LAVATOURS.COM

Aloha Friends ! Featured here is a very special tour that has gotten rave reviews, and has become my most popular excursion. This is all off the beaten path, away from all big bus motor coach tour stops, crowds, and tourist traps, and takes in all ... volcanic features that people wish to see and experience, and more. This is in the most beautiful part of The Big Island and the place where we live and love, and are certain you will too! This special excursion starts with morning or afternoon pick up time,( time is flexible to meet your needs) in the Hilo area,visiting popular spots in Hilo, such as the famous Banyan Drive, Hilo's "Walk of Fame", Liliuokalani Gardens and Rainbow Falls. From here we head out to the beautiful Puna District to the "End of the Road" and the Lava Fields at Kaimu, where we visit and explore the the most recent lava flows that have crossed the forest into the coastal plain. Here we see the vast otherworldly landscape of this immense Lava Field, and the infinite random shapes and textures of the lava. After this, we visit what remains of the old Kalapana Village after the devastation of earlier Kilauea flows, and Black Sand Beach there. From here we continue along the Lower Puna Coastal Road and will see beautiful scenic ocean vistas on one side, and lush coastal tropical forests on the other, making stops at some very beautiful and scenic spots to snap photos or just take in the awesomel sea and landscapes. In the winter and early spring months, we likely will see the whales passing by the coast.We will also stop to see sea caves and waves splashing on the cliffs at Malama Ki Forest reserve, and explore hidden Lava Tubes there, un-trampled and with all natural features intact. From here we will stop at Pohoiki Bay and Puala`a Volcanic Warm Springs for a relaxing dip, if you wish to do so. On to Lava Trees Park to see and learn about the unusual lava formations. As with all my tours, ample cold bottled water and other delicious local cold drinks, as well as snacks are included. We will always make time for a lunch stop for a take-out or sit-down meal at a place of your choosing, or my best suggestion. This is a full day tour, and we absolutely guarantee that you will be back well before all aboard time for cruise passengers, or to make your flight out. Regular individual rate is $154 per person for 2 persons, with special pricing for larger travel parties. Pick up and start times from the Kona area are at Custom or Charter rates. CALL US AT 808-989-1352 FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL TOUR

AMAZING! HILO The 7-week-old eruption on Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone has reached a new milestone. Steve Brantley, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory deputy scie...ntist-in-charge, said during a community meeting Tuesday evening in Pahoa that preliminary estimates show it has produced about 145 million cubic meters of lava more than the last two eruptions in the area. ADVERTISING It’s a very difficult number to come up with, he said. But it gives you a ballpark that this current eruption is erupting lava at a higher rate than both of those eruptions. At this point, it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down whatsoever. Brantley said the 1960 eruption that destroyed the village of Kapoho erupted 122 million cubic meters of lava over 37 days, while the 1955 eruption produced 81 million cubic meters over 88 days. The ongoing eruption started May 3 and is approaching its 50th day. It has destroyed 577 homes, by official estimates. The Federal Emergency Management Agency opened a Disaster Recovery Center last week at the Keaau High School. Janet Snyder, spokeswoman for the Mayor’s Office, said Wednesday morning that more than 1,000 people have registered with FEMA. Despite rumors to the contrary, she said residents don’t need a letter from the county to register with FEMA for assistance. The center is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. seven days a week. The U.S. Small Business Administration also provides aid to residents, homeowners and businesses through low-interest loans. It’s not a handout, said Garth MacDonald, SBA public information officer. This is your tax dollars at work. The state Board of Agriculture approved emergency low-interest loans for farmers who lost crops due to the volcano, in addition to flooding on Kauai. That allows loans up to $500,000 with 3 percent interest. The state Department of Agriculture also offers microloans up to $25,000. The loan division can be contacted at 973-9460. Roy Takemoto, executive assistant to the mayor, told those in attendance at the Tuesday meeting that the county may have a relocation or housing proposal ready in the next couple weeks for those displaced. He said the underlying principle is to provide choice. Because we provide these choices, you will be able to select an option that works best for you, whether it be an existing vacant lot, a rental some place or even a lot in a new community those are the types of housing solutions that we would be looking at, he said. Brantley said the perched lava channel from fissure 8 is 50 to 60 feet tall in some areas, and the fissure’s cone continues to grow slightly. So far, the channel has remained fairly stable and overflows haven’t traveled far. The longer term concern if that channel or the levees on the channel fail is that it becomes an exit point for that lava, he said. ADVERTISING Brantley said geologists are astounded by the changes at the summit of Kilauea, which continues to subside due to the withdraw of magma underneath. He said the extent of the caldera collapse has now exceeded a similar event that occurred in 1924. Brantley said the collapse has probably doubled the size of Halema‘uma‘u crater, which is now about 1,000 feet deep. USGS estimates the volume of the collapse in Halema‘uma‘u to exceed 250 million cubic meters. That reflects what has fallen in and subsided, said Leslie Gordon, USGS spokeswoman, in an email. It is not a direct measurement of the magma that has drained from below the crater, but we think that this may approximate the amount of magma lost from the summit during this time, she said. Explosive events at the summit occur ever 20 to 24 hours, Brantley said. East Hawaii may get relief from vog as the National Weather Service has forecast tradewinds to return on Thursday and they should remain through early next week.

Meanwhile, at Kilauea Summit

Monday, June 11, 2018, 5:45 am Kilauea's east rift zone overflight: Fissure 8 continues to effuse lava at an alarming rate of approximately 800,000-1,000,000 cubic meters per day, according to HVO scientists.

a painting by Herb Kane, very well known Hawaiian artist, who depicted his ideas of Hawaiian history and life. This is called "Discovery of Hawaii"...

Don't get any ideas to break the law like this dude, but this is remarkably stunning drone footage!

#LIVE interview with Brad Lewis, world renown volcano photographer who has covered Klauea since the 1983 eruption. Lewis talks with Hawaii News Now about the i...mages he’s seen since this event started with Puu ’s deflation on April 30; the spectacular and sacred nature of Klauea and his thoughts on Puna Geothermal Venture. See more

https://youtu.be/AnUr5bhWrBc

FOR THE MISINFORMED...

The very wide, but slow-moving lava flow on Friday night in the Malama Ki Place area of Lower Puna. #mayorharrykim

Jessica Ferracane with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park provides update amid explosive eruption at Kilauea's summit. Click here for more information: http://www.khon2.com/1184953933

Live Video: Fissures Reactivating In Lower Puna