Kīlauea Update, Saturday, 081818. Weʻre All Learning (mahalo to gh and to Joni Mitchell)...

Indeed, indeed...if we pay attention, there is always more to learn.  A critical piece of learning is reviewing histories, then adjusting and adapting to new circumstance.

I was heartened to read in the paper that the Superintendent of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Cindy Orlando, is contemplating a "Reset" of management policies, to in part, alleviate congestion in the Park.  I wrote her saying that I believe that the focus of Interpretation, explaining Park resources to visitors must be Reset too, placing Native Hawaiian culture at the forefront.  

Pelehonuamea has entirely remodeled Kaluapele (the caldera) in stupefying ways.  It stands on a pedestal all its own, and is not at all comparable to any other place on earth.  We must celebrate the uniqueness of what for many is our ʻāina aloha.  Perhaps, at last, all can begin to appreciate the wonders of this place from the perspectives of those whose families have dwelt here for centuries.

Too, Iʻm contemplating a Reset of my own.  Not too much of one, though.  No panic...

This blog thing began because of my frustrations with media coverage at the beginning of The Recent Events.  MC and CM provided the kickstart, and to them Iʻm eternally grateful.  Poor, inaccurate, sensationalistic, sometimes false information, presented by those clueless about this place, inspired me to get off my ʻōkole (or more properly, ʻēlemu) and do something rather than just namunamu (to grumble or to complain).  And itʻs gone on and on and on...This is #95.  Who woulda thought???  

These were started mostly in pre-dawn darkness, because Iʻm a morning person, and more simply because webcams, especially the now-dead PGcam, allowed us to see what Pele was up to at Puna ma kai.  And the summit cams provided sunrise and other views of places otherwise inaccessible.  And with all the ʻōlaʻi, real and anticipated, I was often awake at 330a.  The average blog takes maybe three hours to assemble.  I think the longest took six hours.  No real outline, just a few notes or phrases, then I root around in computer files and the www for additional inspirations.  A gigantic MAHALO to the folks at the United States Geological Surveyʻs Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (USGS HVO) for their photos, graphs, and other images.  All I did was curate and present them in ways that made sense to me, hoping that theyʻd make sense to you too.

Is there a point, Robert?

Yes.  Though I am well aware of the fact that Pele may, at any time, redirect her energies, while we wonder, I donʻt see the need to write daily and compulsively.  There are other projects requiring my energies.  So Iʻll post, likely several times a week; however many times Iʻm inspired to do so.  And there will likely be Topics (thanks lr).  Topics related to things other than those volcanic.  Plants, place names, pet peeves, those you suggest, what-la, and those quotidian observations I enjoy so much.  [An author, pen-named Trevanian, wrote a number of novels, including favorites "Shibumi" and "Summer of Katya".  He always found a way to use "quotidian" in them].

Moving along...

Yesterday, brilliant blue sky and crisp white clouds...just a tiny bit of exhalation...This from near Volcano House, by HVO staff...

And the Tilt...here at the Summit,

 and there at the Middle East Rift Zone.  Both trending downward.  Portending????

While at the shore, pele is still oozing.  Right now up here, the air reeks of what I think might be hydrogen sulfide.  REALLY rotten eggs.  Itʻs raining, and winds are slack or from the east a bit.  Water + Sulphur = Hauna!!! and a headache.

Remember that the kahawai pele is 8 miles long.  Rock is a really good insulator, so though the surface of the flows are crusted and appear cool, the tens of feet of pele below the surface is still very hot, and obviously molten in places, at least as of yesterday.

At Pohoiki, also yesterday,

I wonder...how much of that bay will be black sand beach?  And for how long?  Looking vaguely Kaimū-ish with all those kumu niu (coconut trees).  Sure hope they arenʻt dead.  So very many kumu niu from Puna ma kai were dug up and trucked to resorts to beautify and tropicalize the lavalands on the west side...and of course now the trees there are all nutless to avoid lawsuits from Death and/or Injury By Falling Coconut.  Auē!

And this rain, harder now, is an excellent, excellent thing, helping to finally extinguish the 3,739 acres burned during the Keauhou Fire.

Keauhou Fire info

Why not end today with a few haiku from the morning walk at the Golf Course?

heady scented airs

eastside fullblooming gingers

memories recalled

doves wings driving winds

feast on lawn interrupted

surprising the breeze

swelling of slope clear

distinctly outlined features

now as it was then

OK?  Till next time, as always, with aloha,

BobbyC

maniniowali@gmail.com