Hawaii accommodation for volcanic adventure!
May 17th, 2008
Scientists are also keeping an eye on Mauna Loa, which has been swelling since its last eruption in 1983. If there’s a new eruption, there could be a fast-moving flow down the southwest side of the island, possibly into South Kona or Kau. Hawaii accommodation puts you right on the scene of the action; with luck, the volcano will still be streaming rivers of red lava when you visit the park, but a continuous eruption of this length (more than 2 decades) is setting new ground, so to speak. Kilauea continues to perplex volcanologists because most major eruptions in the past have ended abruptly after only several months. But neither Mother Nature nor Madame Pele (the volcano goddess) runs on a schedule. The volcano could be shooting fountains of lava hundreds of feet into the air on the day you arrive, or it could be completely quiet — there are no guarantees. On many days, the lava flows right by accessible roads, and you can get as close as the heat will allow; sometimes, however, the flow is in underground tubes where you can’t see it, or miles away from the nearest access point, visible only in the distance. Always ask the park rangers for advice before you set out on any lava-viewing expeditions.
Volcano Vocabulary — The volcano has its own unique, poetic vocabulary that describes in Hawaiian what cannot be said so well in English. The lava that looks like swirls of chocolate cake frosting is called pahoehoe (pa-hoy-hoy); it results from a fast-moving flow that curls artistically as it moves. The big, blocky, jumbled lava that looks like a chopped-up parking lot is called aa (ah-ah); it’s caused by lava that moves slowly, pulling apart as it overruns itself. Access Points from your Hawaii accommodation — Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is 29 miles from Hilo, on Hawaii Belt Road (Hwy. 11). If you’re staying in Kailua-Kona, it’s 100 miles, or about a 2 1/2-hour drive, to the park. At press time, admission was still $10 per vehicle, but the park was proposing to double that to $20 per car in 2008; once you pay the fee, you can come and go as often as you want for 7 days. Hikers and bicyclists pay $5; bikes are allowed only on roads and paved trails.