Volcano Dukono Soputan, Indonesia

East Halmahera, Indonesia

Volcano Dukono, Soputan, Lokon 2014

10th to 19th June

M. Szeglat, R.Roscoe,Th.Boeckel

in deutsch

Dukono Volcano
Away from the usual volcano trouble the visit of the nearly two years active volcano Dukono was planned. Among other things, our attention turned to the country and its people. Actually, I expected in East-Halmahera a completely simple infrastructure and a more or less larger village. But it was not like that, and the road to the 80 km distanced airport Kao was brand new and Tobelo presented itself to be a modern town.

Images by Google Earth

The ash cloud from the volcano seen from the city of Tobelo.

The spectacular drive by mopeds turned out as highly adventurous. Two people plus two thick backpacks on one moped. Is that possible? Yes it’s possible. Because of the rough terrain the moped rallye came to an end around 5 km and the further way was taken by foot. Technically, the jungle path can be classified as not too heavy at all. Alternately you pass deep stream gullies and hidden jungle landscapes. In the upper part dense reeds with lush ferns are present. However, the upper part had prepared us a surprise and we were faced with a special of the grubbiest form.

Resting camp after 3h walk.

Black rain...



... sound like a catastroph film, and was experienced real at the volcano Dukono. But for this condition you need some assumtions.



1. The jungle ascend path should be at the end strikt under the strong ash cloud for one hour


2. The plants shoud be so exuberant, that the height of the fearns and reed is is up to 3-4m. So the ash can adhere successful on the participants.


3.And now the most important. The strong rain. This rain is may bonding the airial ash and you miss the rabbling in you eyes or the common gnashing, but the ash cover on your skin increases with every minute and you will be really amazed when the ash layer grows up to an half centimetre. Now the dirt composition is perfect.


Also when this layer gets dry, you will be surprised how strong the cement like ash shell can be. Not to clean with normal lavation procedures.


Ash is your best companion at the camp all the time.



Eruptions with lightning

Unexpectedly in the afternoon and in the first night of the 10th to the 11th of June lightning eruptions were detected by us. Unlike volcanic hydrogen explosive these flash eruptions were recognized by short and loud bangs. Initially, the eruptions were monotonous dull and gray. In the twilight hour there was no sign of red. Flashes were rare again. And so the cameras were wrapped up in frustration overnight.


Lightning Video (27MB)

In the morning of the 11^th June an extremely violent and powerful eruption impressed me in its beauty. Ultimately, our guess was correct. During a fierce growl I was torn out at 4:00 from sleep and completely drowsy I stared at the spectacular natural wonder. Hundreds of glowing bombs and micro flashes lined the crater rim (similar Eyjafjallajöküll) and pushed it up to a powerful lightning ash cloud of the height of estimated two or three kilometers. However, the moon had already set, and thus the spectacle could not to be photographed due to the lack of illumination. Also bad if the cameras were crisscrossing scattered in the tent. Luckily the Dukono had in the blue hour still a violent eruption again. Combined with the divine lightning and the stars in the background it was a fantastic sight. Once in retrospect it was almost the only clear sky night in our time and I can say, well done.
Strombolian activity


In the third night the activity changed into a Strombolian activity. In comparision of the mighty crater this activity seems weak, but some bombs were ejected may up to 300m and also behind the crater rim.





Ascend to the crater


Much noisier was the position at the crater rim. Was the characteristic of the crater about one kilometer in diameter already impressive you will be surprised to get a stony welcome and you will loose laughing when you see that the bombs are impacting far behind the rim. O.K here we go…L At the edge of the crater a misty overview inside the crater expected us, but during the clear observation gaps we got an extra demonstration how powerful and full of energy this tube was blowing out..





This time I will spare all the numerous acoustic comparisons to a jet plane, no this time I put one Apollo 11 headfirst into the ground. Unbelievable how intense this tube supplies in a radius of 20 Km with noise and ash. After about 20 minutes our stay ended unexpectedly and abruptly by a violent lava bomb salvo and our magic word was retreat. Whizzzzz….

Crater Video (90MB)





Under water world




Volcano Soputan (alt 1784m)

By persistently increasing seismic and an alert status of the second highest level since about two months the observation of the Soputan volcano in North Sulawesi was of a great interest. Also by volcanologists a major eruption was expected since a longer time.



Again, the jungle trail was technically feasible, but you should not clamor wading half an hour barefoot through ankle- deep mud and streams. Note the "duck feet of Richard“, tinkered from a disused air mattress. O.K, rubber boots are quite on demand.


Orchids and other floristic works of art are seaming the jungle path.



But which volcano behaves on command, and thus we had the pleasure to photograph the sparse red glow. This was true not visible for the human eye at night, but yet we were sure that something was going on at the summit. Among other things, the mighty bloated-crackly dome cap really seemed that it would blow up itself at any moment. Unfortunately, we waited in vain for the volcanic Take-Off and this meant that we were allowed thoroughly to enjoy the lush flora. Indeed the beauty and variety of the flora was very impressive.



LOKON VOLCANO


2014: The quiet volcano (Th. Boeckel).

2009: The volcano with a side glowing mini dome (Th. Boeckel).



2012: Lokon in eruption (R. Roscoe)



Soccer World Champion Ship, Brasil 2014



Soccer enjoys also in the remotest places in the world a significant popularity



Translation under construction

Indonesische Fußball-Fans. Beim Straßen-Public-Viewing war Richard mit seinen Engländern in der ersten Halbzeit noch zuversichtlich. In der Zweiten nicht mehr so...
Allerdings gab es während des England-Italien Spiels in der zweiten Halbzeit einen Religionswechsel. Als die christlichen Anhänger während der morgendlichen Gebetsstunde (7:15 ???) tatsächlich den Fernseher abschalten mussten, wanderten wir zu den moslemischen Fußballanhänger und schauten munter weiter. Auffällig war, dass hier die 'Jerman-Fans' in der Mehrzahl waren..