W
ith
the visit in June 2009 a
considerable smoke trail was to be seen. The excursion of
this year was blessed by a
meager dim light over the Anak
summit. From the island fragment Sertung, one of the
remnants of the 1893 eruption lain northwest you had a
outstanding screen window of the Anak crater together with
the island Rakarta. However we also discovered the
momentarily longest faces of the
Krakatoa
archipelago on Sertung.
Now something oomph had to amplify the whole thing.
What was the reason of the weak red light in the
crater region. May some weak strombolian activity, or a lava
lake? Grumble, grumble…, also a risky decision, because a
mounting of the Anak summit cannot be classified as straight
harmless.
Thus
Chris Weber had the exiting experience in the recent past,
that the volcano started an ash activity while standing at
the rim. Luckily the activity did not develop itself further
stronger and restrained fast again. Also spontaneous
explosive activities can occur during the stay time at the
edge of crater. In this case you would have hardly a chance
to survive such a volcano attack.
Attending ourselves to the
curious monitor lizards the decision laid in a far distance
during the whole morning time. But with the landing on Anak
Island the ascent was clearly decided. Our main reason was
if you already find no activity, you should take the rare
opportunity to risk a view into the vent.
The
ascent on that for instance 400m high cinder cone began from
northeast, and emerged itself as extremely difficult. Even
experienced mountain climbers will feel the true joy in this
loosen rubble field and will fight against constant flight
and roll ambition. The three steps ahead and two step back
method turned out after one hour as successful, and with
tension the view was expected.
Arriving on the edge of crater we got real astonished. On
the opposite of the crater side a typical lava plug with
innumerably small gas flames could be observed on the base.
Like cemented with bitumen this plug was fixed, and everyone
had really the feeling, this cork wanted ‘out’ from its
anchorage at anytime.
Would the gas couldn’t have escaped by the tears the
positive pressure and/or an explosion would have beaten the
plug already far up. In a better way you cannot represent
the positive pressure principle at the volcano. We would not
have been averse against an exemplary demonstration, but
the circumstance of this explosive situation pushed us down
again after one hour. The descent despite darkness can be
judged at the south side as substantially simpler.
Somewhat dusty but really
happy leaving the danger zone without bigger demolitions, we
engaged ourselves again with the mangy kitchen monitor
lizard (up to 2.5 meters) and the deliciously prepared sea
food dishes by our cooks, incl. Bintang
You want to see the active Anak
Krakatoa?
Click to the tour 2009
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