The Day it Rained Sand In the South Pacific
Regular readers know that we rarely
pass along the misadventures, foibles, and usually interminable sea yarns of sailors,
but this reader submission deserves to be an exception because they were under reliable
diesel power when they encountering something very strange, indeed. It all started
with an email report from the yacht Maiken: “... and then we sailed into a vast,
many miles wide, belt of densely packed pumice. We were going by motor due to lack
of wind and within seconds Maiken slowed down from seven to one knot...
...
we noticed that there was no cooling water coming from the from the engine...” Pity
that!
|
|
|
was traveling in the south Pacific when the crew came across a weird sight -- it
was sand in the water, and the sand was floating ON TOP of the waves.
“…We were so fascinated and busy taking pictures that we plowed a couple of hundred
meters into this surreal floating stone field before we realized that we had to
turn back. Just as we came out of the stone field and entered reasonably normal
water we noticed that there was no cooling water was coming from the from the engine.”
After cleaning their water strainer, the crew motored around what appeared to be
a huge sand island. It was not until the next day that they discovered what was
really happening and became the first people on the planet to see the birth of a
new island.
When and Where?
All of this happened in early November 2006, as the sailboat Maiken was making its
way from the northern Tongan island of Vava’u on its way to Fiji on waters nearly
as flat as glass – perfect powerboat conditions. That is why they were powering.
|
The next morning in the distance… |
Email from the yacht Maiken: “…A couple of hours ago we identified the active volcano
as the one close to Home reef, and we are on our way there now to take a closer
look. We are two miles from it and we can see the volcano clearly. One mile in diameter
and with four peaks and a central crater smoking with steam and once in a while
an outburst high in the sky with lava and ashes.”
|
Soon the new island appeared… |
|
The curious crew sailed closer for a look-see… |
|
Can you imagine the thrill of being the first and only people to see a new island being created...where there was nothing before? |
|
Soon the whole world would see this new island thanks to a spy in the sky… |
Can you name this new island?