Aeolian Islands, Sicily

A highlight of the stay in the Aeolian Islands was a day-trip out as far as Stromboli, a volcano island at the extreme eastern tip of the Aeolian chain. The texture and light on the rock faces of lots of small stacks highlight recent volcanic history of the islands - the featured photo is from Basiluzzo, just off Panarea.

Stromboli is an active volcano which we could watch just after sunset at a safe distance out to sea. The downward energy of the scree slope from the crater to the sea was amazing when underneath it (1st Extra photo). I added a close-up of the texture of this scree slope as the 2nd extra photo. Minor eruptions just after dark where too small and too far away to allow a good photograph, but a multiple exposure is provided as the third extra ... you really had to be there. The late afternoon sun behind the volcano’s plume leaves no doubt about its menace (3rd extra). Eruptions are episodic and unpredictable [Source]. The 4th extra features the ascent to a lighthouse on a ‘dragon’ rock, around 2 km NE of Stromboli.

Extra photos gallery includes shots from boat stops along the way at Panarea and Stromboli villages – the seem to resemble villages in Greece to me.

We also sailed past a largely abandoned pumice mine on Lipari on the way out to Stromboli (last extra photo) - the pumice was used to create low-grade concrete, but mine workers became unwell from inhaling the pumice dust. It makes for a ghostly is somewhat ravaged landscape.