Lava Update | October 3, 2018

Clear skies and no 3000′ TFR made for a fantastic morning overflight! And, once again, there is no visible eruptive activity on Kilauea’s lower east rift zone, although there still is a small amount of sulfur dioxide and steam venting from the recently active fissures. Flying over this newly created landscape at a low altitude sure brought a new perspective for us!! See the latest photos below.

The beautiful new black sand beach at Kapoho.

The new Kapoho coastline is rugged, but also includes stretches and pockets of black sand and pebbles… beautiful in its own way. Kapoho crater, Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea provides quite the backdrop.

This section of the new coastline is near where the Ahalanui Beach Park once was.

A great perspective of the beautiful stretch of black sand in Pohoiki Bay, with the still steaming/degassing lava fields in the background.

The new beach at Pohoiki is even more beautiful from a lower altitude!! 🙂

Another view of Pohoiki Bay… so incredibly beautiful!

Such a gorgeous and tranquil scene… most would not be able to imagine the turmoil this area had been in just a couple months ago.

This house with the green roof had many rooting for it as lava surrounded it… and it remained untouched!! It’s amazing to see how close the lava came to it, without burning it down! Note the warped siding and burned lattice. Crazy close!! I hope the homeowners will be able to reoccupy their home someday soon!! I’d want to visit them!! 🙂

A pass over a section of the braided channel area revealed a tiny reddish brown spot in the middle of the lava field…

…as we got closer, it began to resemble a sheet of iron roof…

Then, an even closer pass revealed that it was an upper corner of a shipping container!!

The top of the braided channel, with Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea in the background.

This is the southern edge of the perched channel within Leilani Estates, while part of the opposite wall can be seen stretching across the frame in the distance.

An impressive line of cones remain where just a few months ago, fiery fissures were effusing a tremendous volume of lava.

Fissure 8 remains inactive, with just a small amount of SO2 rising from within.

A short section of the east end of Kahukai Street remains, with a few homes untouched by the lava.

Another view of the eastern end of Kahukai Street… with the line of fissures running next to it.

Our buddy, Mac’s house, middle of the frame, sits isolated for the moment. Being just a couple hundred yards from the bottom of Malama St, we’re hoping a road will be cut soon, so he can return home!

Part of a hillside remains, as lava flowed around it, creating a secluded grassy knoll. A little gazebo sits on its highest point.

A little kipuka, including a short stretch of Pohoiki Road, sits in the shadow of a cloud, while Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea create quite the backdrop in this amazing vista.

This channel cut through ag lots south of Leilani Estates, feeding the first ocean entry at Malama Flats.

Kipukas of agricultural land remain in the aftermath of the eruption. Foliage is rebounding quickly.

Another kipuka of ag lots, this one appearing to be an orchard of established trees.