First real encounter with LAVA!

So, yesterday I had a really relaxing day waiting for Michael to come back with Mike so that we could hike to the lava tube the back way with Michael leading. Well, they didn’t get back until 4 and decided that there wasn’t going to be enough light or something and decided not to go. So, I said fuck’em and decided to go by myself. This is what this whole adventure is about anyway, independence, right? So, I figured out that I had to walk across the old lava flows following an old fishermans road and then I figured I had to follow the coast through the kipukato ( a patch of old growth forest surrounded by young lava flows) to the active  lava. Well, I was right and there were a bunch of paths already established.
I took a lot of pictures:
Here I am walking across the lava field:

A cool tree I saw. I think that it’s an an ohi’a tree, which are one of the first species to colonize lava flows. Can you tell that I’ve been reading through a plant identification pocket guide?


Here are a few of the rocky Puna coast:


And see that? It’s nothing but ocean forever…

So I walked along the coast which was incredible in itself and it the anticipation mounted quickly as the lava flowing into the ocean came into view..

It was just so incredible walking up, and then there was evidence of really fresh flows; burnt trunks and coconuts and a obvious color an texture differentiation:


And then as I got closer, it was honestly one of the most incredible things that I have ever seen…


And then I noticed to the right HOT LAVA!!! flowing from the ground. It was so cool, I am so happy that I can walk to this beautiful place from where I am living…


It started to get dark and I was a little bit nervous about walking back across the lava flows back to the house at night. Of course I had my trusty head lamp, but it’s sort of disorienting. When I got back to where the fishermans road was, I was trying to decide if I should head home or go to the Kalapana Cafe/Uncle Roberts(a bar owned by this cool local guy) which is just down the coast. I decided to try and go home and after walking in the dark for about an hour( a half hour longer then it takes to get back to the road to the farm), I ended up at the cafe/uncle roberts! I got something to eat and a big beer and then hung out for a little bit but ultimately decided to take the road back home, which was a good idea.
I forgot how fun night hiking is, and I’m really excited to go back to the lava and stay later. As I was walking back there was a hiking lava tour that passed me and I was debating turning back, but I had to remind myself that I am definitely coming back and next time I’ll hopefully have a better idea about how to get home.
It was so cool. here’s another one that really doesn’t give the lava justice. When it was getting really dark, the lava was just spewing out into the ocean and it looked so cool.
 
So cool.
Now, I’m off to the beach for the drum circle.