Geologists visiting the ocean entries on April 6, 2008 were treated to a display of explosive activity at the Waikupanaha entry. An enormous steam and gas plume rose from the entry and molten spatter was visible at the base of the plume. The explosive activity continued for about an hour.

The explosions took place at the edge of the lava bench, where spatter and smaller fragments were hurled as high as 20 m. Much of the ejecta landed in the water, but enough landed on the bench to form the beginnings of a littoral cone.

In contrast to its neighbor, the Ki entry was calm yesterday, with a few lava streams quietly entering the sea.

The original video is from the United States Geological Survey and can be found here.

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