Best way to view Kilauea lava?
 

We'll be going to the big island in November. We've visited Volcano National Park before and seen many of the sights there. This time we'd like to see the lava flow of Kilauea up close, where it enters the ocean. We were thinking of taking a boat trip either at sunset or sunrise to view the lava. Does anyone have any recommendations about the best time (sunset or sunrise) or any specific boat operators they have used? We will be staying in the Kapoho area south of Hilo for a few days. Also, if anyone has hiked to see the lava, that is an option also, and any suggestions on how to best do that would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bumpmaster, I happen to think that a boat ride to the lava is a very dangerous trip. The reason why the park and the local government stop people from going closer than .5 miles is called bench collapse. A few hundred to a few thousand acres of land side into the sea. Bench collapse happens a few times a year. This newly created land is very unstable and when it collapse, you get a mini tidal wave. If you review the USGA website they talk about the danger of a collapse.

Next, the combination of the lava and water releases some really nasty gas, read toxic, so this is what you are breathing.

Then, nobody can predict what is coming through the tube, there have been some explosive fountain events at the shoreline.

Finally, the owners of these trips seem to pride themselves on going close to the lava all the while saying how safe it is. But to take the trip you must sign a waiver and release. This means if the captain is negligent and you are injured, you have no legal recourse. I learned long ago to keep away from this type of business.

I have also heard that many of these tours are not properly licensed. So buyer beware.

It's you life, it's you choice.

wbpiii -- Thanks for the advice. What's your thoughts on the wisdom of taking the hiking trail that gets you a view? I don't know how close to the lava the trail takes you, but I know the trail starts from quite a ways away. I'm assuming it's safer since you can stop anywhere and view the lava from a distance. Cheaper, too.

bumpmaster, I have read many accounts praising the views from the Kalapana side hike. I have also seem some great pictures of occassional amall explosive events, really special stuff. If you go at dusk it could be an excellent adventure.

It might not be as good as it was five years ago when you could walk up to toes of lava but Pele has changed directions and the powers that be feel, at this location, it is safer to keep people further back from the flow.

Bill

My nephew is doing this boat thing; seems to think it's quite safe...and is doing sunrise; he has places to be later in the day:)
Now I'm wondering if it might be safer than walking out to the flow?!
Has anyone done the boat, or the hike, recently?

Sylvia, why does he think it's quite safe? Has he read the USGA warnings or is it because he is young and area hasn't killed any sailor yet?

Years ago I hiked across the lava flows and although I am glad I did it and survived- I now look back at the folly of that event. If you stopped walking, your feet would get hot from the heat of the lava below the crust , and we could see in some places the glow of hot lava under our feet- maybe we were in a place we weren't supposed to be- I dont' know- but it does seem like we were walking across areas that could have broken through We could see streams of lava flowing into the ocean and big sprays of steam coming up when it hit.

I have also flown over at night - which was spectacular-

I'm no expert on this at all, but one thing jumps out at me here:

"This means if the captain is negligent and you are injured, you have no legal recourse. I learned long ago to keep away from this type of business."

So in other words, never parasail, sky dive, scuba, bungy jump, zipline, ride a horse, or do any of the many other adventure activities there are. All of them require releases. I guess you can still take a bus and view an attraction from afar.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a clue how "safe" or "unsafe" this is, but thousands of activities require such releases.

wbpii:
Nephew and wife are doing this "instead" of a helicopter ride (over the volcano(?)); seems that there are several established outfits that do it (suppose that's why they think it's safe, but I haven't really discussed it). The U.S. Geological Survey website for Kilauea seems to indicate that hiking to view the lava is ok, too. (But ON a recent/new flow? That's extreme; are people actually allowed to do that? Sunbum, "seeing the glow of lava" under my feet would make me levitate!)

Neo it all depends on the risk, the consequesence that the risk generates and the skill that is required to manage risk. Im most of your activities the harm and risk of harm is slight, but not all of them.

Some examples I know:

women mid fifties goes to a cave for tour. She has no belay experience. Operator shows her how to handle the belay but tell her that as a failsafe, if she has problems there is an employee at the bottom to handle the saferope. Well women freaks so does handle the rope properly and there was nobody at the other end as he walked away from the safety rope. Guess what, women fall 40 feet break back, legs, arm and blows multiple discs. No liabilty becasue of release.

Example, snowboard course, accomplished snowboard signs release and is admitted to manufactured course. The course is designed improperly, boarder become paralyzed. No liability

Now you have release in both but one was a novice other had some control over his or her life. One had control over the skill needed, one didn't. If I going to sign a release, I like to be the one in control, because I know the risks.

It's your life, I am certainly not telling you how to live it, merely that you have to appreciate the risks.

Sylvia, you can hike on new lava about two hours after
it flows. When the flow was in the park, the rangers would let you walk to within a foot as long as it was away from the coast and it was not moving very fast.

"Sylvia, you can hike on new lava about two hours after
it flows. When the flow was in the park, the rangers would let you walk to within a foot as long as it was away from the coast and it was not moving very fast."

But there have been episodes of people falling through to their fiery deaths:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/ln03a.html

We took the Blue Hawaiian heli tour & saw directly down into the vent.

Here is another website that may interest you:
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/images.html

Thanks for the links. I've been up to the crater before and after the H-vent activity increased, but never to the ocean-entry area. Don't know that I'd want to hike out there, myself, after reading about the various bench collapses.

Olesouth, absolutely correct, but there have been people who have fallen through old lava to their death. Is it the amount of time of cooling or the thickness of the lava that is the relevant factor?

Excuse me olesouth, the article is about bench collapse, I thought sylvia was talking about walking on lava which I interpreted as new lava away from the coast, since the park rangers always have kept people away from the bench area. The people who have died were those who ignored the yellow tape, IMO

I have flown over the volcano in a helicopter twice. The first time with Blue Hawaiian on the whole island trip, the second on a shorter jaunt out of Hilo which was basically just over the volcano and much less expensive. I can't remember the helicopter operator (Safari? Tropical?) but it was under $100 at the time and it's just amazing to look into the volcano.

Our Blue Hawaiian trip was out of Hilo & was primarily the volcano.
After I posted, I expected you to come back with the fact that the heli's crash & burn too, so I guess you just have to make your own, informed decision.

:)

Did you have to sign a release with blue hawaiian?

I really don't recall - but would expect so.
Here is a link to their site - with a toll free # if you care to call or send an inquiry on line:
http://www.bluehawaiian.com/bigislan...ircle_of_fire/