Concern for Leilani Estates as lava moves eastward underground

[Moose]

 

[Moose]

 

[Dave-Vero]

Scott's articulate, if not working full time.  Hope the park can partially reopen.  While anthuriums proved tough at Leilani Estates (same with coqui frogs, with their presumably sensitive skins), the ones on display at the lush Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden west of Hilo didn't seem entirely happy.  Maybe they'd been replanted recently.  They can certainly be impressive horticultural plants.   

[WestCoastGal]

Great photos @Dave-Vero! Been enjoying seeing what you post. Thanks for sharing. So were the gray chunks in the channel huge lavabergs? If so could you tell how high above the surface they were? 

While your trip timing ended up being at this lull period, so probably not as exciting as seeing flowing fresh lava, still very interesting to see this part if it. And looks like you've had a lot of great clear days minus the bad air quality. I've seen gorgeous sunrise and sunset photos people are now able to post on social media and they remind me of the time we were there--back when Halema'uma'u was a circular lava lake pit and Pu'u O'o had a lava lake and was steaming. Wish we could make a trip over now to see the massive changes.  Have you been to the area before all this occured?

[WestCoastGal]

1 hour ago, Moose said:

 

Having been to HVNP, I found this video to be really interesting. Thanks for posting @Moose. Also loved the clip from July 5 they inserted about 1:12 or so in of the patio deck separating and coming back together during one of the earthquakes. I know Scott's neighbor who is also a HVNP tour guide said that there were tour guides leading tours inside Thurston Lava Tube when the M6.9 hit the Island. I didn't hear of anyone being hurt so assumed it was pretty much fine. Now wondering what the assessment will show when they get around to that part of the park. Such a fascinating place to spend hours walking around. Too bad it was closed @Dave-Vero so you couldn't get a chance to see it this trip.

[WestCoastGal]

Live Video right now onboard the Nautilus off the ocean entry while they collect their equipment. Rainy day. You can take it off "Live" at the moment and scroll back to see more of the coastline as they sailed by.

https://www.nautiluslive.org/live/channel-2

Dane DuPont had mentioned seeing Kapoho Crater at one point on fb Hawaii Tracker. I was able to scrub back and get this view of it.

and here's the YouTube video from it. 

 

Prior to the video from the coastline was the mapping detail shown below. 

 

And yes it's raining at F8 as well. First time noticing puddling of water on the roads by the Y.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Ken Boyer, photographer, had been invited to the HVNP photographer tour that was shown in a video above from Big Island News Now. Thought people would enjoy seeing his photos. Ken also annotated his photos so you know where they were taken. Thanks Ken!  ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2078369398862804&set=pcb.2078409175525493&type=3&theater&ifg=1 )

 

[WestCoastGal]

Friday late afternoon HUB update with Ikaika and Philip.  ( https://www.facebook.com/ikaika.marzo/videos/1942601009125759/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDY5NjY4MTI5ODY1Njcx/ )

 

[Moose]

1 hour ago, WestCoastGal said:

Friday late afternoon HUB update with Ikaika and Philip.  ( https://www.facebook.com/ikaika.marzo/videos/1942601009125759/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDY5NjY4MTI5ODY1Njcx/ )

 

 

[Moose]

1 hour ago, WestCoastGal said:

 

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

@Dave-Vero don't know how long you are still on the BI but if you want to venture through a lava tube (with HVNP's closed and Thurston Tubes a no-go), I saw a lady post her video back in April of when she toured the Kula Kai Caverns (lava tubes) which are located halfway between Kailua-Kona and HVNP. I believe these are still open (at least the website seems to indicate that) since they are outside of HVNP -- an hour drive from Volcano. Check out their Excursion options. Very cool.

http://www.kulakaicaverns.com

So these are located near South Point in Ocean View. Would these be tubes created by Mauna Loa then? If you do a google search for Kula Kai Caverns and check out the Images, you'll get a good idea of what you can experience. A neat map of the system: http://www.cavegraphics.com/KulaKai%20Map%20Page.html  and  http://www.cavegraphics.com/KulaKaiMap.html

Only wonder what it looks if mapped out in 3D for the LERZ area near Leilani Estates what with the 1955 and 1960 flows and much older flows. Just looking at the photos of Kula Kai Caverns posted on TripAdvisor you can see how lava flows in the tubes can get slowed down with "rock" debris. 

I saw this map of the tube caves on the BI and yes Kula Kai would be from past eruptions from Mauna Loa. Had no idea there were so many you might be able to visit.  http://www.cavegraphics.com/HawaiiGeoMap.html  It's part of the Kipuka Kanohina Cave system, an upper part, whereas other parts of the system go well below the 200 ft of the Kula Kai Caverns and down to 800 ft. according to this map. http://www.cavegraphics.com/Kanohina3dMap.html  I knew there were tubes probably running everywhere but never knew all this existed in a mapped out format. 

Found this site that reviews a few of the caves on the BI. Looks like a great resource in chosing your experience. So wish I knew about this years ago. https://alohawithlove.com/kaumana-caves/

[Dave-Vero]

I arrived in Florida Friday.  I've seen lava caves in the Modoc Lava Beds, so they weren't a priority.  Pretty amazing, though.  

 

[Moose]

21 hours ago, WestCoastGal said:

 

 

 

[Moose]

Bill in Montainview (Upper Puna)

[Moose]

 

[WestCoastGal]

wrist brace on so probably not on for a bit, carry on!

[Moose]

3 minutes ago, WestCoastGal said:

wrist brace on so probably not on for a bit, carry on!

Ouch, take care of it.

[CB Lisa]

3 hours ago, Moose said:

Ouch, take care of it.

Uh oh. Injury or over use?! Sure hope it feels better soon!!! 

[WestCoastGal]

Thanks guys. over use I guess with it being at a angle that I guess inflamed it. Hope it's not on long. Hot and not easy to get use to sleeping with it but hopefully gives it a chance to recuperate. Felt it coming on for a day or two and should have just reduced typing and things that I felt it not liking right then. oh well. kind of slow one handed more or less now doing things so just resigning myself to staying off computer typing for a few days. I'll try to be happy just reading. 

So one last thing I'll report that should make people in LE happy. from fb Hawaii Tracker group.

----

ERZ4 has been pretty quiet to no movement when I've looked in on it last few days. Just pulled it up and saw this though. Could this be from maybe heavy equipment moving in area? Looking for what could be other sources.

 

[CB Lisa]

I’m getting the feeling it may be  VERY hard for you to give that wrist a break, Debbie! 

I’m so glad to hear that many people in Leilani may be seeing an end to much of the upheaval in their lives and a return to at least some sense of normalcy. Hoping for all out there in Puna that the ‘lull’ in activity is a permanent one! 

And actually, speaking of lull, what better time to give that wrist a rest! You’ve done such an outstanding job reporting for so long, Debbie...you deserve a break!  

Thanks, Moose, for your continued contributions, too! 

[Dave-Vero]

Here's my little helicopter tour photo album. 

[Dave-Vero]

I've been lucky to never have had wrist problems, though the latter days of writing documents long-hand to be submitted for word processing (!) were difficult due to writer's cramp.  I learned (or re-learned) to use fountain pens, notably a Pelikan, that were vastly smoother than ball point or pencil.  

[Moose]

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Moose

[Moose]

Hmmm .....

 

[Moose]

 

[Moose]

 

[Gonzer]

5 hours ago, Dave-Vero said:

I've been lucky to never have had wrist problems, though the latter days of writing documents long-hand to be submitted for word processing (!) were difficult due to writer's cramp.  I learned (or re-learned) to use fountain pens, notably a Pelikan, that were vastly smoother than ball point or pencil.  

Just a momentary piece of levity...I miss the good ol' Catholic school days when many a uniform shirt was ruined by the ink cartridge in my fountain pen leaking all over. "Cursive writing forever!"

[Dave-Vero]

Oh, yes.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Sneaking in for a brief time to post about Ikaika, Philip and John's HUB talk. There was glow and spatter observed inside F8 today so they discussed that. Nothing to be too concerned about at this point but just letting people know the realization of it. They also discussed the hurricane approaching Hawaii. I was watching the seismograph recordings on and off today for ERZ4 monitor down by Kapoho Crater and saw some M1 and a few M2 readings when I looked in. Gas, lava, unknown but still something to be aware of.  Also saw some movement in the SE Crater Rim area during this time when typically it's been a near straight line. BTW Philip and John will be doing another talk a bit later today.

 

 

HUB chat ( https://www.facebook.com/ikaika.marzo/videos/1947750115277515/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDczMDUwMDEyODYwODE2/ )

 

[WestCoastGal]

Also worth posting so people stay alert while we are in this pause period, saw LE Dallas Koons post this just a couple of hours ago on fb Hawaii Tracker.

[WestCoastGal]

And here's the second HUB talk, just finished up live -- with Philip and John ( https://www.facebook.com/phil.hawaii/videos/10215969087082053/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDczMDc5ODI5NTI0NTAx/ )

 

[Dave-Vero]

USGS, like the Park Service, is no doubt under severe financial stress (and probably can't hire people), so its performance through the LERZ event has been impressive.  Next such event, there might not be a USGS.  

 

[Moose]

13 hours ago, WestCoastGal said:

 And here's the second HUB talk, just finished up live -- with Philip and John ( https://www.facebook.com/phil.hawaii/videos/10215969087082053/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDczMDc5ODI5NTI0NTAx/ )

 

Good to see you posting Debbie. Hope the anti inflammatory meds are working.

[Moose]

8 hours ago, Dave-Vero said:

USGS, like the Park Service, is no doubt under severe financial stress (and probably can't hire people), so its performance through the LERZ event has been impressive.  Next such event, there might not be a USGS.  

 

The USGS is a big group of scientists scattered all around the Country. When events happen, they rotate them to where they need to be. Like the national hurricane center, I don't think they are so confined from financial stress. When an active Hurricane season is on us, they don't stop sending the recon planes because they ran out of money.

The National Park Service is a different animal, gate receipts goes towards staffing and infrastructure projects. With this being a very visited National Park, no gate receipts for over 3 months has got to hurt. Maybe they put off projects at Yellowstone and move funds to VNP?

[Dave-Vero]

The National Weather Service has suffered serious budget and personnel cuts and it's possible  that they'll be forced to shut local offices and stop issuing "retail" forecasts other than warnings.  Hurricane forecasting may have been spared, but I wouldn't count on it.  In recent years, the Europeans have had the best computer models.   There's a remarkable lack of national political interest in tsunami and earthquake warnings (the short-term kind that depend on radio waves being faster than earthquake or water waves).

Anyway, it's good to see the relative calm at Kilauea continuing.  The volcano is unlikely to ever be entirely quiet, and the new layout of the summit suggests violent explosions as a possibility, but calm is good.  It was instructive to drive across some of the huge Mauna Loa lava flows.  

[Moose]

 

[Moose]

 

[Moose]

 

[Moose]

 

[Moose]