Kaboom!

... goes Mum's blood pressure. Wait. What?

Today's task was to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, one of the most stunning active volcano complexes left in the world.

But first up, a few sunrise photos from Liliuokalani Gardens, on a nice moody morning. Funnily enough, Mum didn't accompany me on a sunrise shoot!

Liliuokalani Gardens in morning light

The mid-morning departure to the national park was made that much more depressing by the rain rolling in. Fortunately we decided to continue on anyway, which was a good choice because the weather in the park was very kind to us for most of the day. Further from Hilo means less rain I guess.

First up was a viewpoint of Halema'uma'u Crater, a still-active plume of smoke billowing from a newly created hole. Due to the fumes most of the drive of the rim was impassable, as was the entire hiking track that is normally open to hikers along the crater floor:

Smoke billowing from the crater

Next up was a drive down to the ocean, along Chain of Craters Road. Here you pass so many different types of landscapes. It's so surreal. From massive holes in the ground, to enormous fields of lava covered in dead trees, to fields where plants are trying to grow in a seriously inhospitable environment:

The park's varied landscapes

Sadly the only way to see active lava, we found out, was to go on a helicopter tour. Even the ocean does not provide lava views at the present time.

At the foot of the park, on the ocean, is the Holei Sea Arch. Here the waves pound continuously against the lava, according to a couple of locals who were there the sea was as rough as they had seen for a long time:

Holei Sea Arch

Next was a hike. HIKE, Mum! It was in essence a flat path though, called Devastation Trail. We got exactly the right weather for it too - the surreal light rain that we had gave the barren landscape an almost alien nature:

Devastation Trail

After waiting a while at a lookout for the cloud to lift, we headed back to the car and towards one final stop: Thurston Lava Tube. After the rain, there was a fair bit of standing water in the tube, which sort of gives you an idea about what the inside of a volcano is supposed to look like:

Inside an extinct lava tube

Then a drive home, in the dark, and the rain. Mum was so excited for that part!

Tomorrow we probably won't do much, given we've seen all that needs to be seen. Maybe some of downtown Hilo. Aloha!

Felicity says:

I have been before but on a bus tour, which limits the stops you can make. Driving opens up a whole new range of scenery, especially going down to the sea. While I waited (and waited and waited) there for the photographer I talked to a volunteer ranger who had lots of interesting stories to tell. There are so many different shapes and colours of lava flows, I'm sure the geologist husband could have explained it but it would have been interesting to know what causes each one.