Le Journal de Bord

Sunday 12 August 2018 : BUT... WHERE IS THE YELLOW BUS ?

Today, we arrived to Catane airport to begin our volcanos adventure. We have meet Anne, Juliette, Simon, Alizée, Matthieu and the educators who’s names are François, a geologist and a pilot of drones, Emilie an expert of geology, playing dobble in english please !
After that, we wanted to take the bus to Milazzo, then, the ferry to go in the island of Vulcano. But that wasn’t.
What’s happen... ? In fact, we have waited and searched the yellow bus driver, but we’ve never finds them ! So we took another bus, to go in Milazzo. When we arrived, we go in a pizzeria and the servor dress a table just for us, in the middle of the street !!!

So we have eaten different specialities of Sicilia, like pizzas or Or Métal précieux. Dans le cadre du séjour Le TrésOR des MINES nous chercherons de l’or dans le Val d’Anniviers, à la batée. pastas (there wasn’t tiramisu cause we arrived to late =(). After eating, we have searching an sleeping place, and finished to sleep on a beach of sailors, with boats and a big magniola, that was so cool, and so beautiful...

Monday 13 August 2018 : WELCOME TO VULCANO PARADISE !

We woke up with the sunrise, so at 6 O’clock (less poetic, we know...), the orange and pink sky was so beautiful, with the sound of the waves... But there was mosquitos ! ( hello the eye of Anne ). We have tiding our bags, tents and others affairs quickly to take the ferry for Vulcano. We don’t found places so we seat down on the floor, and playing cards. We arrived on Vulcano after, and that was so amazing to sea and to smell the vulcanos. We took the taxi for our cumbersome bagage, and arrived in the camping of Rino, a great friend of Emilie. We install the campement, with our tents, hamacs, and others things. We have decided who do what, and going to the beach ! That was so cool, we’ve swam on a hot and water with maks and tubas, and see lot of fishes and marine species like urshin or Or Métal précieux. Dans le cadre du séjour Le TrésOR des MINES nous chercherons de l’or dans le Val d’Anniviers, à la batée. raimbow wrasse... Now, we are eating pastas, so goodbye !

Jeanne et Louise

After this great lunch, we take a rest time, aslo know as an Italian afternoon. Thanks to this peacefull time, we feel ready to climb on the Vulcano. The vulcano is an active volcano presenting a solfataric activity, his last eruption was in 1888 to 1890. A tiring hike of more than a kilometer with 390 meters drop under a hot sun
( what a health walk ! ). Soon after the begining of the climb, we stop to study a geological formation resulting a pyroclastic flow : an avalanch of block, ash, andscorching gas hurtling down the slope at two hundred to three hundred
kilometer. It’s at 200 meters of summit that we begin to smell of the roten eggs characteristic of the geothermal activity.
Arrived to the summit, we discover a desolated and mineralised landscape. In spit of the (pestilentieled) smell of the hydrogen sulfur, we measure the temperature of the gases at the exit of the steaming vents (range from 88°C to 210°C). This gases are
rich in water, sulfur, CO2 and many traces elements. Thanks to this geothermal conditions, beautiful minerals deposit take place all around the fumerols. All of the roles wil be shared : Alizée at the notice board, Simon, Jeanne, Louise and
Juliette with the IR thermometer, Matthieu at the realeved, Anne draw a sketch to localise the places of measurements and François take pictures and video of the vulcano with a drone.

We stayed waiting the sunset on the mediterranee. The major part of the group stay to eat at the summit, except Simon and Matthieu who had to turn back to the campground for medical reason. At their return, the night was fell down. All together we went on the way down again with the frontals lamps to join the camp for take a sleep well deserved.

Tuesday 14 August 2018 : THE DAY AFTER THE STENDER !!!

We awake at height o’clock. Program of the day : big breakfast, shopping for the meal in a small market (the biggest of the island), swiming in the sea, sand scult of trhee volcanic island based of geological map on the beach, salad for the lunch,
and the Italian afternoon. And it’s now the time for us to take our rest.

Simon said ¨the chipmunk¨ et Matthieu said ¨the mafieux¨

the same day...

While Emilie bought tickets for Stromboli, we climbed the cliff behind our camping. The goal was to fly drone. After a hike in bamboos fern, we reached the summit and admired sun light playing on the sea. We enjoyed a few time wind and wonderful
vision of the island. François’s pilot talent permitted us to shoot several captures. On the way down, we heard thunder.
Consequently, we protected from the rain our food, clothes ( which weren’t fully dry after the laudery ).

After that, we visited the visitor center managed by the Institut National of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

An Italian geologist explained us the subduction context of African plaque under euroasiatique plaque, which created Eolienne volcanoes complex. There are seven islands ( from west to east ) named Alicudi, Filicudi, Salina, Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea and Stromboli. Some others volcanoes existed in this area, but for now they are under the sea level. To
finish the visit, we watched a film retracing history of Volcano’s island... It emerges from the sea 100 000 years ago and rises twice its actual elevation. A violent explosion destroys the cone and creates the caldeira « del Piano ». Inside, 3
craters appears and with slow lava flow, that fills the caldeira. The magma source northdraws in a circle arc producing rock peak, like the one we climbed to fly drone. A partial collapse destroys some of these edifices and north-border of the caldeira. The actual cone of Vulcano appears here and rises until 1890, the date of his last explosion. Vulcanello was born in the north of the island and joined it 5 centuries ago with a pyroclastic flow creating the actual blacksand beach...
We returned to the camp and coocked in a convivial atmosphere fried potatoes with oignons and meat. Everybody took parts and we appreciated the meal. Then, we prepared our bags for the trip to Stromboli and went sleeping.

Wednesday 15 August 2018 : THE BIG SHOW

After a little woke up at 4 a.m. due to the thunderstorm, we left camping at 8.15 a.m. to catch the ferry. 2 hours later, a beginning was felt by some of us, the arrival at Stromboli was appreciate. We swam e little bit on black gravel beach.
Then, we walked in Saint Vincenzo. We ate italian specialities : the arrancini, composed of rice, vegetables and meat fried.
We went down to find place on the shade in order to have a nap. At 5.00 p.m., we dropped sleeping bags, matrassand all things unusefull for the hike to Stromboli. We took helmet in order to be protected from ashes and protections.

(written between 2.00 a.m. and 4.00 a.m. the August 16th .. look the explanations after).

Emilie exerced pression on us saying that Stromboli’s climb was very more difficult than Vulcano’s. The first part of the ascension was in the vegetation and it wasn’t really hard, contrary to what we were expected. But an italian couple decided
to go down. We took 3 pauses while we ate dry abricots, nuts, dates and biscuits. During this time, our guide Adriano explain to us some detailed informations about the flora, fauna and geology of the island... Stromboli has emerged from the sea 250 000 years ago. Major caldeiras and collapses have been contributed to its actual shape. The last part of the island which was formed is the « Chiara del Fuoco » 5000 years ago. The volcano errupted continously since 3 000 years. Neverless, volcanic activity has never stopped human colonisation on the island. Indeed, people lived already in eolian islands in Prehistory. Before Italian became lazy, Stromboli has been cultivated from the beach to the top.

Finally, after 3 hours of hike, we arrived on the summit at 918 meters, we could admire the 4 craters, which errupted more or less regulary (with the sunset and thunderstorm at back). The exhauste, warm and hungry were obliterated by the beauty of this natural phenomena. Red lava attracted our eyes, in opposite to the darkness of basalt volcanic rock and sunset’s shadow. In refers to our devise « P.P.P.P. »(prêt, partage, portatif, parcimonie), we surnamed the 4 craters « Premier », which aperceive smoking firstlyduring the hike, « Paillette », for the huge quantities of shining lapili that he rejected. « Precoce » erupted continusly and we could see a lava lake emeting gases and « Peteux ». We stayed here to profit this wonderful scenary during one hour. We went dorwn in night with front ligths. We walked through ash filled. On middle of the way down, we distinguished Mars, Jupiter, Saturne and some constellations despite cloud’s arrival. We are rejoined San Vincenzo’s church at 11.00 p.m. After we got’s bags back, we ate an ice cream, went to the beach, took a midnight’s batch and sleeped on a beach volley place.

Thursday 16 August 2018 : HECTIC NIGHT AND A SPECIFIC BATH

At 1.48 am, we were waken up by the rain. After a little moment of panic, we returned with all bags to the bar where we have eaten icecream. The owner accepted us, so we settled on. Wetted, we decided to write our day’s adventure before trying to sleep, but it was a little bit difficult because waitresses have decided to listen loud music all night long...
After a little snack bought in a backery, we took the boat at 7.15 a.m., to return to Vulcano. At our arrival, we had a shower, ate a big breakfast, did the washing, we finised our night in our hammocks. In the afternoon, some of us went shopping
in « tourists’ catch » and other had a nap.

At the end of the afternoon, we profited to the famous bath of mud in a persistent sulfur’s smell, wich not evaporate before one week. It was amasing in spite of some burnings due to the water’s warm and the fact that we didn’t smell great...

We ate a salade composed of tomatoes and mozzarella with asian rice. Then, it was a rainning nigth but we were exhausted so we slept.

Friday 17 August 2018 : RETURN TO SICILIA

At the morning, we had breakfast, took the Aliscafe boat to return to Sicilia. We slept on board and when we arrived, we ate Frollini’s biscuits on the parking, while Emilie and Francois rend the van. Then, we ate a sandwich on the road, under the
rain. We arrived at Taormina, visited the church and looked the antiquities boutics. But then the rain was so strong and Francois pick up us. We settled in a nice camping Almoetia. After that we arrived to our new camping, which is situated next the sea. We have prepare our new camp, decided to sleep on the van and then, let’s go to the supermarket and the sea ! We took an HOT
shower, ate sausages with zucchini after the aperitif and went sleeping, for Anne, Alizée and Juliette in the biiiig car...

Saturday 18 August 2018 : CLIMBING ETNA

LET’S CLIMB ETNA ! We started the day with a big breakfast, anf then, we walked in a forest, on lava floor ( stone ) and see two lava cave, that was impresive and we learned a lot of things... We saw also a house and trees under lava floor. We finished the hike at the night, so we took pizzas at the camp, with sicilian speciality like chocolate and pistaccio cake and an ice cream vanila pistaccio and confit fruit for Emilie (but not tiramisu). That was a great day, and Jeanne, Louise and Juliette prefer to sleep in the van.

Sunday 19 August 2018 : A RESTING DAY A LA « SPIAGGIA »

We took a resting day and tidy the camp to go away on the morning. At midday, we had risoto and melon and went in a new camp next the airport. We organized our new place and went play on the waves from which we where able to see the Etna. For the dinner, we had an sicilian speciality : an eggplant hamburger, that was very good and surprysing.

Monday 20 August 2018 : THE INGV, THE APOTHEOSIS

We went to Catane to visit the Institute National of Geophysic and Volcanology (INGV). The excellent volcanologist Borris Behncke was our guide during 2 hours in the operating room.

There are camera`s video of Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano to keep an eye on all volcanoes of this area. 36 sismograph are visible on the wall that is covered with screen. Borris explained us the permanent communication system between the INGV and air force`s control or civil defense. Every earthquakes is recorded, also when a threshold is overtaken, a report is made. The same system is used in all Italia, particularly to watch Vesuvia and Phelegrians field. Finally, we left again (because it was time to eat) the Institute admiring photography of different eruptions and volcanoes. Thanks a lot to Boris.

We had pizza and visited Catania before to return to the camp.To finish the afternoon, we wrote per groups scientific articles.
The evening, we played a « wolf-garou » on the beach, with disco music in background.

Tuesday 21 August 2018 : LIKE A TURIST !!!

We went to Catane and played with the turists. We got a pen and the goal was to trade it with what we want. So we abord a of people on the street (5) for change this object. Finally, we obtained an parfum, and after, three pimentos keys rings.
On the str ice creams and bought some objects for our family. We took the bus after eating our sandwichs, and return at our campement, for finished our articles, and to came to the sea. In the sea, we saw an little Etna eruption, and took some photos. The waves were biggest than the other days so we surf as if we hasn’t got boards. We ate some pancakes and for the dinner, fish and tomatoes, oinions and sweet pepper. After, we do the final bilan of our week, and said goodbye at all the people...bouuuuuh

Wednesday 22 August 2018 : THE END

At 5.15, Anne, Matthieu and Simon came to the airport. With Juliette, we finished to cook the pancakes and tidy the camp.
She was going to the airport at 10.30, and with Alizée and Jeanne, we have dismantle the tents....

Now every one just left. We are all very happy by this holiday, the team spirit was excellent.

You can read their articles on this website :
Louise, Jeanne and Juliette published : Stromboli’s evolution
Alizée and Matthieu published : DICTIONARY OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTS OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
Anne and Simon published : The volcanic ashes and What is Vulcano ?

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