Thursday 8 August Gunung Api volcano

Gunung Apl from the bottom

Sitting on the boat and looking up at Gunung Api, Fire Mountain, it didn't look a too difficult climb. We'd walk up to the top, 600m high, have look at the crater and then a faster walk back in time for lunch. Or so we thought...

Gunung Api last erupted in 1988 spewing out new lava and forcing all inhabitants of the islands to move further away. Those who lived on the volcanic island moved to the next one. Those on the next island moved to the next furthest and so on. The mountain erupted, lava flowed and covered one village but no one lost their life.

Now it is quiet and daft tourists think it fun to climb. We must be daft too because we did. We found the path steep and difficult because it is scree between bushes; not easy to get - a firm foothold and relentlessly upwards at 45º. It took two hours to reach the top and emerge beyond the tree line to the ash and rubble top. Here we were in the clouds and it was noticeably cooler. We ventured forth and peered over the edge into the crater, took some photos and then carefully away . We took a break sitting on a warm rock, volcanic warm, not sun warm, to eat our picnic lunch and recharge before the slide down the mountain. Due to the unstable and steep surface it took as long to climb down as it had to climb up – two hours each way. Towards the end of the descent my legs started to turn to jelly from over exertion; like the marathon runner who's given their all coming up to the finishing line, David gave me his arm for the last couple of hundred meters.

Once we were back on the boat and I was recovered with a few glasses of cool water I reflected on whether the effort was worth the reward and I have to say, the views and the crater weren't that wonderful. The exercise was much needed if we are going to be diving as much as I hope in the next few weeks.

view from the top