Krenitsyna in the Kuril sun: volcanic scenes that simply can’t be outdone!

Let’s say you’re near the top of Krenitsyna Volcano in the Kurils, you’ve applied the Strategic Stratovolcano Stratagem to secure some imminent sunny weather, you have tents with you, sleeping bags and gas stoves (no firewood up there) and all the rest, which you’ve carried with you 500+ meters along the vertical and 9km on foot (7.5km to the edge of the caldera; 1.7km to the pond), you dump it all down on the grass (or put up the tents straight away if the weather’s still poor), sit on the very edge (ideal spot – very comfortable) and are ready to behold the most mind-blowingly picturesque volcanic scene on the planet…

So, what next?…

Next, you just sit and wait. Everything will work itself out. Namely, that just-mentioned most mind-blowingly picturesque volcanic scene on the planet slowly but surely comes into full view. Oh my grandiose! Then, you just stay sitting there, unable to tear your eyes away from it – as if you’d want to ).

Not that the view is static in any way. It’s constantly changing: sometimes with added light cloud; other times: cloudless…

…Then the sun changes position slightly, illuminating the volcano a slightly different way…

…Then light cloud forms at the peak, then it disperses, and like that in cycles on and on…

That looks more like a Donald Trump comb-over!

Meanwhile, we sit, lie, chill, and gawp. Some, naturally, meditate upon the scene before them…

The vista is visited by the eyes in various ways at different times: at first you may concentrate on the whole volcano. Then, perhaps, the peak with the comb-over. Then, maybe, the cuts running down the sides, imagining what it would be like sliding theredown! Next, possibly, the shore of the volcano onto the lake. Then!…

Then, still inspecting said shore, you come across a detail you’d previously missed. Wait a minute! What, ye gods, is THAT?! ->

That black pile of blackness?

Here’s same pile from a different angle…

I don’t know about you but it seemed to me that this was fly in the ointment, the… floater in the pool – almost literally (sorry folks!). As if the designer of the universe’s most beautiful volcano… missed a bit; rather – forgot to clear up this here straggly end!

Meanwhile, suddenly – woah – another fog bow!

And from where I took the pic of said fog bow – a quick about-turn, and – goodness – another OMG view (of our beloved pond and beyond). That’s the thing about this place – OMG views are literally everywhere!

Btw: while learning about the hows and whys of this here unique pond near the top of a volcano, I learned a new word: suffosion. This is where, due to some natural phenomenon or cataclysm (e.g., a volcano eruption), lower down in the earth there reside larger rocks, while up towards the surface of the earth lies the finer, sandier bits. Then the rains fall, which gradually wash the finer particles through fissures and into caves beneath. Over time, this can create a depression on the landscape, which can become a pond:

A room pond with a view! ->

Over there – the uninhabited volcanic island of Makanrushi:

And over there – peeking its nose up above the mountain – Nemo Peak:

Meanwhile, we’re still sitting, taking it all in. The setting of the sun’s fast approaching, the colors start to take on unusual hues. Here we go (the sun’s to the right):

Meanwhile… yep – we’re still sitting, lying… And not putting up the tents and getting dinner on the go. No, that could all wait. But soon it’d be dark. Eek…

The shadow from the peak – over there! ->

As evening approaches – fog from the Sea of Okhotsk enters the scene:

Despite the fog, a half moon was still clearly visible:

It’ll soon be blocked out by this growing fog…

…But that’s the thing here – suddenly fog can get blown away, and it’s back to the paradisiacal paysage again ).

Meanwhile, we’re… – nope not sitting and lying ). We’re finally getting round to putting the tents up and lighting the camping stove – and controlling drones, of course…

Woah – he’s back…

The First Gentleman! Long way from home…

Night finally falls, the colors become subdued, someone’s slowly turning down the dimmer…

Now, you’ll know I like my sunsets (who doesn’t?). But a sunset over Krenitsyna. Oh my… gloriously gorgeous glow!

Even the nighttime here is oh-my-graceful. Though I didn’t have a tripod with me, I managed this long-exposure shot to demonstrate it:

Time to sleep I guess. But how can anyone think of sleep on a night like this in a place like this?…

And before we knew it – it’s morning already!

That there tent – hardly the best positioning, eh? Eek: my tent! So I quickly left it and entered Jeff‘s (more about our friends from the U.S. with us on the expedition – later); here’s the view therefrom!

Goodness: yet another fog bow!

Btw: if anyone wants any of these pics in hi-res – let me know; ready to share (why not?!).

So there you have it folks: Krenitsyna in a fog – as enjoyable as… a hair of the dog! Krenitsyna in the sun: a volcano to stun – for everyone ).

But I’m not done with Krenitsyna just yet folks. To be continued!…

All the pics from the Kurils are here.