TUESDAY - 8-16-16 - BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII - ACTIVE VOLCANOES!  There are currently three active volcanoes in Hawaii.  We went to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where there are Maunaloa and Kilauea Volcanoes.  Maunaloa last erupted in 1984 and Kilauea has been erupting since 1983 and is still erupting.    The third one is Loihi which is located underwater off the southern coast of this island.  It will break the surface in 250,000 years, adding a ninth island to the Hawaiin chain.  They say that you'll feel great mana, or spiritual power, as you hike along rocky trails and desolate deserts that in time will flourish and thrive with new life.  That is true as we hiked along the surfaces of the volcano.  

The hot steam that was coming out of the ground.  In places, it was so hot, you couldn't stand there for more than just a few seconds.  Incredible heat!

You can see the smoke coming up behind us Heidi and the kids.

Map of where we were on the island.

Unlike steep, conical peaks, Hawaii's main volcanoes are "shield" volcanoes.  They produce fluid lava flows that form gently sloping shield-like mountains.

We went on a couple short hikes.  This is to the Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku).  The sign told us how this lava tube formed.  Really cool and interesting!

Here is the entrance to the lava tube.

Inside the lava tube.

We went down into the Caldera.  This is the trail with the lush green plants all around us.  It was a beautiful hike and then it all of a sudden opens up into a barren wasteland.  It's amazing that these plants grow on top of all this old lava.  Ella was getting tired, so Dad (me) became her personal "pack-horse".  She kept on saying "getty-up".  She loved it when I ran.  

Heidi behind us taking pictures of our better sides.  :)

This is the Caldera.  You could do a 4 mile round trip hike through the bottom of it, but we didn't have time.  It was cool to see where the lava had gone and to feel the hot steam from the cracks in the surface.

Feeling the heat from inside the hard surface.  There were cracks and holes where you could stick your hand down in and feel the heat.  The kids were saying, "what if it erupts while we're here?"  I didn't really have a good answer for them.  My answer was, "What a way to go."  I'm not sure Heidi heard that.  She may not have approved.  :)

Back at the ship!  It was a great day playing in a volcano!

Tonight, they had two big things that they did for all the passengers.  They had a magic show by Charles Bach.  He did a great show with his wife and son.  Braden now wants to learn magic.  

I know this is blurry, but this was a huge highlight of the whole cruise.  This view is from the ship and it is hot lava that is going into the ocean.  Talk about an amazing sight!  We passed by it around 9:15 and they gave the history of the volcano and how it has been active for so many years and continues to have lava flow.  It was cool to see this lava flowing into the ocean side.  This area is now open to the public to hike to.  It's about a 6 mile hike to go see it.  From the cruise ship was pretty awesome!  What a great day!