It's like watching a disaster in slow motion seeing the daily progress reports on the June 27 lava flow as it burns its way down the mountain on the inevitable path to the ocean. My friends who have visited Robert Welsch and me in Hawaii will be shocked to see the forecast path of destruction when the molten river of lava will consume part of our village of Pahoa. Dr. Kimuras' map below lets us know that, for now, some residences will be taken out but, again for now, it looks as if Island Naturals, Tin Shack Bakery, and Locavore, to name a few, will not be in this first flow path. Our house is not at all in the path of the lava. It's travel and logistics that will be very difficult once the main road to town, Route 130, is severed. Work is under way on two closer to the sea escape/evacuation routes, but they are dirt roads not meant for the 9,000 vehicles per day that traverse Route 130 in Pahoa, and they will add up to an hour to what used to be 15 minute trips to buy milk.
Even though my house burned to the ground when I was five, and Robert's when he was nine, it's tough to imagine the fear and anxiety that must be going through the homeowners' minds with houses that may be burned and buried by lava in less than two or three weeks. Our drive to Hilo will be complicated, but not near as much as the lives of these Pahoa folks! The Pahoa residents are already smelling and driving through billowing smoke as the lava makes its way through the surrounding forest and brush. They won't know until the slow moving lava flow gets closer to town right where it will actually hit...but they know it's on the way from the red glow of lava that lights up the sky at night.
What does this mean for our house currently under construction? Our property is about 8 miles away from the flow. We are literally racing the lava, speeding up deliveries before the main road is consumed. Bob Kirk is doing an absolutely amazing job managing the chaos. We have already installed our solar system, water pump, and are taking deliveries of appliances, all a couple or three months ahead of schedule. We have contacted The Gas Company (yes, that's their name in HI) to arrange for our propane tank installation before the lava flows. Many other deliveries big and small have been accelerated. Both Bob and I have been buying what we need such as lighting and fixtures at Home Depot in Hilo since the trip now is only 45 minutes. It is expected to be as much as two hours once Route 130 is gone.
There is good news. The main house and master suite have plumbing and electric roughed in. The gutters are up and ready to deliver water to our catchment system. Lighting sconces have been hung. The Balinese-influenced barn doors have been built, and look even better than we had imagined. Exterior painting is pretty much completed. All the floors have their artfully applied concrete stains completed, and they look great, thanks Bob! We are closing in on the "finish the finishes" phase of building. Once inspections are complete, we can start putting all the whitewashed wallboards up in the master suite and upstairs at the main house, and installing drywall in the two guest bedrooms downstairs.
I have been back in Tarrytown, NY, a trip I had planned months ago to attend a good friend's wedding, and then celebrate my birthday. I return to Hawaii on October 6th. While I feel slightly guilty at being away during the run-up to disaster, the lava and its aftermath will consume me for quite a while once I return. Waves of sadness and sorrow wash over me and make me shudder to the depths of my soul. I worry for our friends and the larger community of Puna. Say a prayer for us all! But we all located where we are knowing that the island of Hawaii is an active volcano. In the end, the flow of lava is part of the fabric of life of our island, and we will adapt, survive and thrive anew.
The picture quality is not great this blog, my apologies. I took more pictures than usual with my iPhone, and our contractor sent me pictures with low resolution. But be sure to click (or cut and paste) the first link.
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/video-new-footage-lava-passing-kaohe-homesteads-puna
It's a video of the lava burning its way through the jungle.
The second link is to the HVO.gov site and their great daily updates on the "June 27 Flow" as this eruption is called. Cruise around the site, I had you land on the photos and videos part.
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/index.php?newSearch=true&display=custom&volcano=1&resultsPerPage=20
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| Master bedroom with wiring and plumbing |
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| House exterior painted green with brown trim and accents. The idea is to make it fade into the background. |
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| Kitchen island taking shape in foreground |
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| Ceiling fan & light wiring |
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| Capiz shell doors taking shape! |
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| Dramatic night view from Pahoa toward the June 27 flow |
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| Solar is up and ready to run! |
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| Fourteen solar panels here, and four more on the back roof |
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| Master suite painted |
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| hvo.gov updates this and other maps daily. Our house is near the Route "130" ( 130 inside a circle) in the bottom center of the map below where it says "Black Sands". It's NOT in the forecast path of the June 27 flow. |
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Volcanologists are cool and crazy people. Here they're measuring the lava flow through a "window" or skylight. Through the hole you can see rivers of lava flowing...right below where these two are working.        |
