Edge of Oblivion
A fascination with volcanos.
A fascination with volcanos
Sometimes, just like a prepubescent teen, our planet shows signs of acne. You remember that horrid period of your life when you would look at your face in the mirror and find new boils popping up on your nose. Horrid memories…
The earth has many hot boils across its surface. We usually refer to them as volcanoes and rather than being repulsed by them, they hold us in awe.
Here in Washington State, we have a collection of dormant volcanoes, including Mt. Baker, in the north, Mt. Rainier, southeast of Seattle and Mt. Adams further southeast near Yakima. Mt. St Helens sits south of Mt. Rainier and west of Mt. Adams. As St Helens erupted within the last fifty years, I don’t believe it is considered dormant.
The thing about volcanos is that they are beautiful. Put volcano into a conversation and we immediately envision snow-covered, cone-shaped mountains reaching up into the sky. It is an iconic vision even if we have never seen one up close. Looking at these photos of our local volcanos, I trust you understand what I mean.
The other thing that attracts us to volcanos is their absolute power. Before exploding, Mt. St Helens had a cone shape similar to Rainier and Adams. The top of the mountain exploded outward and fell into the valley below. Lakes and streams were diverted or created.
When Mt. St Helens erupted, we lived in Kamloops, BC, over five hundred miles north of the mountain. I remember the volcanic ash that was deposited on our streets and driveways. There was a constant fallout of ash onto the cities of Yakima and Portland which was a major safety issue. It was an amazing display of the power that lies beneath our feet.
Currently living within thirty miles of Mt. Rainier, my mind frequently wanders to the question of when it will become active again and erupt. I am always speculating about what the impact would be on the Puget Sound Region.
When we visit the island of Hawaii, I always like to check the status of the Kilauea Volcano, southeast of Kona. I want to know if it is active, and where the show is.
A word of caution, sulphur dioxide, ok, two words. Kilauea Volcano and the others surrounding it have high concentrations of sulphur dioxide emissions. This gas is very toxic. If you will be observing eruptions, please consult the Hawai’i Volcanos National Park website for current conditions before you go.
In 2009, we hiked over a mile across fresh lava fields to see the amazing site of hot lava reaching the Pacific Ocean from the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater. According to Wikipedia, the flow was through tubes just below the surface.
As the night grew darker, the pyrotechnics became brighter and brighter. An awesome sight caused by the lava flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
I find the resilience of life simply amazing. So much of the forest knocked flat by the eruption of Mt. St Helens has since regrown.
In Hawai’i, where you might walk out onto the relatively fresh lava fields, you will find plants putting roots into the cracks and clinging so hard to survive. Mosses and ferns and in Hawai’i, the ohia lehua, one of the first trees to take root in the lava fields.
Don’t pluck the red Lehua, if you wish for weather fair
Tis Pele’s sacred flower, which she guards with jealous care
Her Akuas all are watching, and to her they will complain
For surely as you do it, she sends down the rain
Our last visit to Hawai’i was in February of 2021. This photo on the US Geological Service, shows the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Caldera from the western rim of the crater, looking eastward. The public viewing area, managed by the National Park Service, is on the northern edge of the Halema’uma’u Caldera.
We were prevented from getting close enough to the caldera’s edge to look down into the crater for fairly obvious safety reasons. What we did do, was wait. We waited until after the sun had set and the glow from the lava lake 1600 feet below lit up the clouds of smoke and ash venting out of the earth.
Gazing at this it is hard not to feel that one is not standing on the edge of oblivion.
Other articles in Globetrotters about Volcanos:
That Time Pele Smote Me
You don’t mess around with the fire goddess.medium.com
Visit Mountain Saint Helens
The story of America’s most violent volcano.medium.com
The world is a beautiful place. Share the beauty. Leave only footsteps.