The west coast of Hawaii Island (the Big Island) is famous for beautiful sunsets and even frequent views of the “Green Flash.” The area between the cities of Kailua and Kawaihae is known as South Kohala and is heavily covered with lava, as a result of numerous major flows from the Mauna Loa volcano over the last several centuries.
As a result, much of the South Kohala coast consists of lava “shelves” where the flows came to the ocean and explosively ended their journey via contact with cold seawater. There are rocky pools, coves, and unusual formations known as surf wells. These rare formations are basically tunnels in the lava that extend out into the ocean and appear as a small pool on the shore. They are not documented well and can be hard to find.
I became aware of a few such wells at this lava-covered “beach” park and went there in search of them. They are unmistakable once found, as the seawater will continuously fill the pool (surf well) and then empty it with each passing wave. The wells appear to be alive and “breathing” with each wave. They make a great foreground element for a sunset shot, as seen here.
I spent quite a bit of time at this well, known locally as “Devil’s Well,” trying to find exposures that would blend the surf motion with the sun and sea beyond in a single exposure. ND filters were a must, and the sunlight dimmed just enough before sunset to allow a long exposure while keeping the entire scene within the dynamic range of the camera.
