The Lesser Antilles

Soufriere Hills volcano (915 m) in Montserrat and Morne Aux Diables (861 m) in Dominica were both VUELCO project target volcanoes during my PhD studies.

In June 2012 I went to conduct a campaign GPS survey of Morne Aux Diables and other volcanoes on Dominica. I also hiked out through the ‘Valley of Desolation’ to visit the ‘Boiling Lake’.

GPS tripod at the summit of Cabrits.
GPS tripod at the summit of Cabrits.
Rob checking the GPS read-out.
Rob checking the GPS read-out.
Sunset from Portsmouth.
Sunset from Portsmouth.
GPS tripod at Morne Aux Diables.
GPS tripod at Morne Aux Diables.
All the GPS kit ready to go.
All the GPS kit ready to go.
GPS tripod at the worlds most colourful bus stop.
GPS tripod at the worlds most colourful bus stop.
A beautiful pyroclastic deposit with interbedded tephra layers (...I think...I'm no field geologist).
A beautiful pyroclastic deposit with interbedded tephra layers (…I think…I’m no field geologist).
Hunting for samples.
Hunting for samples.
New field assistant.
New field assistant.
Down time.
Down time.
Our ride.
Our ride.
Gratuitous scenery shot.
Gratuitous scenery shot.
The valley of desolation.
The valley of desolation.
Using the volcanic mud to its fullest...
Using the volcanic mud to its fullest…
The valley of desolation.
The valley of desolation.
The boiling lake.
The boiling lake.
A beautiful island.
A beautiful island.

Immediately following the 2012 Dominica GPS campaign I popped across to do some brief work on Soufriere Hills with the team at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO). I assisted with some helicopter fieldwork to take some GPS and EDM measurements, as well as updating one of the permanent observation cameras. I visited Montserrat again in May 2018 to collaborate on some research projects, and was lucky enough to join some more helicopter-based fieldwork to update some GPS and EDM stations.

A house buried by lahar deposits.
A house buried by lahar deposits.
Belham valley lahar deposits.
Belham valley lahar deposits.
My ride (2012).
My ride (2012).
No summit view = no smile.
No summit view = no smile.
Huge boulder within a lahar deposit.
Huge boulder within a lahar deposit.
Setting up a GPS tripod.
Setting up a GPS tripod.
I never did see the summit (2012).
I never did see the summit (2012).
Volcanic deposits extending the island into the ocean.
Volcanic deposits extending the island into the ocean.
Taking some EDM measurements.
Taking some EDM measurements.
The devastated former capital, Plymouth.
The devastated former capital, Plymouth.
Collecting the solar panels.
Collecting the solar panels.
Almost a glimpse of the summit, maybe.
Almost a glimpse of the summit, maybe.
GPS receiver and helicopter.
GPS receiver and helicopter.
Collecting EDM data.
Collecting EDM data.