This is a picture of the New Zeland volcano before it erupted, killing at least six people and severely injuring at least 20.
I’m especially interested, of course, because Catherine lives in New Zealand.
Hike on an Active Volcano
If you’re an outdoorsy type, getting up close to a mighty volcano is one of the most exciting adventures you can have. Join a guide and go hiking up through the snowy forests to get up close to roaring steam vents and pits of bubbling mud. One of the best places is White Island which lies in the Pacific Ocean some 100 kilometers or so from the North Island. Once you’ve hiked across the island, you’ll come to the crater which spans several kilometres and is surrounded by 300-metre-high cliffs.
—Winter Activities in New Zealand for Adrenaline Junkies
OK, so “adrenaline junkies” might very well take the risk, the volcano doesn’t erupt very often.
But one tour company was also offering the tour to families with children over six years old:
Pricing and Conditions
Adult $229.00 – $389.00
Child (15 years and under) $130.00 – $290.00Age restriction: 6
I assume they were talking about NZ dollars, not US, if so the cost in US dollars would be about 2/3rds of the prices listed.
The company got very good reviews from TripAdvisor, which describes the tour this way,
Cruise across the pristine waters of the Bay of Plenty to Whakaari/White Island – New Zealand’s most active volcano. After being fitted with hard hats and gas masks, guides will lead you on an exploration of the crater floor. Experience roaring steam vents, bubbling pits of mud, hot volcanic streams, and the amazing lake of steaming acid. The vivid hues of yellow and orange, resulting from the abundant sulphur on the island, make it a photographer’s dream. After the time on the island, a light-packed snack box will be served back on the boat, whilst the area is also home to dolphins, whales, and other marine life, and viewing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat is a great way to end the day.
So the question is, should these tours be allowed? Apparently the last eruption was in 2016, three years after the previous one. More and more tourists are coming now — should they be more clearly warned of the unpredictable danger? What do you think? Would you take a chance exploring an active volcano? Would you take children there?
December 13, 2019
apparently people are just wired differently. I’ve never understood how courting danger and even a horrible death can make one feel more alive.
but I do believe if it’s your choice to take chances like that… you have no right to make a child take the same chances. children should not be allowed to go. if they choose as an adult of their own accord… maybe then. but I still don’t get it!
People thought it was safer than it was. They didn’t think they were courting danger and putting their children at risk.
yes, lots of discussion on the matter here, particularly amongst some of my family and their friends.. I have never wanted to visit it, nor a couple of others either, the ones from overseas curious but my niece went once, but she was worried all the time…thought she had made a bad decision.
apparently the cost if you went from the “Ovation of the Seas” was $350.00NZ adult which inc transportation to/from ship which was at the Tauranga port. I believe there were at least two tours before this disastrous one…many who spoke of the cost, didn’t go, even if the brochure said what yours say…
the Ship remained in port longer than the schedule and now has changed it’s route – with refunds etc to passengers…much support of course from local people as they struggled at the smaller hospital to treat the survivors, many of whom might not make it because of the mainly burn%. Most of survivors are Australian but a smattering of people from other countries – some of whom are still missing…I believe there are teams waiting to have access to find those people who are presumed dead.
then as conversations go on anything to do with NZ, we have a huge geology fault encupsulating our country. We have seen that with a couple of major earth movements on the both main islands.
when i was in Rotorua and went to some of the thermal areas, one of which had a wooden walkway (quite wide) over a hot lake…I walked steadily but not fast, worried a bit that 6″ below me was a burning hot lake which was also bubbling intermittently…
https://www.geonet.org.nz/
As I said on my own blog…”yes it nearby to the North Island, but I live much further north of that area in the Auckland region…” I’m not affected by that at all
I don’t know if I have done justice in this reply…it’s always sad when these things happen; you can understand the attraction of doing this type of excursion but then you wonder if the risks have been fully laid out to those who take the tour…that is something we probably will never know, as a summary and followup report will not come to our notice via the newsreels…
we have other volcanoes, but they are not necessarily active. 50 + in my region – not extinct but classed as dormant. And this website gives you a bit more indepth on the whole of NZ
https://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Learning/Science-Topics/Volcanoes/New-Zealand-Volcanoes
And before you think our nation is a huge landmass, the whole of NZ will fit into the size of Colorado…
Thanks. I think the real problem is the risks weren’t really laid out to the tourists doing it. I think the article aimed at “adrenaline junkies” may have given the right idea. The tours that allowed children to come implied it was reasonably safe.
I’m sure that the tour is quite fascinating but I can’t imagine taking the risk. You would never get me to go.
I wouldn’t either, but I think a lot of the tourists weren’t aware that it was so dangerous.
Just crazy to go walking on an active volcano!
Andy and I are cautious types too, but some people are wired differently.
You could not pay me enough to go…that is one thing I am entirely not ashamed I am afraid of.
Me too!
Such a tragedy! It is not something our Mom and Dad would do, but they are not very adventurous. We are just so saddened by all the loss of life and the severe injuries.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
I’m also saddened by the wildfires in Australia. Apparently the smoke was so heavy in Sydney that smoke alarms inside buildings were going off.
Stupid is as stupid does. We did go walking on dead volcanic ash in Hawaii so maybe we didn’t realize there might be any risk there. And we watched a live flow from a great distance while on a ship at sea. But anything that requires a hard hat and gas mask is NOT something I would be willing to do.
I’m pretty sure the people who went on the tour didn’t realize how dangerous it was — thousands of people had done it with no problem.
NON-adrenaline junkies are welcome to come to Arizona and explore Glassford Hill, a volcano in Prescott Valley that last erupted between 10 and 14 million years ago. There’s a new trail to the summit.
Or you could come to the Valles Caldera National Monument, which they say is still a “potentially active” volcano:
We drive right by it when we go up to the land. Presumably it would give us some warning if it were going to do something spectacular.
And Yellowstone National Park is on top of a super volcano.
I think there should be a ban on visits to Whakaari. If there’s any possibility at all of a serious eruption injuring or killing dozens of people, the island should be off limits. I’m sure many of the people visiting weren’t fully aware of how dangerous the island is.
I’m sure they’ll put limits on the tours now.