Under the Volcano

 

It’s easy to see that most of the Aeolian Islands are the peaks of volcanic mountains, with their feet thousands of metres below the sea. They are rugged and steep-to, offering little in the way of anchorages and great opportunities for high season rip-offs in the few small harbours. From Cefalu we made for the island of Filicudi, where there are moorings available – at a cost. €50 to the grumpy bloke in the dinghy and we had the pleasure of a rocky night on a mooring ball in the bay. We stayed aboard as we didn’t feel like spending any more in the town, but I did paddle the kayak in next morning for some bread and a coffee. It seemed a pleasant enough place, and the volcanic slopes, terraced all the way up, are an impressive sight.

 

 

Next day we planned our passage to do a ‘drive by’ of Stromboli at sunset. Stromboli is a continuously active volcano, releasing pressure a bit at a time rather than building up to a major eruption like Etna or Vesuvius. It really is an awesome thing to see, with the massive sciara del fuoco (flow of fire) like a vast, steaming bitumen road down the north west slope of the mountain. As the sun set, a fleet of tour boats gathered to watch the rose-tinted clouds drifting over the crater and its regular bursts of fire. Watching a volcano erupt is one of those thrilling, primal experiences, especially when you can hear and feel its rumbling power. You wonder why people choose to live in the shadow of these unpredictable monsters – until you see the vineyards, citrus groves and fields of vegetables thriving in the rich, deep volcanic soil.

 

Sciara del Fuoco (note the yacht for scale)

 

Stromboli erupts

 

Then off into the night, assisted by a light breeze, to Cetraro then north to the Bay of Naples.