I took a drive today to the lava flows here on Maui. As you drive out further into the lava flow, it becomes very desolate and quiet. I was looking to see if I could figure out where the vent was that the lava had originated from. I came to an area where the lava flow must have been at least 5 to 6 feet tall, and there it was!
The photo below is the side vent that released most of the lava in this eruption. The bottom of the photo is where they cut a one lane road through the lava rock to allow you to pass through the entire flow area. It is amazing to see in person.
Here is another picture of the vent up close. If you look off to the left hand side of the photograph, you will see another side vent.
The picture below is another side vent that was higher up the mountain.
As you continue to drive through the flows, you come to the ocean where the lava continued into the water.
When I looked up the hill even further, I noticed that many of the homes that had covered the hillside were still there. The lava would take out one house and completely miss another. The city here is deserted and the roads that use to lead up the hill to the city is covered by lava. If you take a look at the hillside up top, you can see some of the homes that are still standing.
The eruption took place many years ago and the vegetation is growing back in now. If you look at the picture below, notice the clumps of trees that are different sizes. The tallest trees are all that is left from the mountain before the eruption took out the town. I find it amazing how the lava will take out one house and skip another. Mother nature just keeps us guessing!
I am home schooling one of my boys and we just did a big project on volcanoes. Having just studied volcanic eruptions with my son, I found this quite interesting to see in person. I hope to bring my boys here with me next year so they too can see this amazing act of Mother Nature in person.
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