapes altered by new and old lava flows. There's a spectacular ocean view of a 60 foot tall sea arch at the end of the road. I also took a hike over ancient lava beds, on a path of the old ones a hike to the Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs. This unique and spiritual area is home to intricate rock carvings. They were carved into the 400-700 year old lava flow. They record the history and culture of the native Hawaiin people who used this site for centuries. With stops and the hike, the drive took over 3 hours to complete. It's a landscape not to miss!

At the Petroglyph area, there are hundreds of hole-like shapes. (see below) These were pecked by ancient Hawaiians as a special place for the piko (umbilical cord) of their newborns. Native Hawaiians with generational ties to this area still follow this ritual. It is believed that the spiritual guiding energy of the area will bless the newborn child.  

Chain of Craters... end of the road viewing spot.

Ocean arches of lava rock made by waves and wind.
One of my favorite National Park is Arches, in Utah.
I've never seen an ocean arch before.
I love it!
Hope that you enjoyed a tour of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.Get out there! Visit one near you.
They are extra special.