Hawai'i,  Napau trail and Pu`u` O`o

incl.  'Green flash'  special

by Martin Rietze (October 2004)

 

Maps of the region

       

Source of the maps: The HVO - site

In occasion of my new Hawaii attendance (Islands Kauai, Molokai and Big Island) the activity is at present very small, therefore I invested not too much time. From the 21rst to the 22nd of October I moved therefore for the first time over the Napau Trail to the at present most active crater, the Puu’O’o. Actually it is strictly forbidden for mountaineering and building up a bivouac at the crater rim. Beside new monitoring cameras which were quite simple to accomplish there was no ranger during the time. But thereby the helicopters continuously flew over my head - a really annoying accompaniment.

A short trip to the Puka Nui boiler showed activity with the June25 vent, unfortunately everything was covered in  SO2 clouds and there was nearly no photo chance.

 

        

Exact to the evening the fog appeared and each activity also from the South barrier complex was ending. The spooky glowing of the 6-7 vents in the central site reached me only disguised by fog. Those few pictures could only got developed during minutes of clearing up. Despite these incommodities and missing activity an impressive night at the glowing and rumbling. Puu’O’o passed without each artificial source of noise. In the morning an attendance of the c ookie monster (Hornito SW of the Puu’O’o) was possible.

        

        

By the way you can find the shelly pahoehoe lava amass, which inevitably cuts your trouser. The next time cnemial protectors are very useful. Afterwards I took to the long way back (12-13km) But this time with heat and sun. This motivated me to investigate more about a closer "Insider" entrance.

 

        

 

At the 24th Oct. in the afternoon I observed to flowing arms at present for instance 3-4km far away from the sea at the base of the Puu’O’o. The whole area was again completely covered by the rivers in the first half-year. The first, western situated flow predominantly existed out of Pahoehoe with many small patches. The second eastern situated flow was interesting too. It accumulated one tube which was carrying out concentrated lava to three channels. This tube changed spontaneously and the tunnel was bursting on different places hourly.

         


Aloha, Martin

 

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 ©photos & text by Martin Rietze 12.11.04, transl. and webdesign  boeckel


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