Yesterday was a great day. A trip out to white island which is New Zealand’s only active marine volcano! So not only did I get a boat trip, but also to walk on an active volcano.

The trip started with a nice 80 minute boat ride out to the island. The boat is nicely designed so that you can walk all round the outside, so I stood at the front and just enjoyed the journey and views as we approached the island.

Just before you get to the island we were issued with a helmet and gas mask! Once at the island the idea is they take you ashore via a small inflatable. However the direction of the wind was making the transfer difficult as the waves were a little too high, so they had to abandon their normal landing spot and move to a different bay. This meant for slightly calmer water but no real landing place on the island so there was a nice scramble across some rocks. Have to say this made it more interesting and fun for me, but a few people were having difficulties with having to do this.

Once on the island it was time to put our helmets on – required just in case the volcano decides to have a little eruption! The gas masks are optional, and a few people were using them in places as the sulphur in the air got quite thick making for a lot of coughing! Then the crew took us on a tour round the island. The island no longer vents smoke since an eruption a few years back but its a very strange landscape. The sulphur means no vegetation exists, so all you’re left with is a barren landscape with boiling mud in places and steam venting all over.

There’s also the crater lake with a water level that has been rising steadily over the past few years although, for no apparent reason, its recently started to fall! The tour also took in the corroded remains of an old sulphur mine on the island. The acid in the air destroys most things over time!

Once the tour was over it was back across the rocks to transfer to the boat and some lunch (The only disappointing thing about the day was the lunch, very small amounts!). They then sailed round the island before heading back to the mainland. The trip back was much more eventful as we were heading into the wind so waves were crashing over the outside decks of the boat. Impressive to watch!

You do the tour from Whakatane, where I am now. When I got back to my hostel yesterday three very strange Swiss backpackers have moved into my room. They don’t talk to anyone, hardly to each other. They just seem to sit looking at a laptop. One of them, despite being a backpacker who isn’t working or looking for work is dressed in a suit and sleeps in the suit too…