nicaragua VOLCANIC · 2016. 11. 1. · bright orange Mercedes monster truck and hanging on to the...
Transcript of nicaragua VOLCANIC · 2016. 11. 1. · bright orange Mercedes monster truck and hanging on to the...
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Standing on the crest of a volcano, I see a 45-
degree slope of rock granules rough enough to
strip the husk off a coconut plunging from
beneath my feet. I’m expected to toboggan down this
slope at speeds of anything up to 90km/h on a piece of
plywood. All I can think is: “How on earth did I let
Cameron talk me into this?”
Cameron had, like any smart travel companion,
played to my weaknesses: the promise of getting out
into the middle of nowhere and getting a little bit dirty,
while getting up close to an incredible natural
phenomenon – an active volcano.
Cerro Negro is a volcano in the Cordillera de los
Maribios mountains in Nicaragua. The volcano is about
10km from Malpaisillo, the nearest village, and an hour’s
drive from León, the country’s second-biggest city. León
is home to what many consider to be Central America’s
largest cathedral, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption,
which was built between 1747 and 1814. The strength of
the cathedral’s walls has allowed it to endure
earthquakes, wars and volcanic eruptions.
Cerro Negro, meaning Black Hill in Spanish, is so
named because of the volcano’s dark, gravely basaltic
VOLCANICaction
Adventure nicaragua
Sledding down Cerro Negro at highspeed is not for the faint-hearted,
writes Victoria Burrows
Cerro Negro volcano attracts surfers who seek the ultimate thrill.
Photos: Victoria Burrows
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cinder cone, which contrasts with the surrounding
verdant landscape. It is the youngest volcano in
Central America, having first appeared in 1850.
Despite its youth, Cerro Negro has been one of the
most active volcanoes in Nicaragua, erupting 23
times, most recently in 1999. Today, however, the
volcano seems deep in sleep, only emitting a
sulphurous wheeze from the depths of its crater.
Still, I felt a slight undertone of tension in the air
among my 14 fellow boarders as we met at 9am at Big
Foot hostel. The hostel was set up in 2004 by
Australian tour guide Daryn Webb, who had grown up
sandboarding in Queensland. He recognised the
dune-like slope of the volcano wall and began
experimenting with sledding vessels – everything
from picnic tables to a minibar fridge – until he
settled on his own design: plywood reinforced with
metal and coated with formica to decrease resistance
and increase speed.
With the sled perfected, volcano boarding became
the world’s latest adventure sport; León was probably
the only place in the world where one could slide
down the side of an active volcano. Since then, more
than 15,000 people have sped down Cerro Negro’s
exterior wall. Cameron was dead set on adding our
names to the list.
But, like all other volcano boarders, we had to get
there. That involved clambering into the back of a
bright orange Mercedes monster truck and hanging on
to the railings as the driver negotiated the narrow dirt
roads thick with volcanic ash from the most recent
eruption. A couple of times, trees had drooped across
the road, so the driver lifted the manhole cover on the
truck cabin, climbed out and chopped the branches
down with the machete he had tucked into his belt.
After a bumpy ride past simple homesteads and
emerald green fields, avoiding men in cowboy hats on
horseback and wandering cows, we reached Cerro
Negro National Park and had our first glimpse of the
black dome reaching up to about 730 metres above
us (the height varies with each eruption, experts say).
Our guide, a handsome Brazilian named Gabriel,
handed us each a canvas bag containing a protective
jumpsuit and goggles as we jumped from the truck.
We were each allocated a sled. We had our own water
with us – the heat from the volcano, the Nicaraguan
sun and the warm breeze we had been warned about,
when booking the expedition (US$25 for the
experience, US$5 to enter the park) would all add up
to extremely thirsty conditions.
We had an hour-long ascent ahead of us, and we
The Basilica of the Assumption in León is thought to be Central America’s
largest cathedral and has withstood earthquakes, wars and volcanic eruptions.
Climbing Cerro Negro volcano involves an hour-long walk on which big boulders
must be negotiated without twisting an ankle.
ggg
Cerro Negro (Black Hill) is so named because of the volcano’s dark, gravely
basaltic cinder cone, which contrasts with the surrounding greenery.
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set off excitedly – except for a group of seven
Portuguese travellers in their 30s, who had been out
partying in León the night before and were looking the
worse for wear after the bumpy ride.
The walk started on big boulders that took some
concentration to manoeuvre without twisting an ankle.
The rocks became smaller, eventually turning to
gravel, making the climb easier, though steeper. After
45 minutes of looping in an arc round the back of the
volcano, we stopped at a large boulder that jutted out,
making it a perfect spot for a photograph. The ebony
rocks looked stark against the lush green hills in the
background.
Then we dropped down into the crater. Cameron
and I were lagging behind after enjoying the view, and
Gabriel shouted at us to hurry – we were after all in
the crater of an active volcano. The scene was
otherwordly: bulbous rocks in brown, yellow, pink,
orange and white stacked up in walls; and clouds of
sulphur rising up from fissures between white and
brown layers of earth. The rock felt hot in places, a
reminder of the forces at play underneath our feet.
Our route then led us up the opposite interior
slope of the crater to the crest, where we would
toboggan down. Here 15 of us gathered around
Gabriel as he ran through procedures for the descent
– how to balance, steer and control speed. I had
complained about my sled being heavy and
cumbersome on the climb, but now it seems so
flimsy.
The street life is colourful in the colonial town of León, Nicaragua’s second-largest city.
There is accommodation to suit all budgets
in León.
Bigfoot Hostel (www.bigfootnicaragua.com),
which runs the volcano boarding trips, is a fun
option for lively young travellers who don’t
mind sharing bathrooms, while just a few
streets away is the Hotel El Convento
(www.elco
nventonicaragua.com), housed in a former
convent.
Expect a manicured courtyard garden,
spacious rooms with stone floors and elegant,
old-fashioned furnishings.
León is a fascinating city to wander around,
the central area dominated by charming
colonial buildings, with plenty of bakeries, bars
and churches to catch your breath in. The
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, the
biggest cathedral in Central America, is a
highlight;
its grand exterior is matched by a serene
interior in the palest of wedding-cake pink.
Don’t miss out on sampling the best local
food in town at the nighttime stalls behind the
cathedral – expect mouthwatering tacos,
sausages and barbecued meats.
LIVING IT UP IN LEÓN
Specially constructed
wooden boards were
designed for volcanic
slopes by Australian
sandboarder Daryn Webb.
{ }I’m wearing the thick orange overalls and green-
tinged goggles that make me look like I should be
tending a burst main in the municipal water supply,
but my hands are bare, and Gabriel is explaining how
important it is to not reach out for support.
“Whatever you do, don’t try to balance or slow
down with your hands,” he says, his big smile looking
increasingly, to me, like a grimace. “The rock is like
sandpaper. You will have no skin left.”
When he asks if anyone is going to attempt to beat
the record of 90km/h, most of the women, including
me, snort in a mixture of terror and disbelief, but
Cameron and two German brothers, in their 20s, say
they will give it their best shot. Gabriel grins, slaps
them on the back and wishes them well.
“You’ll have to wait, though. It’s ladies first on this
volcano.”
A couple of women reluctantly agree to go first and
sit down on their boards. “Goggles! Goggles!” shouts
Gabriel as Mara almost forgets to pull the shades
resting on her forehead over her eyes. Then they are
off, screaming, clouds of black dust rising up behind
them.
I can’t take the waiting any longer and put my sled
next in line. I sit down, pressing my feet into the
board, holding on to the steering rope. The sled starts
sliding, and I reach out to steady myself with my right
hand. I can feel the gritty rocks scratch my skin and I
yank my hand back. I use my feet on either side of the
board to slow my speed. Gravel bits fly up into my
face and into my mouth. The sled is shaking, rocking
from side to side, but I’m trying to use my feet to
steady it.
There’s a deafening sound of crunching rocks. I’m
going faster and faster. Then the final slope is ahead –
the steepest at 41 degrees. I’m covered in grit, the end
is in sight, so I decide to embrace my fate. I put my
feet back on the sled, letting the board gather speed. I
rush down the final decline in a straight, smooth line.
And then it’s all over. It lasted just minutes but felt
like hours.
I later learn from Bigfoot’s radar gun that I clocked
a decent 35km/h.
Cameron was the fastest of the day at 65km/h, but
he paid a price for his speed, flipping his board in a
dramatic spill that earned him scratches on his arms
and ankles.
His board was broken in two. The two German
brothers didn’t reach the speeds they had hoped, but
they looked thrilled. “I wish I could do it all over
again,” say Hans, with a big grin as I took a photo of
him and his brother against the backdrop of the
slope.
Orange overalls unbuttoned to the waist, faces
dirtied with volcanic dust, it’s the kind of photo they
will be showing their grandchildren one day.
Cerro Negro attracts volcano boarders from all over the world. Photo: Thinkstock
gggg
It lasted justminutes but
felt likehours
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