Photographer David Ford got a closeup look at the lava flowing from Kilauea Volcano during a sunrise boat tour.
David Ford/CNN iReport
Ford says they sailed about 200 feet away from the lava, off the coast of Puna in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. He says he could smell sulfur and hear a sizzle as lava fell into the Pacific Ocean.
David Ford/CNN iReport
Lava has been flowing out of the volcano since May 25.
David Ford/CNN iReport
The U.S. Geological Survey says the lava flowed 6.5 miles before reaching the Pacific.
David Ford/CNN iReport
The lava flow is about 66 feet wide at the point where it tumbles off a cliff into the water.
David Ford/CNN iReport
Tour boat captain Kanoa Jones says sunrise is the best time to photograph the lava because the sun is at your back.
David Ford/CNN iReport
Kilauea has been active since 1983. In 2014, a lava flow led to the evacuation of the village of Pahoa.
David Ford/CNN iReport
The U.S. Geological Survey says this lava flow poses no immediate threat to nearby communities.
David Ford/CNN iReport
The USGS warns that it can be dangerous and even deadly to get too close to the lava flow.