We stepped onto White Island, the most active volcano in New Zealand and just getting there was a bit of an adventure. We’d signed a disclaimer should anything happen to us and struggled through rough seas to arrive on the island.
The safety briefing once on the island set the tone for the tour; “If it starts erupting, don’t run for the boat as it’ll have left”, the guide said. I thought to myself, if it starts erupting then enjoy the view as I was unlikely to get off the island alive.
We were handed hard hats and gas masks and we were set for our thrilling experience.
The following set of pictures tells the story of our experience getting to the Island, the tour around the Island and the journey back.
Feeling sea sick, would it be worth it?
I spotted a flying fish as we approached the island. Look at its amazing wings.
We disembarked the boat and headed to the island on a dingy.
Stepping onto the Island we had our hats on and gas masks at the ready.
We started heading towards the heart of the Volcano.
Time to stick the gas mask on as we got up close to the fumaroles.
At the crater lake which you wouldn’t want to go for a swim in. It is off the PH scale at minus 1. Your body would be dissolved in 10 minutes if you did get in.
The landscape was hostile as we were led around, apparently bags and shoes of the tour guides don’t last long due to the acid rich environment.
We got to see bubbling acid pools which were too close for comfort.
Sulphur used to be mined on the island until all the workers were killed by an eruption. The remains of the mine works are a reminder of past activity.
Leaving White Island, the seas were much calmer.
One final delight of the day was a pod of Dolphins following the boat.
Our day on White Island had been a thrilling experience to remember, it got a big thumbs up from us.
