VIBRANT MIGRANTS VS. THE VOLCANO

We’re already in to JUNE?   How can it be?  Once again, I’m very delinquent in keeping you all updated on the comings and goings of the Vibrant Migrants, so let me get cracking and fill you in on what we did… in March.

A local holiday gave us a long weekend in early March, so we decided to get out of Jakarta on our first real road trip since we’ve been here.  We’ve traveled by planes, trains… and now automobiles!  We hired a car and driver for the weekend (I’m not driving in Jakarta’s crazy traffic!) and headed about 3 hours west to the coast of Java (the island we’re on).  This would be our launch point the next day for a boat trip and hike around… an active volcano – Anak Krakatoa.

The "resort" on the coast where we stayed the night before our trip out to the volcano had all these huge painted boulders dotted around the property.  (That's the name of the hotel on this spectacle-wearing, cigar-smoking chimpanzee.)

Do not adjust your screen.  That is a rock - not an elephant.  The paint jobs were REALLY impressive!

The Krakatoa volcano erupted in 1883.  It was one of the most violent volcanic events ever recorded, and destroyed most of the island on which the volcano was located.  Subsequent eruptions since 1927 have built a new island in the caldera left after the Krakatoa eruption.  That new island is called Anak Krakatoa (which means Krakatoa’s Child).  Anak Krakatoa has had several eruptions of its own ever since, including a major one in December 2018 that caused a tsunami that wiped out about 180 miles of coastline and was the second most deadly volcanic eruption in the 21^st century.  It has continued to have smaller eruptions ever since, including most recently in September 2023.

And no, I didn’t know any of that until we were walking around on Anak Krakatoa with our guide.

Heading out to sea from the Java coast - and the ever-present air pollution.

Behold!  Anak Krakatoa!

After about a 90-minute boat ride (on a rather small boat with a very loud motor), we arrived at Anak Krakatoa and followed our guide up to the “summit,” which is only about 400 feet above sea level… because the thing keeps exploding.  When we got to the top, we could see the active cone that is forming, complete with steam and sulfur smells.  Our guide informed us that “it seems quiet today,” so he proceeded to lead us through the scree, around the cone, and back to our boat – in total, about a 90-minute hike.  But let me tell you, that 90 minutes was the absolute HOTTEST I have ever been in my life.  We were walking on loose, jet black, volcanic rock.  Basically, a barbecue.  Not an inch of shade to be found because there is not a plant to be found because, again, the thing keeps exploding.  

Hati-hati!  Indonesian for "be careful."  The rest of the sign basically says, y'all are crazy for coming out here, yo.

Did I mention we were the ONLY ONES here?  One other group arrived on a boat, walked to the top and back down, and headed back out.  Not us.  We were in for the long haul.

View from the summit at the active crater, which was slightly below.

That's me and our guide, who I'm sure was assuring me I could go closer if I wanted.  Nope, I'm good here, thank you very much.  

The walk back to the boat was through a field of fumaroles that were pumping out sulfuric gas that burned our throats and made us cough.  “Just hold your breath through here” – helpful advice from our guide.

Negotiating the large, loose scree around the base of the crater - in what felt like 500-degree heat - was a true test.

Heading back to the boat through the field of fumaroles.

There were sulfur deposits around the fumaroles that made for pops of bright yellow and orange against the jet black rock.

A pause to admire the view... and to get mentally prepared to keep scrambling over the scree.

I don't think I'll ever make it to the moon... but this was pretty dang close (if the moon was actually a giant fireball).

We loaded back up onto the boat for the return trip to shore (with a stop along the way to jump in the water in an effort to try to regain some semblance of a normal body temperature), and then onward from there back to Jakarta… where I think we both took a collective deep breath.  It was an exceptionally unique experience – setting foot on and walking around an island that is growing underneath your feet… and could possibly decide to pop again at any time.  In this episode of the Vibrant Migrants vs. The Volcano, the Vibrant Migrants won… but I don’t know that we’ll be seeking out a rematch on a super active volcano again anytime too soon.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh... 

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