Lava | Russ Bishop Photography

The Fire Within - Lava flow entering the ocean at dawn, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,, Hawaii — Lava flow entering the ocean at dawn, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

The Fire Within. For more than a quarter century Madame Pele the goddess of fire has let her temperament be known on the Big Island of Hawaii. Often without warning she has re-awakened many times during a forty-year period sending a river of lava flowing into the sea and creating one of the most active volcanoes on earth.

This image made in the pre-dawn hours in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park shows the raw force of fire and water combining to form new land. It is an incredible spectacle to witness and one of the most challenging subjects I have ever photographed.

For many years walking across miles of a’a lava fields (the sharp brittle variety) in the dark and carefully setting up a tripod on a newly formed shelf above the sea was the only option. But when the lava began flowing into the sea an off-shore view provided a new perspective to this ever-changing landscape.

In stark contrast to shooting the lush forests and beautiful beaches on the windward side of this same island, this is a land of raw earth and fire – and beauty of a different kind. The experience is intoxicating, and once you’ve caught your first glimpse of Pele’s glow the desire to return again and again is hard to resist.

Lava flow entering the ocean at dawn, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

For more than a quarter century the lava on Hawaii’s Big Island has continued to flow from the Pu’u O’o vent on the flanks of Kilauea down into the Pacific Ocean. A mesmerizing river of molten earth that is equally beautiful and terrifying as it slowly devours everything in it’s path, while adding acres to Hawaii’s newest Island.

Since ancient times Pele, the Goddess of Fire, has been a central figure of Hawaiian lore. “She-Who-Shapes-The-Sacred-Land” is often recounted in ancient Hawaiian chants, and today is the most visible of the Hawaiian deities.

In 1990 I witnessed the slow destruction of the nearby village of Kalapana and watched in amazement as the locals rolled the historic painted church down the road to safety, while the palms on the famous Kaimu black sand beach went up in flames. Pele is known to be a passionate goddess, yet volatile and capricious as evidenced by her destruction of the modern Wahaula visitor center while completely avoiding an ancient heiau in her path.

I’ve been back many times over the years to pay homage to Pele, and I’m always in awe of her powerful hand in shaping these Islands. Will Rogers once said, “buy real estate, they don’t make it any more”. But clearly he had never been to this part of the world!

Tag: Lava

The Fire Within

Pele’s Realm