VIDEO: Lava Nears Pohoiki Boat Ramp

Videographer Mick Kalber released this video of an overflight of the East Rift Zone he took with Paradise Helicopters on Monday, July 23, 2018.

Kalber stated:

Even before I got this posted today, Ikaika [Marzo] reported that lava is in the parking lot at Pohoiki and about 50 yards from the boat ramp! Bruce [Omori] and I are working on a flight in the morning, hopefully we can update you tomorrow. In the meantime, this is what it looked like this morning.

Variable winds made for difficult access and documentation of the Leilani Fissure eruption this morning. We were able to check out Pohoiki though [and] it remains much the same, but with an even larger sand bar stretched across what is left of “Bowls.”

The plume from the ocean entry near Ahalanui obscured the flow looming over Pohoiki to the northeast., but we were able to see active lava burning a forested area above the flow front.

We’ll check on Wednesday the progress of flows nearby the treasured surf spot/boat ramp.

Numerous breakouts continue just west of Kapoho Crater, the scene of many overflows in recent weeks.

Lava headed toward the cinder pits stalled out lifting the specter from Wa‘a Wa‘a.

We accessed the vent from the south, as winds blew gases mostly to the north—waves of lava continue effusing from the vent, sending hot liquid rock into the channel below, past the houses nearby, eight miles down the channels to the ocean entries.

When the hot lava interacts 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.