Thursday 16 October 2008

Vulcano


4th-7th September

The island of Vulcano is another of our favourite spots. It is the most southerly of the Aeolian Islands, a group of seven islands of vulcanic origin of which the most famous is Stromboli. There are two safe anchorages, one to the east, the other the west, separated by a small isthmus. We always choose the eastern anchorage, nearer the town and just outside the harbour. It is always busy with boats at anchor and ferries rushing in and out all day long.

Ashore there is a hot spring, a sulphur mud bath. It is an experience, sitting there in this cloudy, grey water that can be very hot in places, bubbles rising all around, covering oneself in the malodorous whitish-grey mud. There are always lots of people: sitting in the opaque water, rubbing mud on faces, arms, necks, legs, standing ankle-deep in the water or on the side of the pool allowing the mud to dry hard before washing it all off and starting again. There are signs: Please Wash Mud Off Before Going into the Sea. I think the mud may be running out... A word of warning: always warn friends who plan to go there, wear an old swimsuit, one that can be thrown away afterwards, because it will never be the same again.

Although small, the mud baths are the dominating feature of Vulcano, more because the smell of the sulphur is all-pervasive than because it is an obvious feature of the landscape. After a few days it seems to get into everything, sometimes just a hint, sometimes so strong it almost hurts to breathe. I find that eventually I get a headache. But even so, I love going there.

Vulcano is not a particularly attractive town, at least, not in a picture postcard way. There are no elegant buildings, no narrow alleys, no beautiful churches. What there is is life, lots of it. The town thrives on tourism and all day long there are people arriving or leaving, shopping, eating, relaxing, walking through the small town. The main beach is on the other side, near the other anchorage. A thermal swimming pool has been constructed recently with, according to the brochure, various pools all at difference temperatures. It all looks very exciting. And for those visitors who want to explore the island, it is possible to rent bicycles, scooters, quad bikes. I think the whole island can be covered in less than a day.

Then there are the organised hikes up to the crater of the main volcano, which is still slightly active. Well, there is smoke... a little. But it does seem to be more each year. It is always too hot when we visit to even consider the hike. Every year I promise myself I will go and every year the heat beats me. This year was no better. I think that the days since we arrived in Sicily have been the hottest of the summer, no matter that it is now September. I had forgotten just how unbearable it is. One morning I talked to a woman in a shop who told me that that day was to be particularly hot... Oh no, not hotter, I just couldn't cope! So, once again, no walk up to the crater. But it is there to look at, above the town, the top devoid of vegetation, smoke appearing in various places along the ridge and occasionally further down the mountainside.

There is a Centre for the Study of Volcanoes and eventually Tony and I managed to find it. It wasn't easy. Although they seem to want visitors they also seem not to know how to advertise themselves. Which is a shame because it was interesting. Obviously the main study is of Stromboli and they had a short film showing amazing footage of the eruption that took place in 2002/3.

After a few days it was time to move on. Ron and Sheenagh had caught up with us once again and I particularly wanted them to visit Stromboli, to see the volcano at night, passing on the western side where they would see the eruptions that take place every fifteen to twenty minutes. It is the most remarkable sight, lava exploding out of the crater, shooting up a hundred feet in the air before landing and rolling down the mountain. Nothing grows, there is nothing but black lava scree running down from the crater, about a kilometre wide when it reaches the sea. And the sea... it is a deep, deep blue, almost black. Even fifty metres from the shore it is already a hundred metres deep.

Our first stop would be the island of Panarea. In the past we have anchored away from the town in a small bay with a few houses on the shore and space for maybe three or four boats.
I had long wanted to try the anchorage in front of the town so that was where we headed, from Vulcano along the coast of Lipari and then to Panarea, Stromboli in sight all the time, puffs of smoke emitting at regular intervals. The anchorage looked doubtful. There were mooring buoys scattered everywhere but we had no idea whether we could pick one up and if we did, would it be strong enough to hold Ganymede should the weather turn bad. We dropped anchor, didn't like where we were, moved and dropped anchor again. Then we went ashore.

The town was slightly disappointing. I don't know what I had expected. Perhaps a prettier version of Vulcano, perhaps a larger village, more elegant shops and restaurants ... There were lots of people sitting around when we arrived, waiting, looking bored. We wandered along the harbour, passing a few shops and cafés, and then back. By the time we had chosen a bar to sit in and enjoy a cool drink a ferry had come and gone... and so had all the people. Perhaps I got the wrong impression but I think Panarea may be best seen from the sea. On shore there seemed little for the visitor to do other than eat and drink, at least in the suffocating heat of summer... in cooler weather I am sure there are lovely walks and I know from going ashore at the other anchorage that there are lovely villas, their gardens lush with brightly coloured shrubs: bougainvilea, oleander, hibiscus, summer jasmine. The narrow lanes are wide enough only for the golf carts that are used as taxis (as they are on Stromboli also).

Tony and I spent the night at anchor while the others continued on their way, timing their passage in order to pass Stromboli as soon as darkness fell and then on to Gioia Tauro, their final destination. We slept soundly and then made an early start to arrive in Gioia Tauro just after midday.

No comments: