White Island an Active Volcano

Today Rebecca, Mike and I drove to Whakatane to visit White Island.  The island is 49 km off shore and we got there on a very comfortable boat.  When on the island we could walk and explore the edge of the inner crater and the remains of a sulphur factory.  The island was privately owned and sulphur was mined.  The sulphur is vividly yellow.  Last week there was a fresh eruption of ash and there was grey ash covering a large area.  The steam was very acrid and made the eyes water and it hit the back of your throat so the gas masks were used by most people.  When we weren't in the steam it was pleasant. The main pic is Mike getting a low shot of that fabulous yellow sulphur.  A fascinating place.  
The extras are the bubbling mud and the factory remains.