Tag Archives: Vulcano

Travel

Aeolian Islands – Vulcano, Panarea, and Stromboli – Italy

One of the days we took a beautiful cruise to Panarea and Stromboli, with the purpose “to see Stromboli at night.” Stromboli is an active volcano for the last two millennia, spewing sparks and red hot rocks into the air. In the daylight, you can only see puffs of steam but at night it is fantastic, about every 10-15 minutes there is an explosion as you can see several in the video.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE12zeX8mVw

First we stopped at Lipari the biggest island, and the administrative head of the whole group of about 7 livable islands, and some rocky crags, as you will see.  That was just to take on passengers, so we only got shots from the Boat. Lipari is a white island, rich in pumice. The Aeolian Islands’ culture extends back 6000 years and there is evidence of trade with virtually every Mediterranean culture from the Etruscans to the Greeks

Then we were off to Panarea, where we were able to get off for an hour, and have some gelato! Panarea is the smallest island and the most exclusive (according to the tour book), it is known for its coves (you will see a neat one), rocky islets, clear water for diving, and nightlife.

After that stop we went to Stromboli, had several hours wandering the island and having a nice dinner at reasonable rates. We also saw a (clearly) state sponsored film about the lava flow and emergency services protections in place on the islands. Ha! With the volcano erupting every 15 minutes and recent lava flow in 2001 that covered some houses, they can use all the protection they can get, but we can’t say it made us feel any safer!  Then out trip at night, around the back for the show, and back to Vulcano.

A bit about Vulcano, it is technically a “spent Volcano” but it still has a constant sulphur emissions seeping out of the ground all over… and I mean all over, sometimes in the ocean, causing little warm pockets of water, sometimes just out of the side of the mountain and a lot from the crater itself, as well as the famous fanghi mud baths (too stinky for Judy). It turns the rocks yellow and red, and on one side there is a beautiful black sands beach we walked. As you drive around you frequently smell the rotten eggs result of the emissions, thankfully not where we stayed though!


View Larger Map

Travel

Climbing to the top of a Volcano in Vulcano, Italy

After a nice train ride, all the way to Milazzo, the best port to ship to Vulcano for our 7 day stay in Judy’s RCI Resort, booked through Shell Vacations Club, named Bahia Fenicia, closer to Vulcanello (small volcano) than the main Volcano. It was a smooth trip, with door-to-door service from the office in town. A tiny studio/condo, but fine for relaxation.

The next morning, Judy and I decided to climb to the top of the volcano (named Gran Crater).  Reading the helpful sign along the road to the start of the climb, the sign said it was a Class 1 climb, EASY to do and you should get there and back in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MojHxonEA40

Several things are wrong here, for example, I am not a mountain climber. If I want to see the top of a mountain, I look at a satellite map on Google. Second, when they say a Class 1 climb, I expect at least an escalator not a steep gravelly path almost straight up the mountain.   I also advise you not to wear a pair of open toed sandals since the gravel kept getting into the bottom of my feet. PAIN to walk on! The gravel was small.  However, as I climbed, I noticed that the gravel between the bottom of my feet and my shoe seem to increase proportionally to the number of steps I took.  Soon, I thought the gravel had increased to some outrageous size that exceeded any other rock on the mountain. However, looking back, I’m sure that’s not true.

We started up the “easy Class 1 climb”, managing to go about 200 to 300 feet at a time before we had to stop to catch our breath and rest. Half way up, Judy started shaking, even while resting but after a brief rest and a drink of water, and some reassurance from a Swedish couple who spoke English, she was fine the rest of the way. Finally we came to some harder rock and the climb got better.

The climb to the top was well worth it, since the volcano is still spewing gases with a strong sulfur smell. The view of the gases, along with the sulfur color and deep crater inside the volcano made the climb worthwhile.

“It is difficult to imagine, and even more difficult to explain, how you feel on a narrow path, with a view to the sea and islands on one side, and on the other the heart of a living mountain, colored with sulphur and giving off steam, heat and hisses.  The awareness that, in the past, forces of nature capable of changing the shape of the landscape have broken out from the crater makes you respect and fear this place pulsating with life.” (Dr Franco Italiano, Vulcanologist)

In fact, a large portion of the island smells like sulfur, since there are sulfur dioxide emissions throughout the island and numerous hot springs. Finally, I would like to reclassify this posted Class 1 climb as a local Sicilian (or Vulcanian) joke against the tourists.

More of the Eolian Islands tomorrow!


View Larger Map