VIDEO: Lava Spares Pohoiki for Now

Videographer Mick Kalber released this video of an overflight of the East Rift Zone he took with Paradise Helicopters on Sunday, July 22, 2018.

Kalber stated:

Pele [volcano goddess] continues to keep her distance from Pohoiki, at least for now, but the huge flow atop the previous one that took Ahalanui has made it’s way to the ocean, and moved only somewhat south toward the bay.

The flow can clearly be seen looming over Pohoiki to the northeast. She [Pele] has, however, sent a very large sand bar across the front of what’s left of “Bowls” [surf spot].

We’ll see tomorrow which way she goes.

Numerous breakouts continue just west of Kapoho Crater, the scene of many overflows in recent weeks. A flow this morning was headed toward the cinder pits, but may have stalled out, again we’ll see in the morning.

Another breach was noted near the “Y” in the road—lava was high in the channel there—the small overflow staying on the apron of previously erupted lava.

Waves of lava continue coursing out of the vent, sending hot liquid rock into the channel below, which feeds the ocean entries.

When the hot lava interacted with the cold seawater, it flashes into steam, sometimes causing explosions that can send hot rock several hundred feet into the air.

Numerous ocean entries were noted this morning along the two mile stretch from Kapoho to Pohoiki, we even documented a whirlwind forming just offshore, it’s formation incomplete before it dissipated.