Hot Lava
In 2008, and again in 2011, I was able to approach hot lava at close range on the Big Island of Hawai'i during eruptions of Kilauea Volcano. These trips involved walking across the cooled surfaces of recent lava flows during the dark of night, about two hours before sunrise, in order to see the lava while it's still glowing in the dark. As sunrise approaches, the lava puts on its best show - the ambient light from the brightening sky reflects cool blues and purples on the lava's cooling crust, while the sky is still dark enough to show off the incandescence of the hotter material below. That combination is intensely photogenic, and more than worth the trouble - and risk - of stumbling around on fresh lava at 4:00 a.m.
Featured here is a selection of photos from both excursions, which were among the most memorable experiences of my life. Any images that are available for sale (as wall prints, or on other products such as card, puzzles, etc.) are identified as such and linked to my portfolio at Pixels.com.
Although lava typically emerges from the ground many miles from Hawaii's shorelines, the flows find their way to the ocean and enter the water in an explosive encounter that produces clouds of steam laced with particles of volcanic glass. These are dangerous areas to approach during times of vigorous lava movement, but less risky when the lava slows to a trickle.
Small "toes" of advancing lava are not as terribly hot as the larger, open patches, and allow for closer-range observation, where the lava's intricate surfaces can be seen in great detail as they advance, expand, and cool.
Anything in the path of the flow is eventually consumed:
This surface of an older flow (laid down sometime during the last ten or twenty years) displays the intricate, braided textures characteristic of Hawaiian lavas. Ferns are generally the first plants to begin colonizing the bare rock, setting the stage for the eventual growth of a forest:
