Kilauea Volcano

Hello again,

Today was Volcano day, after a slow start to the morning, I booked myself on a Kilauea Volcano tour this afternoon/evening. I am still avoiding hiring a car because of the expensive insurance charges  but I may have to bite the bullet tomorrow or the next day if I am going to see the rest of the island.

The weather was very overcast today so the pics are a little drab, but thats how it goes some days.

Thus is one of the craters at Kilauea, Magma sit about 600m below the floor of this crater, which was recently (maybe 30 years ago) a Lava lake

Chook on the path

Thurston's lava tube (see below as well)

Steam vents near Kilauea Caldera rim (Calderas are much bigger than craters and the next pics show the Caldera (as opposed to the previous crater only). This Caldera has an active crater in it.

A rock that had been thrown up from the Caldera at some stage.

Caldera with active crater at back.

View of the Caldera wall, long way down

Another view of Calder and crater

close up of Crater

The HVO sits on Calder rim overlooking crater

The Jaggar museum is next door to HVO

View of Crater as darkness approaches

Last two, looking at Crater, Lava is out of direct line of sight and glows on steam and crater walls as it gets darker. It was at this point my memory card said I am full. No more pics.

Tomorrow I will try to include an audio file of the bug noises at the hotel. It is a very noisy place at night. They even give you ear plugs.

Tristan, I asked about riding a pushbike down Mauna Kea and was told that is banned now, at least at the very top part because it was too dangerous. You are not allowed to drive up there unless it is a 4WD, yet lots do every day, usually in hire cars for which their insurance does not cover them. They get up ok, but coming down their brakes get white hot and fail and they either go over the edge or crash into other cars and end up owing tens of thousands in salvage and damages. Apparently its a huge laugh for locals.

Hasta La Vista  LB