I saw more lava in five hours than I had in my previous 43 years. On the boat in the early morning and by helicopter a couple hours later I saw more fires and destruction than I had ever seen before. I kept thinking about that scene from Apocalypse Now-- you know the one-- about loving the smell of napalm in the morning. But that was just a movie. And it was about the insanity of war and a visit into the heart of darkness. And this was real life. In Hawaii. You know the paradise of our dreams. But it is a paradise. And while I don't live on the Big Island, I do live on a smaller one farther down the chain. Reviewing the photos from my five hours of lava viewing I was amazed by the mysterious and alluringly beautiful quality of the lava. It was heavy yet mesmerizing and I felt like it may have been making me a little mad. Pele, she fierce. She draws you in and will not let go. It was like a spell that I had to get away from. Fortunately I had plans to drive up the coast and camp in a lush area above Honokaa. It rained hard all night long and I woke feeling cooled. Like the island knew I needed a respite from what I had witnessed the day before. I drove a few miles to one fo the most beautiful views in all of the Pacific-- Waipio Valley-- and a huge rainbow led me the entire way. Yes, it is paradise, and it will heal. And so, too, will we.
Big Island, Hawaii