Stromboli Volcano

We have been extremely busy visiting Europe. While I am still working on pictures from Barcelona, Monaco, Pisa, Rome, Pompeii, and Taorimina, I wanted to share an experience we had last night as the ship was traveling from Messina to Palma De Mallorca. The Captain took the hip 3 hours off course so we could see the Stromboli Volcano.

The Captain took us near the Stromboli Volcano. For those that are not aware, the Stromboli Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. It has been almost continuously erupting since 1932.

We thought we were going to miss out as we saw noting as the Captain took the ship within 1 mile of the island, which is near the toe of the boot of Italy. Then it happened. Not once, but five separate eruptions. It is almost 9pm here in the Mediterranean and pitch black until all of a sudden we see a glow and then lava starts shooting out. It only lasts for a few seconds and then we see it start flowing down the side of the mountain. My camera does not do justice to it, but here are a few shots of the first eruption. Notice the last couple of photos show the lava as it is spreading out and flowing downhill.

Then after a few minutes, it happens again, but this time it just shoots lava in the air. In different ways, this one was a little more spectacular.

Number three and four were over before I could focus the camera. However, we were having our picture taken by a staff photographer on the ship when the last eruption occurred. We haven't seen the pictures yet, but he thinks he got us and the eruption at the same time.

Words nor pictures can not fully describe the event of Stromboli blowing lava in the air. Let me just say that this was one of the most amazing thing I have ever seen.