The White Falcon - 14.08.1964, Síða 4

4
WHITE FALCON
Friday, August 14, 1964
Friday, August 14, 1964
WHITE FALCON
5
AN ISLAND FORMING
by Michael Edward Burt
Ever since my arrival at the Westmann Islands, I have been
trying to land on Surtsey. Then around April 1, I got the idea of
forming an expedition to the volcano. So, I began asking around
for people who might be interested in forming such an expedition.
It did not take long to find these people. The following joined
the expedition to Surtsey.
From the United States—yours truly; England—Terry Warmer,
Michael Dunnical and Wynn Hill; Austria—Rudolf Mayer and Ernst
Kettler; Morocco—Said Bouabid; Israel—Negbi Emanvel; and Ire-
land—John Thompson.
We got together and planned the trip thoroughly before setting
out for the newly formed island. Our plan was to stay two days.
However, we allowed enough food and water to last us one week
in case we got stranded. We packed nine small bags of glucose for each
man in the event of an emergency. Our supply list called for two
'tents, one six-man and a three-man tent in addition to nine sleeping
bags. Now we were all prepared so we set the date to begin our
expedition.
Getting Underway
We had originally planned to leave at 3 a.m. April 27. Since
it is only a two-hour trip by boat, leaving at this time would put
us on Surtsey by sunrise. We were delayed, however, because of
adverse weather conditions and did not get started until 11 a.m.
April 28.
We sighted Surtsey around 1. p.m. and it took us over an hour
to decide on a satisfactory landing point. The water seemed calmer
near the lake on the island. So the captain, his mate, Ernst, Rudolf
and myself boarded a small boat to check landing possibilities. The
boat took us within 10 feet of the island, but we were leery of land-
ing for fear of swamping the craft in the choppy water near the
shore. I had no plans of turning back at this point so I said, “Cap-
tain we are going to land one way or another—Either we land dry
or we land wet.”
The captain held the boat close to the shore and waited for ideal
conditions before letting us out. Finally nature’s elements met
with our specifications so Ernst and Rudolf lowered themselves into
the water. The water was not too deep and it looked as if the first
of our party would set foot on the new soil without incedent, until
they were run down by a north-bound wave.
Now it was my turn to jump. I moved to the rear of the boat
carrying my boots and some water jugs. I waited for the waves to
calm and then jumped in. I was lucky, I got to shore with only
my feet wet.
LANDING EXPEDITION
Surtsey Sight ‘Never Forgotten’
Editors’ Note: The following story was
sent- to the White Falcon office several
months ago. It is a diary of a 17-year-old
American boy who lived at the time on
Westmann Islands and spent three days on
the newly formed island of Surtsey.
Not only does the newspaper staff think
the story interesting by itself,'but for those
who intend to take advantage of the Special
Services trip to Westmann Islands and
Surtsey Island, this Sunday and on future
occasions, we think it will have added in-
terest.
The Special Services sponsored tour will
be a one-day affair, departing the Viking
Service Club at 9 a.m. Sunday. Departure
will be by bus and sightseers will travel
through the mountains of southern Iceland
to the fishing port Thorlakshofn.
Awaiting the group at this little fishing
village will be the Icelandic steamship “Her-
jolfur”. From Thorlakshofn visitors will
proceed to the Westmann Islands. There will
be a guided tour throughout the island,
which is unmatched in Iceland for scenic
beauty.
Later, the tour will travel by ship to the
nearby volcanic island of Surtsey—at this
moment pouring molten lava down her
sides and enlarging by the minute.
This is a must for any avid photographer.
After a lengthy stay at the volcano, the
tour will steam back to Thorlakshofn and
on to the base, arriving at 11 a.m.
All meals will be served aboard the ship.
Private cabins may be obtained on board
at an extra cost. Those interested should
make their reservations now as accommoda-
tions aboard the ship are limited to 32. The
cost of the entire trip is $20.
Reservations are being taken at the Vik-
ing Service Club. For additional informa-
tion, call Ext. 6190.
The row boat went back to the ship anchored about three hundred
ards from shore, to get three more men and additional equipment.
It returned within 10 feet of the shore and waited for the right
wave. Aboard this trip were Said, Wynn and Negbi. Wynn and
Said stripped to their underclothes, not chancing getting their
clothes wet. Wynn and Negbi were both at the rear of the boat
and Said at the front. Ernst and Rudolf walked out in neck-high
water to get the equipment handed to them by Wynn and Negbi.
They carried the equipment ashore over their heads.
To speed up the process we formed a chain with Ernst out in
water up to his neck passing the equipment to Rudolf in waist-
deep water and then to myself, only wet to the ankles.
Since they were already wet there was not any need of me going
in the deeper water. I carried the first pack to shore and ran back
to the waterline where I was greeted with a soaking from an in-
coming wave. So I joined the
group. After the equipment was
unloaded, Wynn entered the water
from the side of the boat nearest
to shore and Said jumped from
the bow, where he was swept
seaward by a gigantic wave. Al-
though half-frozen by the icy
water, he managed to reach shore
under his own power. Negbi jump-
ed in fully clothed and made it
to shore dripping wet also.
The boat returned to the ship
and came back with, more equip-
ment and a lone passenger, John.
We formed a chain line from
shore to the boat and received
the supplies.
John was wearing waist-high
boots and did not expect to get
wet. He waited for the right
water level and jumped. He land-
ed in the waiting arms of an in-
coming wave, thus joining the
clan.
All Ashore
The boat made one more trip,
carrying the last of the equip-
ment and the last two men, Terry
and Mick.
The whole time we were getting
the men and equipment ashore,
Said was busy sleeping and Negbi
was taking pictures. The boat left
heading back to the Westmann
Islands. We then changed into
dry clothes and scouted for a
good campsite.
We made camp near the beach
on a mound rising about eight
feet off the beach that surrounds
the whole island. Camp was set
up in 30 minutes. We had supper
and decided to explore the is-
land. We took along a flag that
had a red stripe, white stripe
and another red one.
After signing the flag, we all
walked single-file to the north-
west of the island and climbed
the hill to the southwest of the
island. Directly on the other side
of this hill was the active vol-
MIDNIGHT SPECTACLE
cano. It took us 20 minutes to get to the top of the hill. When we
reached the top we could see lava spouting 50 feet or more into
the air from the crater. (The top of the hill is rather
flat and then slopes down to a 75 degree angle to the crater.)
We all sat down on the edge where the hill drops to the crater
and watched the eruption. Each time lava shot out of the crater,
the entire island shook.
The Israelian, Negbi, put the Isralian flag up as we watched
the eruption. This flag can be seen from a boat in front of the
volcano. The other flag was put on the highest peak located near
the shore from us.
We stayed on the hill for about 30 minutes, then headed for
camp. After supper Mick, Said and Negbi slept soundly, but the
rest of us were to excited. At 9 p.m., those of us who could not
sleep, went exploring; we walked around the lake located near our
camp and headed toward the southeastern part of the island.
There we came upon the lava
bed which was steaming slightly;
we walked over it and between
the cinders lay the sandy beach.
On the beach were many small
bits of crystals in rocks and
chunks of crystals lying scattered
over the beach itself. We went
along the beach until we were
directly in front of the volcano,
about 400 yards away. We walked
over the lava bed to the right of
the volcano, at about a 30 to
33 degree angle from the inferno.
We then came to the foot of the
sandy hill that we had climbed
from the other side earlier. We
ascended the hill, which was very
difficult since it was only loose
sand. We reached the top |in
about 20 minutes and at about
11:15 we returned to the spot
where we had sat and watched
the eruption earlier.
Eruption At Midnight
It was around 11:30 p.m. when
Said and Negbi came up the hill
from camp to join us in watching
this midnight eruption, an erup-
tion I’m sure none of us will ever
forget. Said only stayed a few
minutes and decided to return to
camp, so I joined him.
We got back to camp in about
10 minutes, finding Terry and
Mick still asleep, Said and I join-
ed them.
The next morning (Wednesday
April 29) we awoke at 8 a.m. and
had breakfast, then we set out
to continue our exploring of Surts-
ey. We went to the northeastern
part of the island, finding hot
cinders still smoking. Wynn, John,
Ernst and myself headed up the
lava bed for the volcano. Now and
then we could see between the
rocks, red hot lava just below us.
All around us was smoking
sulpher, making it very difficult
to breathe. John kept complaining
that the sulpher was making
THE GATE TO “DANTE’S INFERNO”
LAVA MEETS SURGING TIDE
him dizzy. Wynn and John went no further but Ernst and I de-
cided to get closer to the volcano. We got within 100 feet of the
crater and I decided not to go any closer. We took pictures of
each other as proof of being this close to it. Ernst and I then
climbed the hill which bears the International Flag on top.
Reaching the top we took pictures of the flag and volcano. I
buried beneath the flag a small can containing three poems, which
I wrote, and an identification bracelet. I hope they will remain there
for a long, long time.
At camp I wrote, in huge letters, my last name and “USA” on
the side of a small sand hill located around ten feet from our camp.
After engraving my name on the hill, I went to the tent and slept.
I was awaken by a yell that the ship, “Haraldur,” was coming to
pick us up and take us back to Westmann Islands.
One More Night
We broke camp and took the equipment to shore to wait for
the small boat to come ashore. This time they brought a large 12-
man rubber boat that did land. The boat came ashore carrying
the captain and two other Icelanders. They had equipment with
them and were planning to stay one night. When I heard this, I
immediately asked if I could join them in camping one more night. Out
of the nine of us, I was the only one to stay behind with the Ice-
landers.
Everybody left and I was all alone. The two Icelanders disappeared
to the top of the hill for the night. I took my equipment back to
the campsite, making four trips, and began to make camp.
It took four tries before I finally got the six-man tent up. I
went down to the shore and gathered drift wood for a fire. I made
the fire and hit the sack. I lay there thinking. Being all alone can
do weird things to the mind; I kept seeing figures walking across
the beach and around my tent. I heard music in the air, slow simi-
popular music. Finally, after being alone for five or six hours, the
two Icelanders came back to camp. And was I ever happy to see them.
I slept that evening and was awakened by the captain of the
“Haraldur” the next day. I was dead-tired and it was around 7 a.m.
The captain had just landed with the rubber boat and was ready
to take us back. We broke camp and took the equipment to the
boat. I made sure I was the last to leave the island.
So ended my adventure.
So far, I am the only person who has been on Surtsey for as
long as I was and the only American to have landed there.
SETTING UP CAMP