White Island's submarine volcano a true alien landscape
- by: By Helen Parker
- From: news.com.au
- April 21, 2013 1
White Island, New Zealand, is a spectacular alien landscape. Picture: Helen Parker
I'm flying over what looks like a giant smashed birthday cake.
This crumpled bit of weirdly coloured land, pushed up from the ocean floor a millennia ago, spews steam and smoke. It's a rocky outcrop about two kilometers wide, and for anyone with the slightest interest in science or world history then this place is a peep hole into the belly of mother earth and a must for your bucket list.
This is White Island, which lies nearly 50 kilometres off New Zealand's north east coast. A day trip here is as close as any human can get to walking on an alien planet but it's not for the faint hearted.
The trip out here is via a 40 minute helicopter ride (minimum two passengers) from Rotorua out to sea. We're heading out with the team from Helipro, who fly to White Island every day depending on the weather. According to the scientists from New Zealand's GNS Science centre, the helicopter pilots know the island better than most people and their keen eyes note the island's daily changes.
White Island is an active submarine volcano: active being the operative word.
We land on the safer flat side of the island. Immediately upon stepping out of the chopper it feels like you're in another world. It confuses the senses; the strange colour of the ground (bright yellow and grey), steam holes (fumeroles) venting loudly, bubbling pools of boiling grey mud and a blustery strange wind carrying clouds of dust that play havoc with eyes and throat.
Wearing hard hats and gas masks we follow our pilot Edine like lost ducklings across this alien landscape to the main vents about a kilometre away. There we see - close-up - a lake disappearing and being swallowed by a crater while mounds of lava grow and blue curlicues of vapour churn out of a volcanic pond that looks like a giant cauldron. It's truly amazing. Water boils up from the ground and the heat travels up your legs.
We retreat back to the safer side of the island. About 100 years ago this was home to workers in a sulphur factory, only scant remains of the building survive; the factory was engulfed by an eruption. The bodies were never found, and only the factory cat survived.
Today there are seismic monitors and constant webcams predicting any danger. We climb into the chopper for one last aerial lap before heading back to the mainland. The first glimpse of the coast line looks green and welcoming as we fly over farmland and friendly earth. Landing safely, it's good to be back. The first beer tastes great.
Watch the video here at source:
The journalist was a guest of travel.com.au
White Island four-hour return trip for two people $1500+ via Helipro, Rotorua.
White Island. Picture: Helen Parker
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