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Lehua at Kilauea Caldera
Posted: April 14, 2008
When I planned my hiking agenda on the Big Island, I put Kilauea Caldera on the top of my list to see the hot plume of volcanic gases spewing from Halemaumau Crater at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
This latest eruption at Kilauea started as a gas explosion on March 18, 2008 that rained rocks over a 75-acre area. A vent was blown-open at Halemaumau Crater which has subsequently ejected thousands of tons of ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
Since the trail that leads across the floor of Kilauea Caldera into Halemaumau Crater was closed to prevent visitors from getting too close to the toxic gases, I went along the rim of the caldera along the Iliahi and Sulfur Bank Trails. As I made my way up towards the caldera rim a large white-gray plume of smoke and ash loomed high overhead.
When I got to the edge of the caldera I was amazed! Just half-a-mile away, hot smoldering hot gases spewed violently from Halemaumau Crater! Since the wind blew the towering column of smoke and ash in the opposite direction, the toxic gases posed no threat to me. I was just awed to see volcanic gases errupting from Halemaumau Crater – the traditional home of Pele, goddess of volcanoes.
Lehua flowers were in bloom all along the rim of Kilauea Caldera. Ohia lehua is well adapted to the volcano. They can grow without soil directly on lava rocks and are among the first plants to colonize a barren lava flow. Tiny ohia seeds are blown by the wind into rock cracks where moisture collects. They germinate and thrive in rugged volcanic conditions where other plants cannot.
Ohia lehua is also able to tolerate sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano that kills other plants. I was pleased to see many red lehua flowers pay homage to Pele along the rim of Kilauea Caldera as she ejected plumes of volcanic gases high into the air.
Wow, great photos. I just might have to order one or two.
Glad you like the photos. It was the first time I saw such a volume of volcanic gases being ejected from Halemaumau. I was awestruck when I saw it. I was also thrilled to see so many lehua flowers in bloom along the rim when I was there.