Walking on the moon

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I came here to visit White Island, New Zealands only marine volcano some 50km off shore. I was booked onto a trip for the day after I arrived but wasn't tooo hopeful that it would be going out - I'd met people in Rotorua who'd had their trip cancelled again and again due to bad weather, in the end they got out on the fourth day of trying!! As it turned out I couldn't have chosen a better day! We only had 20 on our boat, compared to nearer 50 the day before and the 100 or so that they might take out in the summer and a lovely sunny day for it too. The trip was one of the best that I've been on - definately worth all the sea sickness on the way out!!!

The volcano erupted on 27th July 2000..... maybe a little too recent for my liking... should I have been worried when they started handed out hard hats (mandatory clothing) and gas masks (optional??!!!) for us to wear??!!! The landscape is quite unlike anything I'd seen before - almost completely devoid of plant life and covered in
ash littered with pieces of volcanic rock blown out during the last erruption. The rock (I think it was pumice) reminded me of sponge - full of air holes and deceptively lightweight. Then there was the colouration that was so dramatic against the grey of the ash - red from mineral oxidisation, yellow and white crystals caused by the escaping hot gas from below. The main crater contains a large blue lake from which steam constantly rises - hot and very acidic, this lakes another one not to go swimming in!!

For many years various companies tried to mine sulphur here - apparently its used for all kinds of things from fertiliser to rubber vulcanisation. Anyway all of these ventures eventually resulted in failure. In 1914 there was a huge landslide that wiped out the mine, the minners village and everyone living on the island... apart from a cat. Another venture in the 1930's was eventually abandoned in 1934 and you can still see the remains of the factory that was there. I can't imagine what it must have been like living out here - the landscape is dramatic but so barren, and the island is quite small, what would you do when not working? Apparently some used to come for a few months at a time but others lived here longterm....!

Next stop Taupo and a long walk...

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