"It felt like a jumbo jet rumbling, taking off. The the ground shaking."
Desron 'Lava Man' Rodriguez is a person of few words, but those he does utter can stop you in your tracks for this mild-mannered, softly spoken Vincentian can detail what it's like to climb an erupting volcano. "I didn't want anyone else telling me how it was up there," he answers to the inevitable question: why? "I had to witness it with my own eyes."
We're winding through the ashy foothills of La Soufrière, the still-smouldering stratavolcano that dominates St Vincent's northernmost tip. The largest and most densely populated of the 32 islands and cays that make up St Vincent & the Grenadines, this volcanic isle is a West Indies wonder. Black sand beaches are backed by small villages half-mooned around Caribbean bays devoid of international resort development. And St Vincent's windward Atlantic shores are wilder still. Its densely forested cliffs are home to more goats than people, and they graze amid palms and surf-sprayed cactuses.
We head inland from the ocean shores just beyond Georgetown, where the road rides over Rabacca Dry River, a gulch carved out by a 1902 eruption. Its banks are once again deep in grey volcanic ash, from La Soufrière's latest blast in 2021. At the road's end, La Soufrière's four-mile out-and-back summit trail has been cleared and reopened, climbing steeply over 576m. It's a journey Lava Man often makes twice a day-guiding visitors or just for fun, as he's done since he was a child. "I've always liked being outside, in nature," he says. And why should the top blowing off the mountain interrupt his daily walks?
In March 2021, La Soufrière began notable 'effusive' action, exhaling clouds of gas, with the underground magma activity sending tremors through the island.
Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
DIRECTORY
Lush Paul Valley, located at the foot of the COVA crater, is surrounded by rocky peaks, constituting one of the most spectacular landscapes of the island of Santo Antão.
CLIMBING KILIMANJARO
To summit Kilimanjaro is an expedition of a lifetime. Whether you're a seasoned mountaineer or a first-timer, there are key questions to consider before tackling the Tanzanian peak.
SEARCHING FOR BIGFOOT
TO VISIT OREGON IS TO EMBRACE THE ELEMENTAL POSSIBILITY OF BIGFOOT, THE HAIRY, HUMAN-LIKE MYTHICAL CREATURE. THE PROSPECT AND THRILL OF THE CHASE MAKES THE AREA'S THICK FORESTS, GURGLING CREEKS AND SCENIC HIKING TRAILS A TRUE WALK ON THE WILD SIDE.
FOR THE BIRDS
A visit to the Scottish Highlands offers one of the best bird- and wildlife-watching experiences in the UK, with the promise of rare encounters with unique species.
ON THE WATER
From swimming to standup paddleboarding, boating to biking, here's how to have the ultimate adventure on and around six of world's most beautiful lakes.
HOW I GOT THE SHOT
PHOTOGRAPHER MATT DUTILE ON SNAPPING THE FROZEN CONTINENT'S CHARISMATIC WILDLIFE FOR OUR MAY ISSUE
THE EVOLVING GAP YEAR
FROM ENHANCING A CV TO BENEFITTING A LOCAL COMMUNITY OR TRAVELLING WITH PURPOSE, THE MOTIVES FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE A GAP YEAR ARE INCREASINGLY NUANCED.
VALLETTA
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A timeless city
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SANDS OF TIME
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