Chasing Lava: A Geologist's Adventures at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

by Wendell A. Duffield

PUBLISHED IN COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'S VOLCANO HAZARDS PROGRAM.



"Wendell A. Duffield's story of his three-year tenure at the Hawaiin Vocano Observatory balances near-death experiences with lighthearted anecdotes and the science behind the lava."

--Lara Caldwell, The Nature Conservancy


In 1969, as Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon, a young geologist known as Duff was preparing to set foot on a rocky landscape of another Kilauea Volcano on the island of Hawai'i, where he would spend three years at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. volcanologists and general readers alike will enjoy this entertaining account of living and working at Kilauea--one of the world's most active volcanoes and the home of Pele, goddess of fire and volcanoes. Duff's narrative encompasses everything from the scientific (observations that the movements of a cooled crust on a lava lake mimicked plate tectonics) to the humorous (his dog's discovery of a snake on the supposedly snake-free island) to the life-threatening (a colleague's plunge into molten lava).

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

vulcanologist

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Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volcanologists sample, measure, record and then try to make sense of volcano life processes, much in the way a medical doctor addresses human life processes.

Volcanos are fascinating and the volcanologists are often in the backgrounds. Knowing those two things had me picking up this memoir of Duffield's 3 year tour as a geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) from 1969-1972; even though I left it on my shelf for at least 20 years!!

Augustus Jagger was instrumental in the establishment of the HVO in 1912 and although it focused on earth sciences, he provided the seeds for the eventual field of volcanology. He once wrote The attitude of geologists has never accorded with mine. They are trying to explain ancient structures; I am trying to explain future events.
I found the history of the HVO interesting as well the geology of the 3700-mile mountain range in the sea that went from (oldest to youngest) the furthest tip of the Aleutian Islands to a still underwater volcano just off the coast of the Big Island.

The first 70 pages had a couple of chapters with more science than I bargained for which slowed down my reading and had me drop a star on the ratings. The field process of leveling is repetitive and potentially very boring. I can say I felt the same way as reading about it as well as geodimetering. If leveling smacked of drudgery...geodimetering was akin to painful death. Yikes!! then why devote a chapter to it? And "yellow runoff" did I need to know about that little problem? Ruined my thoughts of lunch.

All that said, I enjoyed all the personal anecdotes and I felt for he and his wife that they didn't get a chance to explore the island more as he basically was on call 24/7, so no true days off.

So, chasing lava is a lot of work although probably less out in the field with all the new technology, but not necessarily the exciting awe-inspiring experience I envisioned. I do have a friend who lives in Hilo and all the locals have an app that lets them know of imminent eruptions & where eruptions are occurring. More often gives them a chance to go up to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to view Pele in all her magnificence than the need to prepare for evacuation.

I leave you with the motto that Jagger gave to the HVO as Duffield did at the end of his book. Ne plus haustae aut obrutae urbes which translates as No more burned or buried cities.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable look at a geologist's early years working at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

[Stephanie C. Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was where I learned that the Hawai'ian islands have no snakes, and that bringing anything alive in from elsewhere is strictly controlled. It is a fun story about how a volcanologist got real-life field experience right after completing his degree and getting married. I just wish his wife could have become a veterinarian, and not felt that the time and culture she lived in could stop her. At least she had her cat!

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this in preparation for a department trip to the Hawaiian islands this August 2014. Despite being required reading however, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the volcanoes and the journey that Wendell Duffield took to get to the Hawaiian islands, to be a part of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and his experiences and reflections after the entire trip.