A one-person excursion to Saint Kitt

This report is horribly late, for which I apologize, but Baron Wulfenbach more or less chained me to a desk and insisted I post this before he could post his report on Saint Kitt's destruction. I went there after Caledon's chat had scuttlebutt of increased activity in the islands' volcano. Okeanos Magic (my sort-of-niece) and I had explored it pretty thoroughly at one point in hopes of finding new minerals or unusual shells to collect, as we are both Mushroom Hunters of the Roses, so I was familiar with the quiescent look of the place, and where to climb.

It was not quiescent at all when I went there on 17 July. Herein I present my photographic documentation of the state of Saint Kitt on that day:

• Arrival on the large island. Everything looks fine over here.


• Checking on the volcano. Definitely more active than when Kea and I explored the islands


• A structure on the rim - I hate lightning, but I braved it for this shot. Ominous!


• Safer lower down, no projectiles from the lava. This is a vent on the south side.


• OK, no projectiles, but it's still pretty lively. [view of the crater from the air]


• Higher view [of the crater]. I love my broom.


• Something else pointed out in Caledon chat which prompted me to visit - strange water levels! See the raft is floating?


• Another view of the sinking water levels around the islands. That building is supposed to be underwater.


• There were the occasional outcroppings of... is this pahoehoe or a'a? Or is it a fumarole? Drat.


• I held my breath for one last shot - this is underwater smoke or steam from that side vent. The water was very warm, and I left as quickly as possible.

Although the heat and the flowing lava were alarming, as long as I had my broom or some other means to move away quickly, I never felt I was particularly at hazard. Sadly, this seemed to also be the conclusion of the survey team Guvnah Shang hired, except their overly-optimistic conclusions led to mass disaster.

In service to the Society, I am,

Tanarian Davies