What is going on here you may ask and why is this coconut tree almost encased in this bed of lava rock. It actually is a coconut tree that was not completely burned out by lava that recently ran above ground very close to the ocean entry where lava has been spilling out for the last 20 plus years, up until recently the lava has just started to flow above ground and into virgin forest lands close to the ocean in Kalapana, East Hawaii.
Sadly, a small portion of this beautiful virgin forest was over run with hot lava not even a few weeks old. Being immune to this type of daily activity, I decided to take a hike to this wilder part of the island and was surprised to discover so much destruction, amazing cliffs and vistas, lava and also a new beach completely born out of this lava eruption.
Here below, is the new beach that just recently developed, its is called Kawaaloa, when lava enters the cold water, it shatters immediately causing fine crystals to wash up on the cliffs and in the shallower areas creates an entirely new black sand beach….just amazing to see!
As I wait patiently for the sun to set, beautiful cloud formations and colorful hues echo the suns retreat and paint the skies vivid and glowing tropical colors.
It is hard to imagine that just a few yards away from this pristine and untouched forest is the wretched path of lava pouring down lava tubes and above ground to finally enter the cool Pacific waters. I stayed until the night stars came out and a real firework show started from Pele’s volcanic fury.
I’ll show you in an upcoming posts, that despite these harsh and scary conditions, people actually live very close to this area. Crazy you may think, but having an affordable slice of paradise is what draws a few out to live here.
For more views of the sky this friday, go visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/
To see other photohunt’s theme for natural go visit http://tnchick.com/
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29 comments:
Drammatiche foto !
Greetings Noel, What an amazing and disturbing sight. Your photographs are wonderful and have captured the drama of it all so beautifully. The black lava beaches are quite sinister in my eyes and yet there is also a mysterious beauty to it all.
Hawaii is proof that the the planet is changing all the time. Nothing is static.
Oh my, what a scary sight!
Sky Shots this week.
What amazing photos, and I'm grateful that you braved the vulcanism to get us those shots! How stunning.
Noel, those photos are very rare and beautiful. And scary too. Thanks for sharing the information. I am looking forward to your future posts.
Beautiful and terrible. Thanks for posting these photos and your words.
Wow! The force of Nature! Great post Noel! ;>)
The lava creates a stunning, if slightly sinister, landscape. Beautiful photos as ever. The Hawaiian tourist board should fund you, you certainly wet my appetite to visit!
Amazing. Noel, I have learned so much from your postings.
So dramatic and beautiful!
Stunning contrasting Colours of the sky, n some beautifully captured the moments! Lovely.
We walked out onto the lava fields some years ago. This is when the red lava glowed in the cracks literally below out feet. We haven't been able to get that close for some time now. What an awesome sight it was and your photos show another side of the "awesome" sight. Amazing!
It amazes me how cool the volcanoes there are, that any tree could survive contact with lava at all, let alone people live nearby. Certainly not like Mt. St. Helens.
My PhotoHunt is here.
The force of the Nature is amazing and this lavastream is just fascinating. Excellent Photos.
What amazing photos! A very cool look at a unique natural process. Thanks for sharing.
What amazing photos! A very cool look at a unique natural process. Thanks for sharing.
It is amazing how Mother Nature can be so beautiful and destructive at the same time. We hike the base of an active volcano in Costa Rica and I'll never forget the sound of the flowing lava.
What a fascinating process and such beautiful photographs. It is amazing how out of something destructive a new beach is born.
Aloha Noel, These are amazing photos, each and every one of them. I was there when the lava was shooting straight up into the sky, and took a helicopter ride out around the eruption. It was quite a site. I would love to see the new black sand beach!! Have a happy week end.
Sandra
Acappuccinoaday.blogspot.com
I visited the Big Island and its main volcano years ago. A truly unforgettable experience which left me in awe of volcanoes and wanting to visit others -- which I have since done so with the very different (sulphuric) Mount Aso in Japan. :)
Hi Noel. What fascinating images. Scary looking but also beautiful. It is hard to imagine something so hot that it melts rock for us who have never saw a volcano in action. The steam coming up from the water makes its own clouds.Does it have a smell to it? The black sand is so opposite of the white sands I have seen on vacations to Silver Springs Florida.
my gosh Noel, you live on the edge!
Wow, such dramatic contrasts... natural beauty mixed with utter destruction. Thanks for hiking and photographing for us.
We love Hawaii, the people, music, natural beauty and food. You're blessed to live there.
e-Mom @ Susannah's {Kitchen}
Scary sight yet so beautiful in photos. The thickened lava flows are also very dramatic. I've seen this also at the Kilauea area a long time ago. These destructions and creations are always part of the universe, and we are just a lint in it!
Aloha, Noel! Life in death and re-creation make for a fascinating post. One of these days, my husband and I will have to visit your state. We had kind of joked that it would be this year since I'm now 5-0 (like the show:), but a relative's wedding in another state claimed our vacation time and money. I can't say that I'm sorry we went, though. Take care and don't get too close to the lava.
Noel, this is really crazy, insane, interesting and amazing all at the same time! FANTASTIC post and photos!!! I've enjoyed your volcano/lava flow series!!!
How amazing, and a bit scary to think folks live near that. Thanks for showing us the beautiful photos, and telling us something not covered by the news.
I enjoyed scrolling down and seeing your other photos, too.
This was in the orchid section of the Botanical garden in Rio de Janeiro,but an orchid collector tells me this is not even an orchid.
orchid types
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