February 25, 2025: Big Island, Hawaii – I was in my third time zone EST -> CST -> HST, and I had been awake for the better part of 24hrs. As we ate dinner at Hawaiian Style Cafe (great food), we saw online that Kilauea was erupting. We decided that we would go see it.
I was exhausted, and I didn’t feel like making the 40 minute drive to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. But, I had never seen a volcanic eruption. After all, the recent eruption events were our main reason for going back to the Big Island.
So, we headed to Volcanoes National Park. We could see the orange glow in the distance for miles before we reached the park. It was so exciting that I forgot how tired I was. Our destination was the Kilauea Overlook.
When I reached the overlook, I witnessed one of the most incredible things I have ever seen and heard…The crater floor was almost completely covered with orange glowing lava, created by the fountain of lava that appeared to be moving in slow motion – shooting lava up to 600 feet in the air. And, the roar of the vent could be heard clearly, even from a distance.
I’m so glad that I made the drive.
