Idle question of the day...

[seawasp]

... how many of you have actually witnessed (as in, with your own eyes, not on TV screens, etc.) a volcanic eruption? I have, I'm just wondering how large a percentage of the population has.

(Mine was the 1970 eruption of Hekla on Iceland; we overflew the lava field and then circled the erupting cone for some time in a private aircraft)

Comments

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Spent many a happy hour in Volcano National Park while stationed in Hawaii. Actually had my boots catch fire from walking over an active lava tunnel. Stood at the edge of Kīlauea's caldera and watched raw magma bubble up to the surface. I love volcanoes.

[seawasp]

I love volcanoes too. For most of my life up through high school I wanted to be a volcanologist. I was however eventually convinced that being an effort-induced asthmatic who didn't generally do well outdoors was not going to be a good mix with mountains producing irritating sulphuric fumes and silica dust, especially after the St. Helens plume passed over our area and I found it hard to breathe for a day or so.

Still, I would love to visit a few more active ones.