Let's try some video from my new camera. One day we drove over to the Hilo side of the Big Island to see the Volcano National Park and said volcano. Unfortunately, the lava was not flowing on the day we went so we didn't have the opportunity to see (and take pictures) of molten lava flowing into the sea. This particular eruption started in 1983 and is still in progress. Funny that the extraordinary geologic land building phenomenon can be reduced to a tourist attraction.
But we saw lots and lots and lots of lava. Large parts of the island are labeled "Lava flow of 18XX" etc. New lava and old lava. Smooth lava and chunky lava. But everything everything on that Bis Island is really lava. We went to the top of the volcano, steam vents everywhere and the actual crater and steaming mass itself. Then a long drive down the Chain of Craters highway to the ocean. Our master blue tourbook cautioned us to respect the park's advice. So you couldn't get too close. We stopped along the way and Charlie said 'Why, it's a big hole in the ground" I replied in big sister fashion "Chain of Craters Highway. Craters? And you were expecting what?" We stopped at one lookout which showed a big vista of (what else) lava. Pam tripped and fell hitting her camera against the lava. Her camera did sustain some damage but still works. Mostly. Kinda.
We eventually got down to the ocean as the waves and the lava cliffs do their work of continually shaping the island of Hawaii. 14 seconds. Not too sharp on full screen. Also a picture "Photo courtesy of US Geological Survey; Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, August 10, 2002"
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