This is from my trip to the Big Island, Hawaii in 2017 to see the active volcano.
I was a tour guide in 2017 in Oahu, Hawaii, and I always talked about the active volcano on the Big Island. It was such an amazing opportunity to see hot lava. Where else can you walk and look for lava on the ground? Also the Kalapana area was the only place in the world where lava was meeting the ocean.
Honestly, I wasn't interested in seeing it, even though I was encouraging my guests to go. One day, I thought, "Maybe I should go; I might like it." I was only interested in photographing marine animals, so I wasn't interested much in seeing lava. But then I thought, "Hey, I'm a photographer; maybe I should go.".
Now, I am very glad I went there to witness birthing of the Earth and felt the unique energy of it.
In October, 2017, my first day of lava viewing occured. I walked about 6 miles into the lava field to look for hot lava, one good way to find red-hot lava (about 1800°F) on the ground. I started walking a few hours before dark, hopefully to find lava during the sunset. Walking in the lava field was easy, but some of the places lava cooled and settled were so sharp, if you fall, you would be injured very badly, but It wasn't hard to find active lava after the hike.
When I started taking photos, I couldn't move from that spot. The lava was flowing slowly, yet I needed to move back a few times. I was only a few feet away from molten lava and stayed there for about two hours. It was fascinating.
I was witnessing the amazing birthing of the Earth's. The next day, I went to view the lava from a boat, where I could see active lava flowing into the ocean—something that only happens in this one place on earth.
Once again, I chose to view the lava close to sunset, yet on a boat this time. which was the best way to see it. The powerful 1800°F/1000C lava flowed into the ocean, creating big plumes of steam. After the sea breeze cleared the steam, the lava appeared again. I wish I had better words to describe it, but it was one of the most amazing scenes I have ever witnessed.
It is hard to explain the feeling I had. It was a very powerful energy from the Earth. The molten lava was flowing nonstop from the cliff to the ocean. Pele was making her land bigger and bigger. Yes, Pele was making the Big Island bigger.
Unfortunately, after the big eruption in 2018, the lava in the Kalapana area completely stopped. I really hope Pele returns soon.
----------Legend claims that Pele herself journeyed on her canoe from the island of Tahiti to Hawaiʻi. When on her journey, it was said she tried to create her fires on different islands, but her sister, Nāmaka, was chasing her, wanting to put an end to her. In the end, the two sisters fought each other and Pele was killed. With this happening, her body was destroyed but her spirit lives in Halemaʻumaʻu on Kilauea.