Royal Gardens last 2 residents get another visit from Pele

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As a breakout from Kilauea’s summit sent lava on a path through Royal Gardens subdivision again, Jack Thompson played amateur firefighter by putting out the small fires that erupted from Pele’s visit.  Lava fountained up to 30 ft. tall about 4 miles from Dean Schneider’s makeshift shelter.  I’ve gotten a few questions lately about Jack’s status and if he was still in Royal Gardens so there’s your answer.  For a good article about Kilauea’s new threat to the two loners, click here.

Earthquake recorded at Kilauea Volcano

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A 3.7 magnitude earthquake hit Kilauea Volcano this morning at about 3amHST followed by about a dozen smaller ones.  It’s reported it didn’t really effect the sulfur vent at Halema’uma’u but it was observed that the glow seemed to disappear afterward.  They are considering possible evacuation of the town of Volcano depending on Pele’s whims.  Stay tuned, we’ll be watching this closely!

Update:  Another section of Crater Rim Drive has been closed due to volcanic rocks found in the road and Halema’uma’u lookout/parking lot that they are attributing to the quake which caused the first eruption from that site since 1924.  The road has been closed for safety reasons while the scientists try to figure out what the presence of those rocks mean.

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USGS Photo

What’s Pele up to?

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If you thought the lava at the new viewing site was all volcano goddess Pele was up to these days, you’d be mistaken.  Tucked away inside the park at Halema’uma’u Crater, she’s been up to some work there as well.  A new sulfur vent opened up last week which has scientists puzzled because the plume is glowing in the dark at night.  They have searched records to see if this has happened before and if it has, it wasn’t documented.  Despite five to ten small earthquakes reports per hour, the folks at the observatory say an eruption is not imminent as it would produce closer to 40 earthquakes per hour. 

If you are planning a visit to the park and were looking forward to cruising Chain of Craters Road or seeing Halema’uma’u crater, you’re out of luck for now.  This area had already been closed for a month due to increased sulfur dioxide in the air but once the new vent opened, the levels skyrocketed to very unhealthy levels prompting the park to prepare evacuation plans if needed.

Were you one of the ones who bought into the dream?

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Well, I wondered about it in this post when the 7/21 flow started and here we are 8 months later and the people who invested in Kalapana Vacation Lots and the new surrounding attempt at a subdivision have lava literally in their backyards.  Here’s the latest pic from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:

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See the red road in the middle? That’s the red cinder road where people have bought plots on either side of the road to build their dream.  See all that steam on all sides of it at the ocean?  That’s where lava is going into the sea all around or even over their property.  I was perusing the internet and these lots are still being sold with NO mention that there may be lava flowing over it at the moment.  Maybe they don’t need to mention it.  These listings still have things like “lava hasn’t flowed here since 1990.”  That may have been the case when it was first listed but it sure as heck isn’t the case now.  Maybe it’s part of the whole “due diligence” process on the potential buyers end but I for one could not in good conscience sell my land hoping some sucker will take it off my hands while I knew lava was flowing over it.

If you are looking to buy cheap real estate in paradise, PLEASE do your homework.  Everyone who lives within 20 miles of Kilauea knows there are certain risks involved from lava hazards to air quality issues.  Have an inspection of your potential property, research the area, research what lava zone your home would fall into and what that means for your insurance policy and how much your premium could be.  Do not assume that the listing tells you everything you need to know.  I know this may sound like the basics but many people will buy sight unseen and buying Hawaii has some issues that the mainland doesn’t.  Pele doesn’t care how much you paid for your piece of her land. 

Lava hits the ocean/Jack Thompson update

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Well, it finally made it, Pele’s liquid ooze hit the ocean.  Prior to this, there were 5 people evacuated from the area.  One of them included Royal Gardens subdivisions most famous hold out, Jack Thompson.  The following is part of a story from the Honolulu Star Bulletin:

Hawaii County Civil Defense ordered five people to evacuate from the area Tuesday, just ahead of advancing flows.  The tip of the Kilauea Volcano flow, which was above the gravel access road Tuesday, crossed the road yesterday, Kauahikaua [of HVO] said.   The evacuees included two people in a trailer, which they simply drove away, and a man in a tent next to an illegal structure he was building at Pacific Paradise Oceanfront Estates, said Royal Gardens resident Jack Thompson.

But Thompson, counted as one of the evacuees, said he planned to go back tomorrow, since he has guests arriving by helicopter at his hillside bed-and-breakfast on Saturday. And fellow Royal Gardens resident Dean Schneider, also counted as a evacuee, is still in the subdivision, Thompson said.  Thompson was not concerned about county security personnel posted to keep people out. “I just tell them I’m a resident, I know my way and I’m going home,” he said.  The mere fact that a lava flow hundreds of feet wide now separates his house from the outside world did not bother him. “I just ride right across,” he said.   Thompson has even ridden his motorcycle across red, flowing lava in the past. “It probably isn’t hotter than a road in Texas,” he said.

I’ve gotta say my hats off to Jack.  He’s happy in his piece of paradise and he’s not leaving it unless the lava sets the house ablaze.  If Jack, a self proclaimed hermit, gets past this brush with Madame Pele unscathed, he may just get a few more visitors than he’s used to since he’s quickly becoming a media darling.   Enjoy your privacy while you can Jack!

County readies safe lava viewing area

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As fingers of lava now slowly creep past Royal Gardens subdivision, Mayor Harry Kim knows the county needs to set up a safe lava viewing area for people.  The lava, now heading to cross old highway 130, always brings spectators and yesterday as many as 75 people were there to watch Pele in action.  County workers began setting up parking areas, portable bathrooms, traffic controls and a trail that may be ready in a few days for lava junkies.

Lava already cut off the main motorcycle path used by the remaining Royal Gardens hold out, Jack Thompson who has been getting quite a bit of attention lately based off of Pele’s choosen liquid path.  I saw he walked 3 miles to the house but haven’t seen anything else that confirms he left for good.  We’re pullin’ for ya Jack.  You’ve had the right idea all these years!  Get out the gin and make your offering!