Tubes and Craters and Cones -- OH MY!!

Real place, real people, but photoshoped artistry

The District of Puna (where we live on the Big Island) is riddled with volcanic features and activity. If you are a regular blog follower, you’ve already read several entries about Kilauea’s Pu’u O’o vent, flowing continuously for over 30 years. But flowing lava is just part of the volcanic story. ("click" on any image for bigger view.)

For example, the entire district has massive, hollow, miles-long lava tubes running underground. Access to these happens when a layer collapses forming a puka (hole) in the surface. They may be great for spelunkers but are not so great for stray pets…some return, but some never find their way back home. Our friends across the street had a puka so large they had to put a chain link fence around it to keep their dogs safe!

Map shows our house and our two friends houses (notice Geothermal Plant -- on the edge of another big crater

A recent Easter Party with friends prompted this blog entry and a little talk-story about craters within walking distance from us. Although there are many such, we are talking about three that are about 2-3 miles from our house in Leilani Estates Subdivision. Our friends live about a mile due east from us where the yard in front of their house features a currently operating steam vent. We joke that at least they have the option of building a sweat lodge or a unit that will produce poached eggs. If you look at the map you can see there are craters directly behind them.

Google Earth closer up - our house on left - friends' houses closer to craters

Another friend, another mile east, actually built his house on the edge of a crater. We have visited his house and walked along the edge of this crater, which at its widest is about 100 m. Scientists believe that this crater, called Pu`ulena Crater (Yellow Hill,) was formed by the collapse of a series of three smaller pit craters with steam-driven explosive eruptions that blanketed the area with rock debris as thick as 20 m.

As the two craters on either end of Pu’ulena are Kahuwai (Water Master) and Pawai (Water Container) it is further thought that an explosive eruption probably took place when ascending magma encountered perched groundwater or a hydrothermal reservoir. After this event the ground may have collapsed due to the subsequent withdrawal of magma forming what is now an elongated crater. This explosive activity occurred 450-700 years ago. (Above info gleaned from variety of sources including: USGS, Hawaii Dept of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Volcano HVO Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Google Earth.

New Year's PUPPY POLITICS???!!!

We have friends celebrating their New Year with a new member of the family -- but most are grandchildren. We are celebrating TWO new family members!

One is our new solar system (by SOLAR-SAINT mentioned at length a couple blog entries ago on DEC 11th.)  We are proud to participate in the Hawaii's Big Island solar/energy plans (wind, sea, solar and geothermal) toward energy independence.

And while that is exciting news....

NOTHING COMPARES WITH A PUPPY!!

So, we are beginning our year as GREAT grandparents. Our oldest corgi is Reba. Reba's 2-year old daughter, I'i Lani has a puppy named TASHA (thus, making us "great grandparents, see?) Today TASHA is five weeks old and well on her way to solid food (for which her mom is really grateful). Here she is sharing her morning breakfast (and later a nap) with her best pal...a stuffed toy Phil received.

New Year POLITICS !!

Well, now that there are FOUR girls in the household, Phil and Poko had their Boy Party's "convention" and have decided to become "Super Delegates."  Essentially they now have TWO votes each which they think will create a better balance for voting when it comes time for important decisions.   (HA!)

Rethinking Reality

We have been re-thinking a few things lately, particularly in view of our recent hurricane and current Lava Event.  Seems like disasters of any kind, no matter their “package” force us to rethink our reality  For many years the residents of Puna have had the common sense to realize that having only ONE road into and out of lower Puna was not enough – especially in a disaster; there are simply too many lives at risk.  Another example is the infrastructure of our power grid including the geothermal plant (less than 5 miles from our home) that could be providing power more directly to its immediate neighbors.

It seems that for decades these issues have not been seriously addressed at a governmental level.  As frequently happens, the common sense ideas seem to get lost in the bureaucratic process of government.  In the wake of hurricane Iselle and the new lava flow from Pu’u O’o, many of these issues are being readdressed.  Roads are being created where there were none; power grids are being viewed anew so that thousands of people would not be stranded without power. 

Similarly, many people are being presented with opportunities to examine their own participation and responsibility.  In an area often faced with power outages, investing in a generator becomes a higher priority.  Planting gardens, rather than a pleasant pastime becomes a viable source of food in an emergency.  And neighbors reaching out to neighbors are building better communities. 

Any challenge can be viewed from a variety of perspective that we choose. No one likes a disaster, but being new to this island way of life, we have been very impressed with the aloha spirit as demonstrated on our block, in our neighborhood – and in the pro-active responses by our county leaders, civil defense teams and many volunteer agencies and groups  ALOHA is alive and well in PUNA on the Big Island.  MAHALO