An hour's trip by boat from the Greek island of Kos lies the volcanic island of Nisyros, part of a small archipelago. Nisyros is almost circular, with a diameter of about 8 kilometers. Four small villages dot the island.
The volcano of Nisyros started its life underwater, emerging from the sea about 150,000 years ago. Over the next 135,000 years, a series of eruptions both great and small shaped the island, more or less to its present form.
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| [On the rim of the caldera - Image: Erna de Vries] |
The island has a caldera that is four by three kilometers wide. Two of the four villages are set precariously on its rim. Nikia (Νικια) offers a stunnnig view into the caldera which is home to no less than 20 hydrotermal craters. The largest is the approximately 4,000-5,000-year-old Stefanos. Elliptical in shape, with diameters of 330 meters and 260 meters, Stefanos is one of the largest and best preserved hydrothermal craters in the world. Its fumaroles are still puffing hydrogen sulfide and the boiling water vapour, which means that the volcano is currently active, but not erupting.
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| [Stafanos - Image: Erna de Vries] |
Yes, hydrogen sulfide (H
2S) still smells of rotten eggs, as we are happy to report.
The caldera is such an alien landscape that the producers of James Bond found it the perfect location to suggest a lunar landscape for 'Moonraker'.
The population of Mandrake (Mανδρακι), the principal city, seems wary of visitors. Their smiles seem forced and their eyes are devoid of sincere happiness. Maybe that is the result of the silent menace of a volcano under your feet.
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