Mt Yasur Tanna Volcano

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• published: 01 Feb 2015
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At 3:30pm we jumped in the car with Charlie again and joined also by the Italian couple again. They were also travelling the world for 3 months so we had a bit in common and we managed to find plenty to chat about as we made our way across the island towards the volcano. Now you might wonder if we are getting a bit volcano obsessed, this our 2nd volcano in as many weeks. But it's just the way it turned out. However this one was active and we were promised activity with lava, ash, gases and everything! How exciting. Charlie stopped at the viewpoint on the way and we saw Mt Yasur for the first time. It had ash spewing out he top but it looked really impressive. The second half of the journey there was very slow going. The roads on the first half had been bad as there are no tarmac roads on Tanna but the last leg, well it was like going off road. We both said it reminded us of Mongolia when we took the 4x4 across the country. Charlie stopped at the foot of the volcano and we all got out. As we stood at the base of the volcano covered in thick ash deposits, we heard a loud GGGRRRRR!!!! We all looked at each other as the volcano was rumbling away, and wondered if it was safe to be there. Charlie just looked bemused. He probably sees this reaction from everyone he takes there as he says it does this all day long, every day. Reassured we took a bit longer to explore. Charlie pointed out the rocks that had been fired out in the last wave of more volatile activity and then Jody found a coconut. OK Charlie, is Yasur spitting out coconuts too she asked. We continued in the car a bit further and eventually came to the end of the road. The last bit was on foot. There was a guide - Nancy, waiting for us and Charlie gave us torches to get back down again. Right at the bottom of the slope was the world's only volcano post box. Bugger! we had forgotten to bring our postcards. Actually we had forgotten to buy them. Never mind - we could sort that out later. We followed Nancy up the track which was incredibly steep. As the steep pathway levelled off slightly, it became ash and rocks making it more hard work to climb but it wasn't long before we were at the top. As it was still light we could see the huge crater below us which was churning out gases. We walked along the rim to the highest point and we could see the lava churning below. Then every 5 -10 minutes Yasur gave a big GGGRRRRR! and a whoosh of ash would shoot up into the sky. Then every other rumble was much bigger and accompanied by a jet of lava sent shooting out too. It was incredible to watch. Then the common sense side of us kicked in a bit and we were torn between worrying about the crater caving in and us tumbling into the centre, and marvelling at the amazing sight in front of us - something we knew could not be witnessed by the public in many places on earth. Our amazement won out and we stayed until dark to marvel at it all a bit longer. It seemed as if the darker it got, the louder Yasur rumbled. And the darker it got, the more impressive this natural firework display became. The sparks seemed to shoot higher and brighter. We spent about 2 hours altogether on the crater and eventually made our way down in pitch blackness to Charlie waiting in the car for us. Thank goodness for our guide Nancy and the torches Charlie gave us otherwise they would have had to wait for morning for us to get down! Charlie seemed to make it back to Evergreen in super quick time earning him the name Charlie Ferrari. He got us back in an hour where we washed up and settled down for a delicious dinner. What an incredible day! http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/offonourown2/1/1422465417/tpod.html?fb