We Stepped Into a Burning Ring of Fire...

In 1959, Kilauea Iki erupted to form a large lake of fire.  Today, four teachers from Zachary, Louisiana walked across that lake...

This morning we were eager to begin our TEOK journey with Dr. Blay and our crew.  After piling into our van, we were off to the Volcano National Park to discover what it's like to walk along the path of cooled lava.  Our adventure began with an informative video on the creation of the Hawaii islands, the island's first inhabitants, and the species that have evolved along the beautiful archipelago.  Shortly after the film, our team listened to a lecture given by Dr. Blay, explaining more about Kilauea, the volcano we would soon be conquering.

Our first stop was Pele's (the goddess of fire) home, the Halema 'uma'u Crater.  This site is one of Kilauea's most recognizable forms. Approaching the volcano's crater, we could see large clouds of steam emerging from the bottom and also heard a faint noise that almost sounded like a muffled jet.  We quickly found out that the strange sounds were the result of hot magma beneath the earth's crust heating and causing rocks to fall within the crater!  The ranger told our group that this is not common, so we were witnessing history!

Following the visit to the crater, our TEOK group took some time to look inside of the museum where we observed many lava rocks and seismographs.  We even saw a sample of the green sand from the infamous green sand beach.  Hopefully we will encounter the actual beach on Thursday!

Backpacks packed with water, sunscreen, flashlights, and of course, Leo, we prepared ourselves for a three hour hike across the Kilauea volcano.  Dr. Blay was quick to point out that the hike would be 200 meters down the volcano, about a mile across the crater, and 400 meters back uphill, since the volcano is slanted due to earlier weathering conditions.  On the first leg of the hike, we observed the Fiddlehead Fern, a plant native to Hawaii, as well as amazing views of the Kilauea Iki crater.  We stood at the top of the mountain, watching people who looked as tiny as ants, walk across the crater.  Our excitement was hardly contained as we realized we would soon be treading upon the igneous rocks formed by the 1959 Kilauea Iki eruptions!

There are no words to describe the wonders of the volcanic crater.  As we left our footprints on the rocks, we couldn't help but imagine what the flowing lava would have looked like during the eruption.  It was amazing to see how plants not only emerged from the lava, but flourished.  We even got to taste the berries from Ohelo shrubs inside of the crater!

We agreed that our favorite part of our excursion was the discovery of the two different types of lavas:  Pahoehoe and 'A'a lavas.  Both types of lava were evident throughout our hike, and it was amazing to see the similarities as well as the noticable differences.  "Pahoehoe" means silky, shiny, or smooth whereas "'a'a means rough or stony.  The properties of these lavas determine the ease with which a lava flow moves.  We were able to see that when a lot of lava is being discharged at once, 'a'a flows tend to form.  If the rate of effusion is low, a pahoehoe flow is likely to develop.  We were not only fascinated by the different lava types, but we also enjoyed playing and climbing within the hardened lava!

The last leg of our hike was the 400 meter uphill climb.  There were a few moments where we weren't sure if we were going to make it, but we came, we saw, we conquered!  After a few sips of water, we were able to go inside of a the Thurston Lava Tube!  Lava tubes are large tubes formed by molten lava flowing downslope.  Through it was dark, damp, and eerie, it was exciting walking through a path where hot lava once flowed!

After leaving the park, we took the scenic route back to Hilo, making sure to make a very important stop.  We were actually able to see a dried lava flow that began at the top of a volcano and flowed into the Pacific ocean.  It was the most miraculous thing we have seen on our journey so far, and it was a perfect end to an amazing day.

Of course, after we returned to our hotel, we were STARVING.  Trying to be adventurous, we walked over to Jimmy's Drive-In, which is known for it's Hawaiin food.  The locals all recommend this restaurant and rave about the food.  Well...when in Hilo, don't do ALL things Hilo...

-Team Geology