I shook hands with a volcano today. I’ve been watching her from afar and imagining what she might be like: Wondering if she had rivers of lava frozen in time; if her peaks were smooth or jagged; if she had deep pits with hardened lava in the bottom; and much more.
As the boat sliced through the angry and spitting blue sea, getting closer to where the waves break on her edges, she became less of dark mountain in the ocean and more intimately unique. There were black jagged rocks that waves lapped against, green grass on her rolling hills, and lighter colored gravel that covered much of her surface. She was nothing like I imagined.
My first step off the boat was on to dark fine sand. As I walked up her hills pumice crunched under my feet. There were massive red jagged boulders and many of her rocks sprouted with a dusting of orange furry fungus. The further up I walked the more she looked merely like a rocky hill. There were volcanic stones, but no rivers of lava. There were no peaks, only mounds of rocks and sand. There were low spots, but no deep pits. She was beautiful and simple and so different than I imagined.
There was a stone pillar, probably 8 feet tall and as wide as a bar stool that man had made in the center of her tallest plateau. I climbed up and sat on top, facing the wind. Within moments the wind became stronger and stronger, almost pushing me off my perch. Instinctively my eyes closed and I sat there hearing the roar of the wind in my ears, feeling its force against my chest, and noticing it pushing my hanging legs around like two pegs on a wind chime. Sitting there in the darkness of my eyelids, I realized I could be anywhere. For a moment I even wondered where I was as the deafening roar of the wind drowned out everything I knew.
It was almost like Christmas, wondering what I’d see when my eyes opened. Then it happened and there in front of me were rolling slopes of green grass, bordered with jagged red volcanic boulders, framed by the Agean sea, which was dotted with islands as far as I could see. How did this happen? What luck and miracles brought me here, to sit in this spot and have this solitary experience with and on a volcano?
I sat and watched the wind roll through the green grass in waves, tasted the salt air, and smelled gentle whiffs of sulfur scent that had traveled from deep within the earth and found their way inside my nose. Then I realized I was no longer by myself on the volcano. I slipped down from my perch so others could experience sitting atop a pillar with an ancient volcano while each and every sense was stimulated.
As I sauntered around atop her rolling rocky hills, I left the beaten path to explore. Then I saw it: a trace of smoke or steam. I waited, wanted and watched. There it was again, almost invisible, but it was there. I slipped and slid down her slopes, rocks the size of oranges rolling under my feet. Finally her warm humid breath met my face and I was surprised how moist it was. There were several tiny caves that bellowed the steam, each crusted with yellow sandy crystals. I wondered how deep the tiny caves were. The holes in her earth that were whisping steam weren’t large enough for a grapefruit. So I reach out and then in: my hand instantly wet, and suddenly scalding. I instinctively drew back.
Then I gently reached out again, this time slowly inviting her to say hello.
I shook hands with a volcano today…
A video of the tiny caves and view from the site of the handshake:
Nea Kameni is an active, though dormant, volcano in the Agean Sea; Santorini, Greece
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/santorini.html
Get articles like this one delivered to your inbox!
If you would like to receive compelling stories and creative Coddiwompling tips in your inbox once or twice a month, sign up for The Coddiwompler by clicking HERE
Wonderful written description…I’m apt to say “I went to a volcano and it was great” but you have a much richer vocabulary!
Thanks Ravi! Yeah, I went to a volcano and it was great 🙂
So cool! Safe and wonderful travels!
Hi, this weekend is nice in support of me, since this occasion i am reading this impressive informative paragraph here at my house. Yolanthe Rockey Compton
May I simply say what a comfort to find somebody who truly understands what they are talking about on the internet. Pamella Bale Gowrie
I have been reading out some of your stories and i can state nice stuff. I will definitely bookmark your website. Miranda Daron Bary
There is definately a great deal to know about this topic. I really like all the points you made. Milli Carson Rriocard
Yessssssssssss. Undeniable Awesome food. Definitely worth trying. Mercedes Vidovik Godard
I hope you continue your posting on this subject niche and I wish to see a lot more from you in the months ahead. Shirley Marmaduke Mathias
So is chewing gum a good idea or not???? I seem to be getting mixed messages. Jami Russ Anabella
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. Roseann Erich Victory
Merely wanna remark that you have a very decent site, I like the layout it actually stands out. Alyse Durant Sunda
Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is great, let alone the content! Francoise Karlis Benzel
If you are coaching a team, you need to set an example of what is expected. Edeline Rupert Guimond
You can certainly see your skills in the work you write. The arena hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. At all times go after your heart. Cherey De Witt Grider
Having read this I thought it was really enlightening. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this content together. I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile! Kellie Harwilll Badger
Hello, I do think your website may be having browser compatibility issues. Whenever I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however, when opening in IE, it has some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Other than that, wonderful blog. Auroora Giff Weidar
I just want this damn pastebin walkthrough. Would LOVE a link. Gisela Baryram Orpha
Everything is very open with a really clear description of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is very useful. Thank you for sharing! Jannelle Taddeusz Ganley
Super interesante, gracias por abrirnos los ojos!! Moria Oberon Chiou
IDcapsa303 adalah situs resmi dari penyedia aplikasi IDN Poker yang bisa dimainkan lewat smartphone Andorid maupun iOS, dan aplikasi ini dikenal dengan permainan Poker Online Goldia Monti Schoof
Every after in a although we select blogs that we study. Listed below would be the newest internet sites that we select Jacquelin Hayden Burnside
Thankfulness to my father who informed me regarding this blog, this webpage is really awesome. Malissa Blake Adkins Cally Upton Vitalis
Vivamus aliquet blandit rutrum. Vivamus felis velit, porta vitae dapibus quis, lacinia eget urna. Nam eget massa vel velit viverra pretium vel elementum purus. Brigitta Gilberto Herold
When I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I get 4 emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is a way you can remove me from that service? Kudos! Tybie Zerk Flosser
Water cup Indian run, run in a line with a cup of water passed front to back of line, last person run to the front, then repeat for 3miles. The team with the most water wins Horatia Orland Etoile
Well I truly liked reading it. This subject offered by you is very practical for good planning. Lulita Jacky Lindahl
Ce idei faine de cadouri. Trebuie sa plasez si eu neaparat comanda ca am cateva lucruri in wishlist. Roxanna Siegfried Sirotek
Ya, as i know it is closed?u used the trail before?i wonder why Allene Haywood Melvin
This unique blog is really entertaining and diverting. I have chosen many interesting advices out of this blog. I ad love to return over and over again. Thanks a bunch! Casey Mahmoud Faus
Having read this I believed it was very informative. I appreciate you finding the time and effort to put this short article together. I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worth it! Allyn Ebenezer Hinze
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day. It will always be interesting to read articles from other authors and practice something from other web sites. Lilyan Gerry Heman