January 14, 2016 Lava Lake Visible
A very hazy day today over East Hawaii, as Kona winds pushed vog over Hilo and much of the Puna. Special guest, Peter Petersen, Bruce Omori, Leilani and I enjoyed flying with Paradise Helicopters’ owner/pilot Cal Dorn this morning, as he maneuvered us carefully above Pele’s fiery flows! Numerous small breakouts dotted the flow field within there miles of Pu’u ‘O’o today, but the volume of lava appeared considerably reduced overall. The north forest continues to slowly expand the margin of the flow into the trees… but today’s activity was only about half of what we saw a week ago. No activity was observed anywhere near the crack that carried lava downslope to Pahoa a year ago. The highlight of the day was definitely our view inside the lava lake within the vent… as lava bubbled, spit, churned and stretched in typical lava lake fashion. The plume was blowing mostly to the east today, exposing the top skylight, or break in the lava tube on the vent’s north flank. The opening there has now shrunk to the point where we can see only glow, but no actual lava within. This window is now starting to look like a mouth complete with teeth, as it continues to morph into different shapes. A beautiful hornito now towers over the steamy breaks in the lava tube just below the main skylight. It almost looks like a signal tower… a strange Dr Seuss chimney, formed slowly from an infrequently spitting vent. Yelllow cakes of sulphur now surround much of the venting area on the north flank, below which lava tubes transport lava to the flow field to the northeast. All activity still remains three miles or more away from the closest infrastructure, and is not threatening any communities at this time. Leilani found the voggy skies in east Hawaii disturbing today… but she was thrilled to be flying with the big boss!
Mahalo to Paradise Helicopters and Bruce Omori at Extreme Exposure
Mahalo to Paradise Helicopters and Bruce Omori at Extreme Exposure
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