“Don’t worry, it’s the VOG,” chirped Gina, our island friend, as she hugged me tight when we met. I was hesitant to get too close since I had developed a very congested cough that required relief from the drug store shelf. “El Niño reversed the trade winds so we’re getting the volcanic ash from the big island,” she went on to explain. Gerald and I had noticed a white milky haze atop the mountain range a couple days ago. Thinking it was fog, similar to what we experienced on the mainland, we never gave it a second thought during our outdoor water activities. We continued to walk along the beach, relax around the pool, and explore the island. To our dismay, we learned no one is exempt from the clutches of the VOG. Islanders suffer from bouts of respiratory ailments, difficulty breathing, headaches,and sleepless nights whenever the trade winds reverse their course. Although Kauai is 305 miles away from the active volcano, it occasionally falls victim to VOG leaving tourists feeling lethargic wondering if they came into contact with a cold virus. In actuality, it’s the result of a chemical reaction between volcanic ash, smog, and weather conditions. Symptoms improve by drinking plenty of water to clear the body of toxins as well as remaining indoors where air-conditioning is available. So, in conclusion, we blamed it on the VOG. By the weekend relief came, as promised, in the moderate trade winds. 

“Dense vog as seen from Hilo Bay, Hawaiʻi. Vog is a form of air pollution that results when sulfur dioxide and other gases and particles emitted by an erupting volcano react with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight. The word is a portmanteau of the words “volcanic”, “smog”, and “fog”.*

* Hawaii News Today