The Capelinhos volcano is one of
the greatest touristic attractions in the Azores. Indeed, it is one
of the major touristic features found anywhere in the Atlantic. It
is unique on three counts: firstly, it is a volcanic structure
which has produced a strikingly beautiful landscape; secondly the
volcano is located on an island, Faial, which is easy to travel to;
and lastly, visitors can spend a day or tow in close contact (from
sea and land)with very recently created and nearly virgin land.
The Capelinhos volcano is located
in the far west of Faial island and was formed by the accumulation
of practically continuous volcanic outpourings over a 13
month period of volcanic activity (such a prolonged spell of
volcanic activity is itself unusual in island volcanology). The
landscape we see today is the result of two major and separate
phases: between September 1957 and May 1958, submarine volcanic
activity predominated (coarse and fine ash, volcanic bombs, rock
blocks, etc.), although there was some terrestrial activity from
time to time; between May and October 1958, the predominant
volcanic products were terrestrial (or sub-aerial) ones,
essentially comprising pumice, bombs and sticky materials connected
with streams ofbasalt lava (molten rock).

On the night of 12 May, Faial
island was shaken by very strong seismic tremors. Inside the major
central caldera there were explosions of muddy ash and at the
Capelinhos volcano a lava lake, of the type seen in Hawaii,
appeared. This only lasted a short time, however, and was followed
by a long period when terrestrial products were formed (thousands
of cubic meters of basaltic lava at a temperature of about
1100ºC).This activity continued until 24 October 1958 when the
Capelinhos volcano became dormant.
Although the seismic and volcanic
events in those years of 1957-58 were extremely violent, no lives
were lost. Thousands of the inhabitants of Faial emigrated to the
USA in search of a better life. In the intervening years, waters of
the ocean have attacked the newly formed rock and we see a new
phase in the life of the Capelinhos volcano - the explosion of life
forms: submarine fauna and flora have appeared, the first land
plants have taken a footholdand the birds have moved into the
valleys and crags.The Capelinhos volcano is one of the greatest
touristic attractions in the Azores, indeed, it is one of the major
touristic feature found anywhere in the Atlantic. It is unique on
three counts: firstly, it is a volcanic structure which has
produced a strickingly beautiful landscape; secondly the volcano is
located on an island, Faial, which is easy to travel to; and
lastly, visitors can spend a day or tow in close contact (from sea
and land) with very recently created and nearly virgin land.
To log this cache please take a
picture of yourself in front of the volcano or the lighthouse. Also
provide the following answers, in the published coordinates:
1) what is the color of the
basalt?
a - black; b - brown; c - gray
2) what is it's consistency?
a - hard rock; b - sandy like
3) In the back of the lighthouse
how many windows are bellow ground?
a - 1; b - 2; c - 3; d - 4
4) what is the height above
ground of the interpretation center?
a - 5m (above ground); b - 0m; c - neg. 5m (bellow ground)
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