Even though Maui has a dormant volcano that will likely erupt again, Maui\u2019s most active eruption today has nothing to do with lava.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Rather it\u2019s a forceful explosion of seawater that erupts on a regular basis\u2014often as frequently as every few minutes when the surf and wind are both up. Set on the island\u2019s northwestern coast, Nakalele Blowhole is a natural geyser where seawater trapped in an underwater lava tube is searching for a way to escape.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Since it can\u2019t go back the way it came in\u2014there\u2019s too much pressure from the waves\u2014the only outlet is a tire-sized hole in the jagged, jet-black lava rock, where a column of water is powerfully jettisoned up to 100 feet in the air.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
When viewing the Nakalele Blowhole in morning, there is often a rainbow that forms in the mist if you keep the sun toward your back, and whales are often seen leaping in the distance from December all the way through May. Despite the geyser\u2019s beauty, however, it\u2019s important to remember the blowhole is dangerous and accidents frequently happen\u2014particularly when people stand too close and slip and fall on the rocks. In a couple of rare but terrifying instances, the blowhole has sucked people into the hole who were literally standing right over it, and visitors have even drowned at the spot after disappearing in the hole.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As a rule of thumb, the safest way to view Nakalele Blowhole is to simply stay on dry rocks. Admire and appreciate the blowhole from a distance, and avoid venturing dangerously close, even on the smallest of days. Nakalele Blowhole, while rather consistent, is dependent on both tide and swell, and days with no wind and little north swell can render the blowhole inactive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n