Mt Yasur, Tanna island, Vanuatu
We’ve had Mt Yasur on the ‘must do’ list for a couple of years. The opportunity has arisen to travel there (read: I’ve accumulated too much leave and my workplace has forced me to take leave) so we’re off. Here’s a little inspiration for visiting Mt Yasur, an active volcano on Tanna island - a video taken by another traveller last year.
Looks like fun!
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:15 am
David from Whitegrass (the driver & guide) should of never taken you to that spot endangering all the people in his charge. This is totaly irresponsible on his behalf and when someone is killed or seriously hurt (magna is 3,000 degrees centigrade) you can kiss goodbye the tourism industry of Tanna and the resort will be sued for neglect of duty of care, no matter how many disclaimers the guests have signed prior to going on tour. I launched and operated Whitegrass Resort for three years, had one of my drivers/guides placed my guests in this situation he would of been fired immediately.
John Nicholls http://www.vanuatu-hotels.vu
February 19th, 2009 at 2:24 am
Having been to the volcano now myself, I would respectfully disagree with the suggested immediate termination of employment. The blasts vary in size considerably and of course, the big exciting blast is the one that will go on YouTube. On the first night we went to the volcano we stood at one of the lookout positions and the blasts were tiny, never really getting near us. Two days later I was speaking with a vulcanologist who had watched a lava bomb pass over the crater near the lookout point we had stood upon. We went to the volcano again that day and whilst standing at a different lookout, all blasts were small until there was one surprisingly large one that ejected material over the lookout and outside the crater. Following that blast we all immediately retreated to a safer position, but during the next 2 hours, no other blasts ejected material outside the crater. Given this disparity in blast size, it is possible the video shows a similarly freak event that the guard could not have foreseen.
March 12th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I have visited Yasur also, and I agree with Trav. It is a Volcano, and Volcano’s do that kind of thing. No matter what position you stand on the rim, and regardless of what prior advise is given as to the safest position on the Volcano, this event cannot be predicted.
May 11th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
John,
Grow up.
Julie,