The majesty of White Island, New Zealand's only live marine volcano (images courtesy of TikiTouring)
The aerial view is breathtaking, appearing as a thermal conduit to the Earth's core, rising up out of the middle of the ocean
The remnants of the old sulphur works add even more intrigue to the enigmatic island...
Don’t
know about you guys, but it isn’t often this fellow gets the
chance to visit an active volcano and so while in New Zealand’s
Bay of Plenty recently I took the chance to get out to see the fabled
White Island.
It lies some 50 kilometres off the coast from the
town of Whakatane and happens to be New Zealand’s only live
marine volcano. And it’s pretty ancient - around 150,000 to
200,000 years old.
It regularly steams away sending out clouds
of material that can be seen for a hundred or so kilometers around and
has odd moments of big activity - like when it went up in the year 2000.
You can get to White Island by helicopter, however, in good weather the way to go is by boat.
I
took the Peejay V out to White Island and the 1.5-hour outwards trip
was a beauty. It was mid morning, the sun was burning off clouds and
while there was a bit of a swell it was nothing to worry about. If you
have a weak stomach, however, some sea-sickness tablets should do the
trick.
When you get to White Island you discover that there is
no really easy way on to it. First up it’s an inflatable boat
trip to a rough old jetty - courtesy of the old sulphur-mining works
that was abandoned decades ago. From the boat you climb up steel
ladders, down the concrete wharf, across some bolted-down metal sheets
and over large round boulders to your assembly point.
Each party
has two guides - one leading and one at the rear. It pays to listen to
their safety advice as this place can go up at any tick of the clock.
Before
you hop off the Peejay V you are issued with a hardhat and gas mask -
just in case. Actually the mask is a good idea because the sulphur does
make your throat tickle and some people got headaches. While we are at
it, it pays to take water with you and also some boiled lollies as
these can ease the tickly throat.
The sights on the island are
amazing. There are huge steaming sulphur holes that hiss, mud pools
that boil and a turquoise crater lake that steams and bubbles like
champagne. It is an eerie place, much as you would expect the
moon’s surface to be like. Apparently after eruptions it is even
more so!
You can see where the current single crater was once
three, and massive areas of cliff-side space where the outer walls have
been blown out to sea.
There are fascinating stories from the
guides about the miners and their operations on the island - many of
whom died and as you return to the dock you can see the remnants of the
sulphur works.
In September 1914 the southwest corner of the
crater wall collapsed and spewed out a hot avalanche that buried 11
sulphur miners and destroyed buildings and equipment. The only survivor
was a cat called Peter who was found a good home on the mainland and
became known as Peter the Great.
There are several musts when
journeying to White Island. Firstly a large-sized bottle of drinking
water as the crater does get - surprisingly - quite warm. Good closed
footwear like boots or runners and, of course, your hat and sunblock. A
warm jacket for the boat trip is worthwhile too.
On the way back
it was lunch provided by the tour and then a session of sitting on the
front deck powering back to Whakatane in almost perfect conditions. It
is also the perfect place to encounter whales - which we did.
There
was a family of humpback whales in the area but we only got to see the
cow and the calf. The bull was off trying to lead us away from the
little one. We slowly cruised with them and got some photos -
it’s surprising how quickly big critters like whales can pop up,
take a breath and then dive below again. Dolphins are regular sights in
this stretch of water, and so are orcas. A day trip to White Island
with PeeJay Tours is superb and one of those travel experiences I
shall not forget.
White Island Tours: Operate 7 days a week, weather permitting, bookings are essential. Check-in is at the White Island Rendezvous, 15 The Strand East, Whakatane.
Tour schedules: 1 March to 30 November: 9.15am 1 December to 26 December: 8.am, 9.15am 27 December to 10 January: 7.00am, 9.15am, 12.30pm 11 January to 31 January: 8:00am, 9.15am 1 February to 28 February: 8.00am, 9.15am Use
the above times as a guide only. Trip times can vary daily due to
weather and tide times. All passengers must double check departure time
the night before the scheduled tour. All passengers are contacted the
night before to confirm the check-in time and weather conditions.
What to Wear: Passengers
must have suitable fully enclosed footwear for the island. Best are
walking boots or trainers with good grip on the bottom. No jandals or
sandals. Passengers are advised to bring warm clothing for the boat
trip. The boat trip is approximately 80 minutes each way. The
guided tour is 1.5 to 2 hours. You need to allow 6 hours for the round
trip.
Refreshments and lunch are included in the price. (If
PeeJay is unable to land at White Island due to adverse sea conditions,
a full refund is given.)
In the summer season, conditions
permitting, passengers may be able to swim or snorkel in the
surrounding waters. The cost of the tour is $140.00 per person.
During
the off peak season there is a child's price and during this time
babies under 1 year old are free. However, the tour is not well suited
for children under 8 years old.
There is an off-peak rate of
$110.00 for children 13 years and under. (Off-peak is classed as 1
April to 30 November). This is for a six-hour marine experience,
including 1.5 to 2 hours on the volcano with a guide, as well as
refreshments and lunch.
