The Most Active Volcano in the World

Yesterday we drove down the wet side of the island through Hilo and skirted across the southern part to see the active volcano - Kilauea - which is heralded to be the most active volcano in the world. It was spewing forth molten lava from a fissure on the eastern side of Volcano park earlier this month. Now there is no active lava but the fires are still glowing where it continues to consume the neighboring forests. The top pictures are us standing in front of the largest Caldera of Kilauea - you can see the steam billowing forth from one of the craters in the Caldera. The southern rim is closed because the levels of sulphur dioxide are too toxic to breathe in. Apparently the spewing forth of SO2 and methane is unpredictable. Isn't that marvelous? Sometimes even boulders the size of cars rush out. All in all a comforting place to be. We toured a large lava tube, just a very large cylindrical cave,and had the pleasure of water dripping on our heads and roots billowing above us as they search for moisture in the tube. I saw a fascinating diagram showing the southern migration of the Pacific plate and how with its gradual movement all the volcanos except Kilauea and the underwater one - Lo ihi, are now cut off from the big magma pool. There is still some question about the biggest volcano which is right beside Kilauea - Mauna Loa. Lets just hope no connection.

After breathing in those lovely fumes and tiny particulate lava, glass shards we moved off to explore the most south eastern tip of the island. We tried to get into a natural volcanic hot pool right beside some incredible surfing territory ( all the good surfers were women) but it was too full of locals so off we went to the tide pools. They were fun. I watched a fish harass an eel in a game that seemed to go on forever, and gazed at the amazing lilac coloured corral, all whilst wearing a quickly modified bathing suit top that was tied with the woven paper handle of a starbucks bag ( all I had at my immediate disposal).

We skirted the coast line to the farthest south tip on the east side and to the site of a historic town that was wiped out in the lava flows of 1990. Joop and the boys are in the pictures of the lava expanse that destroyed the 1000 year old fishing village where it butts up against the ocean-Kalapana. A few determined stragglers remain, giving the place a feeling of the end of the world.

There was an interesting cafe where we stopped just as the road ends and the boys indulged themselves in a gigantic banana split. Joop befriended a harp player that looked Rastafarian to me, and we were cloaked in marijuana smoke from neighboring tables. The local dogs looked like a mangey cross between Mexican and Greek dogs - ie) not well cared for, laden with critters in their fur and all delightfully intact. Joop thought it the prime place to set up a spay and neuter clinic but I countered that it has nothing to do with cost, everything to do with principle. This is the place where the egg cartons say a fertilized egg is a happy chicken. At first I didn't get it and thought are fertilized eggs more nutritious? Then it hit me. The same ideas apply to their dogs. They don't look that much happier to me. In fact there was one small coyote bitch whose mammary tissue was so blackened and saggy that all nipples were practically dragging on the ground. I've never seen the likes of it. She didn't seem to be actively nursing as everything was so deflated and I had the most horrific thought that they will probably never bounce back. - The poor thing!

Off to the beach again. I don't think we'll fit in too much else in our last two days, as it is the thing we most jealously guard and love.