If I were to see an erupting volcano, my first instinct would be to run in the other direction. No part of me would think to go toward it, and certainly not paddle into the ocean into which the molten hot lava was flowing. Alison Teal, however, is cut from a different cloth. She’s not averse to adventure.
Recently, Alison had the opportunity to paddle close to an active lava flow not far from her home on the Big Island of Hawaii. It’s as visually stunning as it is dichotomous. The insides of the Earth literally oozing into the ocean, cooling and hardening – as they’ve done for billions of years. It’s like traveling back in time to the origins of our planet. But before you think this was some sort of stunt strictly for the thrill or even publicity, think again. For Alison, it hit much closer to home.
“When I was a baby and we began to build our Hawaiian style ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ home/retreat center,” said Alison on Facebook, “we would sleep under the stars on the lava at night and during the day I would learn to swim in the tide pools and then lie on the sun-warmed lava rocks for hours asking every one who came by, be it local fisherman, wise Kahuna, or my parents to tell me a story about Pele, the goddess of the volcano, and how she formed my ‘playground.'”
Paddling near an active lava flow is dangerous business. And in Hawaiian tradition Pele is not to be trifled with. “Pele… is a highly respected and often feared force in Hawaii and very specific traditions must be followed to avoid certain death – if she does not want you there, you will know!” said Alison.
That’s why Alison and her team (local producer Asa Suguitan and renowned underwater photographer Perrin James) were sure to pay their respects to the appropriate Hawaiian elders, leaders, and kahunas, to make sure they were in line with every aspect of cultural protocol, exercising grace and respect.
Kilauea Volcano is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and getting up close and personal with the lava flow spilling into the ocean represented an opportunity to pay tribute to two of Alison’s loves: surfing, and the volcanic rock.
“As a ‘tarzan child’ with a life of constant travel for my papa’s adventure photography assignments, coming back to Hawaii and seeing lava made me feel at home – it was literally and figuratively the rock in my life,” she said.
Now, Alison is using her love of nature to inspire others to discover their own.
“I hope to inspire everyone to travel and experience the beauty and inspiration that can be found in nature – even if it’s your own back yard!” said Alison on Facebook. “You do not have to swim with an active volcano to feel the power of nature and the desire to be involved in preserving our planet. Challenge yourself and go fearlessly forward toward your dreams.”
(Here are a few additional clips of the experience, as well. All clips shot by Perrin James):
Alison is a surfer and filmmaker who travels the world documenting environmental and cultural phenomena with the aim to educate through entertainment. Check out more of her exploits in her online series Alison’s Adventures.
