Map by Google Earth
YASUR VOLCANO
Not everyday encounters at the
roadside. Gas station, balancing act on tires, and a
gigantic market
tree
After we had to
leave the custody of the Endu people on Ambrym wistfully
behind us, we were still happy to have reached the island of
Tanna. In rumbling way we drove
across the whole island and reached in 2.5 hours the area of
Yasurs. The ash plain was
dominating, the volcano Yasur itself with its apprx. 350
metres looked really unoffending. But
the Little-well-behaving
turn out later
as true monsters.
The way to Yasur, first ash eruptions and over the
rainbow.
Small but powerful, first eruptions in the evening
presenting the first impressions.
The 40 minute walk from the campground
jungle oasis of, was always to examine the behavior of
the volcano. This had become noticeable because the
so-called tourist point was in any way sure. The
middle image already shows lava bombs running down the
eastern rim. By entering the Circus Maximus Volcanus
you can convince yourself of the enormous loudness. I
noticed that the intensity of the explosive activity,
as well as the emergence of the fountains in a
strombolian mode had been much more stronger e.g.
Stromboli or
Batu Tara. It exist really much more pressure.
tb
mr
mr
mr
Strombolian activity in the second night
After a break of the volcano during
the day violent Strombolians were observed in the
second night. The fountains reached the height up to
150 meters above the average height of the crater rim
in a 3 minutes interval. Total height of the fontains
measured from the crater ground was estimated up to
250 metres.
The tour around the whole crater allowed us from the
North side a deep view inside the South crater with its
vents. In the first days one broad and two smaller vents
were existing. As a welcome greeting the volcano placed a
lava bomb in the diameter of half a meter at a distance of
10 m in front of me. Probably intended as welcome gift from
the volcano, I instilled my first portion respect and get my
needed adrenaline push for the first evening. Thanks Yasur!
Bombardement of the entire western lain crater areal
inclusive the
'tourist point'
tb 
mr
Violent explosive activity spreaded lava bombs
at the whole rim. The thick trace on the right in the
left photo shows a bomb of may one Meter wich passed
me in an distance of 20 Meter on the right side. The
same bomb is shown on Martins photo right. Here the
bomb was passing Martin in an distance of 10m on the
left side. Urgl..
tb
A beautiful
juggernaut in the form of a lava bomb crossing the
whole crater. The diameter was estimated to 1.5 metres
and crashed in a distance of about
40neter with vehemence the upper crater wall of the
western crater.
mr
tb
Bombs flew up
to 100 m (right image) over the South Rim
In
the next days lava bombs flew surprisingly without any
anouncement around our ears. On the fourth day I left
the position 'Western edge' after a triple bombing in
a hurry because the situation seemed somewhat unsure.
After the situation "normalized" itself, the
unwell-feeling was always present during the whole
observation period.
After the the tourist point was hit twice times fully,
this volcano was classified myself as brand-risky.
We wondered ourselves whether this activity was
officially classified in a warning level 2.
tb
mr
mr
Again the observation point North Rim. Heavy
detonations squeezed the air and you will notice the
pressure waves when they are passing you. This becomes even
clearer in the filming sequences using a strong tele. Here
you can notice that the shock waves are shaking the
video camera
directly
(look at video 10). Ultimately, you could blow yourself
dry in the pressure waves.
Up to 10 Meter high tree ferns and modern Tikis,
tropical flowers and
beautiful beaches near Port Resolution supplies you
with relaxation.
Also the East side is a good viewing point over the
craters. In the crater bottom two blue
hydrogen
gas flames in between the inner bombardement.
Detail shots of the North side view. Explosions partially spreading plenty
of lava in the lower area of the crater in a radius of 50
meters. It was also noticeable that the activity
changed
during the 5 days absolutely. The change from the Strombolian activity to
the ashen activity was partly just a few hours. After half a
day of complete silence, a strong explosive phase followed.
Hours later the ashen phase returned but the strombolian
mode was queueing soon.
mr
mr
Eruption is changing to an Ash-Glow modus
Mr.Gee during the examination of the volcano, of corse with TV-team.
Back in Port Villa:
The market shows colourful motifs and
mysterious meals. Maniok and potatoes side by side as
a main vegetable. Flowers in any colours and variation
in abundance. This happy manifold sundry has
transferred probably directly to the mind of the
people of Vanuatu.
Cheerfulness dominates, and I
understand now that this people have
officially
the highest Happy-People-Index
in the
world.
BACK
...jump
to the Ambrym volcanos
April 23 - Mai 15- 2012
