| Pictures of Kalapana |
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Kalapana is the town that the recent eruption (1983-?) buried.
It cut the road that continued on down to Ka'u and the Kilauea Volcano.
The National Parks service effectively cut the road off to the locals
by imposing their high handed toll through the park. Most native Hawaiians
know that is the reason that Pele destroyed the road.
This picture is taken on new land created by the flow looking back to where Kalapana was. I found a place here where there are tire tracks in the lava! Also I found a sign here placed by a family that were claiming the land! I wonder if the homesteading act is effective here? Note the steam rising from the lava still hitting the sea miles on down the coast. |
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New Coconut Patch
This is the state of development at coconut grove Kalapana beach USA. They don't look quite as good as the last time I walked out here but who knows - they might make it. Looking south-south west again you can see the steam of the lava as it enters the water. Lookin more westerly is the uplift of the rift zone that acts as a shield and separates lava world from the rest of the big island (as we all hope). Unfortunately everything on this side of that rift is separating from the rest of the island and sinking slowly but surely. It is the fear and almost the prediction of most scientists that this huge land mass might one day slide rapidly into the sea causing the most incredible tidal waves and natural destruction throughout the Pacific that man has ever witnessed. |
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New Black Sand Beach at Kalapana
Alas the old famous black sand beach is no more ...but hold on... There is a new one in the making. Apparently when the lava hit the sea here not too long ago, it exploded into tiny granules that we know as black sand. Together with the coconuts that the local community has extablished perhaps one day we will have a thriving beach community here. However I suspect that this will not be a populated beach in our lifetimes for the land accretion located this new beach at least a half mile from the road and there is a relatively quick dropoff to the waters here making it perhaps good for surfing but not so for swimming. |
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Cabins
At the present end of the road now where the tour buses turn around and some pile out and walk the half mile to view the new black sand beach being created by mother nature are a couple of cabins that are very cute and clean looking where you might be able to stay if you want to try to find something of Kalapana. There is a restaurant here and occasionally some card table packin tourist vendors to provide you with the basics and some entertainment in between your lava strolls. |
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The Painted Church
was moved up the highway to rescue it from the lava and is now nicely repainted and hopefully safe for a while until Madame Pele decides that her religion is the only one these industrious people from south Puna-side need. |