Kilauea volcano (Hawaii): lava sea entry - boat tour 11 Sep 2016
Impressions from the Kamokuna lava sea entries on a morning boat tour on 11 Sep, taking during the recent pilot Kilauea Volcano Special tour.

Approaching the eastern Kamokuna lava sea entry at early dawn - another boat is already there. (Phot... [info]
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Lava watchers on the cliff above. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Passing under the toxic, acid steam plume towards the western entry. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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A broad flow with several active tongues is present at the western Kamokuna entry. (Photo: Tom Pfeif... [info]
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Relatively calm waters allow to take hand-held photographs from the small boat. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer... [info]
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A lava entry forms a bright contrast to the blue hour light. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Back at the eastern entry, which generates a large steam plume. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Beautiful lava flows pour calmly into the ocean. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The eastern entry has formed a large bench with several active areas. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Reflection of the lava on the hot water surface. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Small littoral explosion as water gets trapped inside or beneath hot lava. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Colors change as it gets light. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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A relatively large, about 1 m wide lava flow enters the ocean. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Waves wash the front of an inactive, but still warm part of the new bench. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Zoom onto the large flow while a wave has retreated. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Fight of elements - a single lava flow tried to create land while the waves eat at it. Hot steam ris... [info]
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Ocean water runs back from the cooled rock face next to an active flow. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Two active lava flows pouring into the sea just seconds before another wave hits them. (Photo: Tom P... [info]
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As the wave recedes, several smaller flows become visible as well. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The lava constantly tries to push a tongue of new land ahead. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Millions of water drops form a veil in front of a lava flow. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Another lava flow has emerged to the side of the one from the picture before- the scene changes cons... [info]
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Floating lava pieces still glowing in the sea after being detached from the flow by the force of a w... [info]
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Zoom onto a still hot, partially glowing floating lava. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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For seconds, lava continues to glow even under water. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Side view of an advancing finger of the bench where lava flows are currently active. (Photo: Tom Pfe... [info]
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At the impact of a wave, the shore and its lava flows are hidden. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View of a part of the western sea entry. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Same view just seconds later - steam, rocks, water and lava create constantly changing scenes. (Phot... [info]
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The formation of black sand: a wave crushes into the fragile newly erupted rock, turning dirty with ... [info]
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As soon as the wave retreat, new streams of lava drop down from the small lava tubes feeding the sea... [info]
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The longer the pause between larger waves, the more lava streams form. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Wider angle view of a particularly active area in the western ocean entry. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Easterly winds blow the steam plume from the eastern entry over the bench of the western one. (Photo... [info]
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A strongly active single flow in the eastern lava entry. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Wide-angle view of a part of the eastern entry with its billowing steam plume. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Small explosions occur sometimes, throwing liquid lava fragments to several meters height and distan... [info]
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Close-up of an explosion; in enlarged sections, one can see Pele's hair forming as thin threads of l... [info]
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On another boat, a bikini model session with an unusual background setting takes place... (Photo: To... [info]
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Small wave crushing in front of the lava delta. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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A complex cluster of small lava flows has formed in a location of the eastern entry. (Photo: Tom Pfe... [info]
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The largest lava flow continues with little changes. The water here is almost too hot to touch and i... [info]
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The sun is now up; steam rises from the slightly older, now inactive eastern section of the bench. (... [info]
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A single lava flow during a calm sea moment. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Moments later, it is drowned by a wave. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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But it returns to life as soon as the wave recedes... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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An hour and half went by too quickly... but it is time to go. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Some last views of the eastern ocean entry with its multiple single lava entry points. (Photo: Tom P... [info]
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A last view back as we're heading back to the Pohoiki harbour, about 40 minutes fast boat ride to go... [info]
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A nice surprise - a school of dolphins joins us on the way. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The dolphins form several groups of up to 10 individuals; we stop. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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...to try swimming with dophins! (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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