Something’s brewing

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Smoke rising from active vents at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii
Smoke rising from active vents at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii

I was down at Kilauea Volcano this past weekend, checking out the state of the volcano. Since December 2024 there has been a series of 54 episodes of the current eruption. Episode 55 was expected about three weeks ago, but changes in the volcano have not produced another fountaining episode. Instead, there have been lots of small earthquakes, signs of lava movement underground, and a continuing build up of pressure. The volcanologists aren’t sure what to expect next, so some areas and trails have been closed for safety.

Two changes really struck me on this visit. First was that the crater viewing area at the Jagger Museum was open again. This closed after the 2018 draining and collapses in the crater, which rendered the museum unsafe. Now the museum is gone, having been removed over the past few years. However, the viewing area is still there and they’ve done a nice job of redoing it into a perfect space for volcano watching.

The second thing, which can be seen in these photos, is just how much the crater has filled in since the 2018 collapse. The crater floor was 1600 feet lower after that event, but now is back up to where it was before, and the active area is reaching the level of the rim!

I was hoping something dramatic would happen during my visit, but was disappointed. In the meantime, the rumblings continue.

Shade tree, hold the shade

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A misshapen Milo tree at Upolu Airport, Hawaii

Almost five years ago, I posted a photo of this Milo tree (here). It had been planted as a shade tree and there was a picnic table beside it. However, the tree had grown with a 90° bend, a result of the strong winds that blow here.

A few days ago, I went for a walk on the coast there, for the first time in ages, and this is what I saw. I’m assuming the tree was pruned like this in the hope that new growth would be in a more normal direction. I doubt that will happen, though the winds aren’t as consistently strong these days. Oh, and the picnic table, that had gone before my previous post, never did return.

Tune in again in five years for more exciting developments!

Holei Arch

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Holei Arch in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Anyone who has visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and driven down Chain of Craters Road to the coast, likely ended up taking a photo of Holei Arch, which is near the end of the road.

Anyone who visits that spot in the future will not do that, because the arch is no more. It collapsed while the park was closed during the passage of Tropical Storm Nolo. The exact time of its collapse isn’t known. It was there on Wednesday, September 23, but gone by Sunday evening on September 27.

Where are you going?

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Hula dancers perform in front of steps leading to the statue of King Kamehameha in Kapaau, Hawaii
Hula dancers perform in front of steps leading up to the statue of King Kamehameha in Kapaau, Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Stairs/Steps.’ See more responses here. Captions on the photos as usual.

Steps leading down to the water in Kawaihae, Hawaii
Steps leading down to water.
A boat ladder underwater in Hawaii
Steps that are underwater!
Steps going nowhere in Hawi, Hawaii
Steps going nowhere.
A bridge at Liliuokalani Park in Hilo, Hawaii
Steps over water at Liliuokalani Park in Hilo.
Steps on the side of a water tank in Hawi, Hawaii
Steps going up to water.
A path with steps going at Pu'ukohola, Hawaii
Steps in a path alongside the ocean at Pu’ukohola.

Starburst bush

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Starburst bush flowers in Hawaii

The Starburst bush (Clerodendrum quadriloculare) gets its name for fairly obvious reasons. It is native to the Philippines and Papua New Guinea and has the potential to be very invasive, though that’s not the case in Hawaii, at least currently.