November 2016 tour photos: Erta Ale & Dallol by Hans en Jooske
The first of our Danakil expeditions of the 2016-2017 winter season turned out to be an unexpected success - not only because of the flawless logistics and organisation or the friendliness with which local Ethiopians welcome international travelers, but also thanks to the very high activity at Erta Ale and Dallol!
At Erta Ale, the lava lake has been overflowing multiple times a day, sometimes even continuously, constructing a large new area of fresh pahoehoe lava flows on the caldera floor. Our main guide and organiser, Ethiopian geologist Enku, has been regularly visiting this location but never saw it this active and impressive in his 20 years experience.
And also Dallol seems to have stepped up its game: after the slow drying out and shrinking of the hydrothermal activity at this unique location between 2010 and 2015, last year´s rains had transformed it back to is former colourful and fascinating self - and this active area is still growing even in the past few weeks.
Below we gladly share with you a number of images that our participants Hans en Jooske kindly send us days after returning home from their Danakil volcano adventure.
At Erta Ale, the lava lake has been overflowing multiple times a day, sometimes even continuously, constructing a large new area of fresh pahoehoe lava flows on the caldera floor. Our main guide and organiser, Ethiopian geologist Enku, has been regularly visiting this location but never saw it this active and impressive in his 20 years experience.
And also Dallol seems to have stepped up its game: after the slow drying out and shrinking of the hydrothermal activity at this unique location between 2010 and 2015, last year´s rains had transformed it back to is former colourful and fascinating self - and this active area is still growing even in the past few weeks.
Below we gladly share with you a number of images that our participants Hans en Jooske kindly send us days after returning home from their Danakil volcano adventure.
The lava lake is literally filled to the rim of its self made circular containment wall, making it o... [info]
(944 Hits)
(944 Hits)
The strong glow of the boiling hot lava quickly becomes more visible after sunset, turning the explo... [info]
(799 Hits)
(799 Hits)
A new pahoehoe lava overflow has formed and makes it outward from the lava lake´s vent (Photo: Hans ... [info]
(735 Hits)
(735 Hits)
The lava lake was extremely active when our group visited it during the second half of November 2016... [info]
(723 Hits)
(723 Hits)
Zoom onto the fresh pahoehoe lava flows that are currently covering Erta Ale´s caldera floor. As the... [info]
(634 Hits)
(634 Hits)
Intricate texture of the cooled silver to black crust of a fresh pahoehoe lava flow. Despite the see... [info]
(596 Hits)
(596 Hits)
New lava is supplied from the active lava lake into pahoehoe lava flows that formed during an earlie... [info]
(614 Hits)
(614 Hits)
The high activity of Erta Ale´s lava lake also produces larger amounts of fresh Pele´s hair and Pele... [info]
(628 Hits)
(628 Hits)
Exploding lava bubbles and pahoehoe lava overflow at the rim of Erta Ale´s perched lava lake. (Photo... [info]
(634 Hits)
(634 Hits)
Erta Ale´s lava lake is so active that it has completely filled its eruption vent, spilled over onto... [info]
(571 Hits)
(571 Hits)
Panorama across Erta Ale´s caldera floor, clearly showing the large volume of fresh black shiny paho... [info]
(712 Hits)
(712 Hits)
Image from 1 ago (November 2015) to compare the previous panorama with this overview onto the active... [info]
(710 Hits)
(710 Hits)
Since the more active 2010 period where there were also green acid ponds at Dallol, the area had slo... [info]
(591 Hits)
(591 Hits)
Between the yellow-orange-brown salt deposits at Dallol there are again numerous ponds and lake of a... [info]
(551 Hits)
(551 Hits)
The high activity at Dallol´s hydrothermal system creates numerous greenish (to blue) acid ponds whi... [info]
(482 Hits)
(482 Hits)
Yellow and white ´salt cakes´ amidst a darker green acid pond. (Photo: Hans and Jooske) [info]
(465 Hits)
(465 Hits)
What was dry desert land from which videos where made of Dallol´s active areas about 2 weeks ago has... [info]
(456 Hits)
(456 Hits)
Close up of some of the newly formed miniature geysirs and salt springs at Dallol. (Photo: Hans and ... [info]
(473 Hits)
(473 Hits)
At Dallol, the areay covered by hydrothermal deposits and active salt springs and geysirs is the lar... [info]
(480 Hits)
(480 Hits)