So this: To introduce myself, I am an avid game show player and fan of the Amazing Race. The Amazing Race has inspired me to go to some unique places around the world but also to challenge myself as often as possible. My career as a police officer has taught me never to even take a moment for granted (as extreme as that sounds) because life is an incredible gift. I have had the good fortune of becoming friends with the world's fastest talking woman, Fran Capo, who is the embodiment of incorporating as many adventures as you can into your life. Not surprisingly, she has a wide variety of friends and I am proud to be one of them. So anyway, she calls me the other day, and says how would you like to rappel into a volcano? As soon as she said this, I knew I needed to do this though five minutes earlier I didn't even know this was a thing. So, before Thanksgiving, this is my plan and I wanted to share it with you.
to quote the organizer, Nik Halik, founder of the Five Day Weekend: Behind all the rain and cloud surrounding the Masaya volcano is one of the most amazing and under-appreciated wonders of the world. A lava lake 50 meters across, lies down the bottom of a three hundred meter plummet where few have ever set foot. The volcano is often completely shrouded by cloud, but when Masaya wants to be seen, nothing can compare to the view. The size of the crater will never cease to amaze anyone as the rear face extends far into the sky.
A unique experience in an extreme environment.
I have to admit to have never having heard of Mt. Masaya, so here is a brief history, but there are amazing photos and background that I still have to seriously study. Apparently, it has been called the Mouth of Hell!
This was posted in the Volcano Cafe:
https://www.volcanocafe.org/masaya-volcano-the-mouth-of-hell/Masaya has had a history of having a lava lake appear and disappear over the centuries and it goes back to the time of when the Spanish Conquistadors first conquered the land what is now today’s Nicaragua. The Spaniards having observed the lava lake activity had nicknamed it “La Boca del Infierno” or “The Mouth of Hell”. To give a brief geological background, Masaya Volcano is located within the El Ventarron or Masaya caldera built upon the Pleistocene pyroclastic shield volcano Las Sierras. There are four main craters, Nindiri, San Pedro, Santiago, and Masaya. Parasitic cones dot the flanks and a lava field is prominent towards Laguna de Masaya on the east flank of the volcano. Volcan Masaya is one of Nicaragua’s most active and unusual volcano which lies within the chain of volcanoes along the Central America subduction zone. This dominantly basaltic volcano has produced the odd explosive eruption as well as hosting lava lakes.
Well that is it in a nutshell. This is my first post and I am not sure how to post photos, which I know would make it more interesting! But I will report back and perhaps even figure out how to post about some past adventures that fit this topic. I look forward to getting some new ideas, too!
