August 24th, Hawai'i, Hawaii, United States

The problem with planning a trip far in advance is that you have no idea what nature will throw at you. Or won't. I already had a title in mind for an image of spewing lava against the deep blues of the twilight sky, now I just needed to take the picture. The ongoing eruption at Kilauea started in 1983 but the level of activity over time varies greatly. I checked the status a few days before arriving on the Big Island and it did not look promising. When I arrived the daily update posted at the visitor center confirmed my fears. The current activity was low and potential for a large land collapse near the flow meant very limited access. In late afternoon I hiked the two miles over the jagged edges of the lava crust to the remote viewing area. As darkness fell and a faint red glow appeared over the flow entering the ocean far in the distance it became obvious that I'll have to keep the title for next time. I stayed for a long time enjoying the spiritual experience of new land being formed in front of my eyes. The hike back in total darkness with only a small headlamp to illuminate the sharp contours of the lava field and a gps unit to guide me to my car was something else...