Pele is on the move

Everyone who comes to see the volcano in Hawaii hopes to see lava. However, with the current eruption cycle started in 1983, sometimes it will go weeks without anything and other times it will be quite active. We were fortunate. The original day we were to go (which had to be postponed because of the tsunami threat), the park rangers told us there had been no activity. But, on the next day when we were able to go, we got the thrill of our lifetimes. (or at least right up there among my life's exciting events...) Pele was on the move that day.

In ancient Hawaiian chants, the volcano goddess, Pele, dwells in the craters of the Big Island's Kilauea Volcano. She has been sending ribbons of fiery lava down the mountainside and adding new land around the southeastern shore almost continuously since 1983.

After leaving the National Park, we drove another hour to get to an area that has been set up a safe distance for viewing. We got there when it opened at 5:00 pm. We parked our car and then walked about a half mile on a marked trail to the viewing area. We were told the lava on this trail was from a flow in 1990.

The pictures below show flowing lava coming out of the side of the mountain and hitting the ocean and steaming up. It's about 5:30 pm. The sun is still up but will be setting in about an hour.

The next shots are video. I took a lot but have only posted the two that are the most dramatic. After it got really dark, my camera could not capture it very well. However, it was a spectacular show. One that I will remember forever.