Ocean entry lava has stopped flowing- one month to the day it started ~ New surface flow high above the pali

Pele has celebrated her one-month anniversary of finding the ocean by taking some time off it seems… Nearly all that is left of the coastal lava actually moving on the surface or into the ocean from the April/May eruption flow is this small breakout of A`a & pahoehoe mix shown in the photos below. This morning Ron Boyle located the only hot lava inland from the shoreline a quarter mile or so. It appears that the shield formation at the eruption site at Pu`u O`o crater has perhaps blocked or diverted the lava from entering the April/May tube system.

Above, looking south towards the plumeless ocean.



The breakout of lava - maybe it will pick up pace again...


Looking north, inland near some burned out kipuka forest.

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Meanwhile, visitor count to the Hawaii County lava viewing area continues to drop from the average of 1300 per day to less than 2 to 300: essentualy for good reason; the main show is over: 1) There is really no viewing area; it consists of a blocked-off end of highway 130 and has very little view of the extensive new & warm coastal flats or ocean entry, and 2) The State/County never did relocate the parking back down to roads end, requiring visitors to still have to walk a mile to, and a mile from, the meager ‘viewing area’. 3) Visible lava activity has virtually ceased other than some fuming on the pali and some orange-red glowing after dark up there.
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Active lava viewing prospects:
1) The Halema’uma’u crater has been degassing sulfur dioxide fumes by day and glowing strongly at times after dark from lava deep within the craters pit vent. Great views are from the Jaggar Museum within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, depending on the weather & wind, and the park is open to the public 24 hours a day.

2) Coastal viewing: Very limited to views from highway 130 near Kalapana Gardens homes.
Official viewing hours are from 2:00 PM until around 9:00 PM.

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Here is the blog posts for April lava flow
And my most recent days postings for May, 2010
I will add new update blog postings when lava events or viewing options significantly change, otherwise I will skip some days until then,
Aloha,
Leigh