Papandayan Volcano - Indonesia

July 2008

Papandayan is a fascinating volcano filled with small wonders such as boiling mud pools, sulfur deposits, fumaroles as well as a crater lake. Spending time at this volcano was like being on another planet, the landscape didn't look like it belonged here on Earth.

The view approaching Papandayan volcano. Sulfur dioxide gas is seen venting from near the crater lake.	Here I am getting very close to the active fumaroles. The sulfur dioxide gas makes it impossible to get this close for any period of time without a gas mask. The gas combines with the fluid in your lungs to create sulfuric acid.

A cone filled with hot, liquid sulfur. Some of these deposits were delicate and brittle so I had to very cautious where I stepped. The sulfur gas was so thick and strong that the bottoms of my pants started to dissolve.	Iron deposits at the volcano cause this river to flow red.

A small waterfall on the red river. The colour comes from oxidized iron deposits.	Dead, charred trees that took the brunt of a lateral blast during an eruption in 2002.

A fascinating mineral formation that was only about a foot wide. This volcano is littered with countless small wonders like this.	At the crater lake with a large fumarole field on the cliff side behind. The water in the lake was cold and slightly acidic.

Boiling mud pots, bubbling away.	More boiling mud. It is very tempting to get too close to these but getting splashed by one would cause severe burns.

More bizarre, alien landscapes of mud, sulfur and other minerals.	Sulfur crystals hang like delicate feathers.

Measuring the acidity of the water with a handheld ph meter.

---