Krakatau Ujungkulon National park Indonesia

krakatau ujungkulon 2 D

KRAKATAU, INDONESIA (1883)
 
OVERVIEW
Early in the morning of May 20, 1883, the captain of the German warship Elizabeth reported seeing an ~11-km-high cloud of ash and dust rising above the uninhabited island of Krakatau, thus documenting the first eruption from this Indonesian island in at least two centures. Over the ensuing two months, crews on commercial vessels and sightseers on charted ships would experience similar spectacles, all of which were associated with explosive noises and churning clouds of black to incandescent ash and pumice. From a distance, the largest of these natural fanfares impressed the local inhabitants on the coastal plains of Java and Sumatra, creating a near-festive environment. Little did they realize, however, that these awe-inspiring displays were only a prelude to one of the largest eruptions in historic times. A series of cataclysmic explosions began at mid-day on August 26, and ended on August 27 with a stupendous paroxysmal eruption. On this day, the northern two-thirds of the island collapsed beneath the sea, generating a series of devasting pyroclastic flows and immense tsunamis that ravaged adjacent coastlines. The events that began on August 26 would mark the last 24 hours on earth for over 36,000 people, and the destruction of hundreds of coastal villages and towns.
 
LOCATION AND PLATE-TECTONIC SETTING
Indonesia contains over 130 active volcanoes, more than any other country on earth. They comprise the axis of the Indonesian island arc system, which is generated by northeastward subduction of the Indo-Australian plate. The great majority of these volcanoes lie along the topographic crest of the arc's two largest islands - Java and Sumatra. The islands are separated by the Sunda Straits, which is located at a distinct bend in axis of the island arc volcanoes, from a nearly east-west orientation in Java to a northwest-southeast orientation in Sumatra. Krakatau is one of a several volcanic islands in the Sunda Straits located above an active north-northeast trending fault zone, an orientation quite distinct from the main island-arc trend. Although relatively small when compared to the largest volcanoes along the island arc, Krakatau and its associated volcanoes have shown the capacity to generate highly explosive eruptions.
 
PHYSIOGRAPHY BEFORE AND AFTER THE 1883 ERUPTION
The pre-eruption island of Kratatau was composed of three coalsced volcanoes aligned along a north-northwest direction, parallel to the volcanoes on Sumatra. From north to south, these were Perboewatan, Danan, and Rakata.
 
              
During the eruption, Perboewatan, Danan, and the northern half of Rakata appear to have collapsed into the vacating magma chamber, thus forming a submarine caldera and destroying the northern two-thirds of the island. Some workers, however, have argued for an alternative to the caldron-collapse model, and instead have suggested that the caldera formed by explosive destruction of the island, and the reaming out of the pre-eruption edifice. Eruptions since 1927 have built a new cone called Anak Krakatau ("child of Krakatau") in the center of the 1883 caldera.
 
THE CATACLYSMIC EVENTS OF AUGUST 26-27
After reawakening on May 20, 1883, Krakatau generated mild detonations from Perboewatan throughout May and June. By mid-June the summit crater of Perboewatan had been largely destroyed and the cite of eruption widened to include several new vents near Danan. By mid-July, banks of pumice were common features found floating in the Sunda Straits. However, some of the earliest tephra was basaltic, indicating that recharge of basalt magmas into the magma chamber beneath Krakatau may well have played a role in the intiation of these early eruptions.
Sunday, August 26. At 12:53 p.m., Krakatau delivered the opening salvo to a climactic eruption that would last throughout the evening of August 27. The initial blast generated an ear-shattering fusillade accompanied by a black churning cloud of volcanic debris that rose quickly to 25 km above the island. Over the next several hours, it would widen dramatically to the northeast, rising to a height of at least 36 km. The intensity of the eruptions increased throughout Sunday, frightening the coastal communities of western Sumatra, western Java, and adjacent islands. Later in the day, these villages would be battered by a series of devasting tsunamis generated by pyroclastic flows plunging into the sea. The worst was yet to come.
Monday, August 27. This frightening display of volcanic power would culminate in a series of at least four stupendous eruptions that began at 5:30 a.m., climaxing in a colossal blast that literally blew Krakatau apart. The noise was heard over 4600 km away, throughout the Indian Ocean, from Rodriguez Island and Sri Lanka in the west, to Australia in the east. Two-thirds of the island collapsed beneath the sea into the underlying, partially vacated magma chamber. About 23 square kilometers of the island, including all of Perboewatan and Danan, subsided into a caldera about 6 km across. At an original height of 450 m, Danan had collapsed to depth of 250 m below sealevel.
 
ENORMOUS SEA WAVES
The cataclysmic blasts of August 27 generated mountainous tsunamis, up to 40 m tall, that ravaged coastlines across the Sunda Straits. Many of the closest islands were completely submerged. After first being overwhelmed by massive pyroclastic flows (see below), Sebesi Island northeast of Krakatau, was innudated by mammoth sea waves. These tsunami stripped away all vegetation, washed ~3000 people out to sea, and destroyed all signs of human occupation. Although located at seemingly safe distance, 80 km east of the Sunda Straits, the low-lying Thousand Islands were buried by at least 2 m of seawater and their inhabitants had to save themselves by climbing trees.
Eyewitness accounts of the massive waves came from passengers of the Loudon, who survived the barrage only through the heroic efforts of its Captain Lindemann. The ship was anchored in Lampong Bay, near the village of Telok Betong when the first of several waves arrived on Monday morning:

Tour iteneray

THE ITINERARY

DAY 01: Jakarta – Carita Beach – Krakatau – Peucang Island

We pick you up at Jakarta Airport or Jakarta City . We’ll meet you there and head off to the West Banten Coast (Carita Beach) or you  drive by your own car. We then drive  directly to  Carita Beach. After the three-hour drive you’ll take a rest for a while, and then get onboard at Marina. It is time to cruise (it takes about 1.5 hours) Sunda Strait to  the one of the world’s greatest and the most catastrophic eruptions on earth, the effects were recorded far beyond Sunda Strait and it achieved instant and lasting infamy. On the way if you are lucky you can see group of dolphin. When arrive there the boat will surround the Anak Krakatau and then  landing on the East side of the Anak Krakatoa volcano. We’ll hike up  through the rain forest and dessert of the Anak Krakatoa. After you’ve had  lunch. We then get onboard  continue cruising to Peucang Island. Check in at lodge. Before dark time we’ll cross  Peucang bay  by  boat to Cidaon grassing ground to see common wildlife animals such as; wild bull, wild pig, peacock. Dinner will be served. An overnight stay. (L/D)


DAY 02: Peucang island –  Karang Copong - Carita Beach

After you’ve had Breakfast.  We’ll  walk North on Peucang Island passes  towering forests to  a rock archway  beyond which are the reef pools Karang Copong. On the way, you can see kind of huge plants it’s like ficus or liana and the common animals to  see;  monkey, deer, peacock, Asian hornbill,  wild pig and others. Take a  rest at Karang Copong.  Back to lodge, Lunch  will be served. Check out and then sail back to Carita Beach. (B/L)       Your next destination

Remark:
   Bring trekking/sport shoes, towel, swimming wear,sun block, hat and camera
    All tour durations is flexible according to your schedule and budget. we can arrange airport transfer and hotel
    The Trip itinerary will be change sometimes depend on the weather condition and make change accordingly

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