The weather was a bit voggy (an island term used to describe volcanic emissions – like fog) but the sky was clear and sunny. On the drive, the group discussed volcanes, volcano formation and unique stories about previous eruptions in recent history.
We first stopped at the tree molds so everyone could get an idea of how big lava flows can be. Tree molds are areas where the lava has flown through a forest and encompassed a tree. The organic mass of the tree burns away and leaves a mold of the lava in the formation of the tree. The next stop was at the visitors center where the group utilized the elaborate visual aids to discover some of the biological factors present in Hawaii. We followed that up by spending some time at the Jagger museum with more models and diagrams. After lunch, the group wanted to see the lava tube. They took a tour of the lit side of the cave. The last part of the day was spent down on the coastline where the group was able to see recent flows, the ocean steam plume and the dramatic coastline near the sea arch. Interestingly enough, the group’s favorite part of the day was not the cool stuff they got to see and experience in one of the most majestic and unique places on earth, it was picking guavas on the side of the road on the way back to camp! Gotta love guava eh?