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Mariners report new island in South Pacific
CNN ^ | November 9, 2006 | Unattributed

Posted on 11/09/2006 11:14:24 AM PST by Ben Mugged

A new volcanic island has risen from the South Pacific near Tonga, according to reports from two vessels that passed the area.

The crew of the Maiken, a yacht that left the northern Tongan islands group of Vava'u in August, reported on their Web log on August 12 that they saw streaks of light, porous pumice stone floating in the water -- then "sailed into a vast, many-miles-wide belt of densely packed pumice."

They posted photos of huge "pumice rafts" that they encountered after passing Tonga's Late island while sailing toward Fiji.

"We were so fascinated and busy taking pictures that we plowed a couple of hundred meters into this surreal floating stone field before we realized that we had to turn back," wrote a crewman identified only as Haken.

The next day they spotted an active volcanic island, Haken wrote.

He said they could see the volcanic island clearly. "One mile in diameter and with four peaks and a central crater smoking with steam and once in a while an outburst high in the sky with lava and ashes. I think we're the first ones out here," he reported.

There was no official confirmation of a new island, either from Tonga's Ministry of Lands or the Tonga Defense Service.

Separately, fishing boat captain Siaosi Fenukitau reported seeing the volcanic island, the Matangitonga news Web site reported.

Richard Wunderman, editor of the Washington-based Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, said "a large pumice raft presumably from Tonga has been sweeping across Fiji, and we are trying to learn about its origins."

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: geologic; newisland; southpacific; tonga
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To: TC Rider

Mean West Texas

1. No income tax. No graduated tax of any kind.
2. Complete banking privacy.
3. No muslims. Any other religion, or lack thereof, is fine.
4. Everyone over 18 must own and wear sidearm.

I think if the rest of the constitution later.

Who has a boat?


41 posted on 11/09/2006 12:10:11 PM PST by MeanWestTexan (Kol Hakavod Lezahal)
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To: Toby06

Sure,
just don't hog all the pumice, ok?


42 posted on 11/09/2006 12:13:47 PM PST by najida (If it wasn't for fast food, I'd have no food at all.)
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To: najida

If you'll promise to stop hogging all the covers like you usually do. :)


43 posted on 11/09/2006 12:14:56 PM PST by Toby06 (jon carry is a piece of s#it)
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To: JoeGar
One good volcano sends more gook into the air than all of man's automobiles in all of history.

Depends on what you mean by "gook" but in the case of Carbon Dioxide, that's completely false.

Automobiles, Factories, etc. put over 150 times more CO2 in the atmosphere per year than the average per year total output of CO2 by every volcano on earth combined.

44 posted on 11/09/2006 12:16:27 PM PST by Strategerist (Those who know what's best for us must rise and save us from ourselves)
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To: Toby06

It ain't me hoggin' the covers!


45 posted on 11/09/2006 12:16:30 PM PST by najida (If it wasn't for fast food, I'd have no food at all.)
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To: Ben Mugged

BTTT


46 posted on 11/09/2006 12:16:41 PM PST by Cold Heart
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To: Shermy

"Oh no,

There goes Tokyo..."

Mothra !
Godzirra!


47 posted on 11/09/2006 12:22:30 PM PST by FastCoyote
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To: Strategerist

Provide some proof to back that statement up. Please.


48 posted on 11/09/2006 12:25:00 PM PST by Explodo (Pessimism is simply pattern recognition)
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To: Koblenz

LOL, that's EXACTLY what I thought!!!


49 posted on 11/09/2006 12:26:13 PM PST by RebekahT ("Government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: Strategerist

"Automobiles, Factories, etc. put over 150 times more CO2 in the atmosphere per year than the average per year total output of CO2 by every volcano on earth combined."

Proof to back up this statement.


50 posted on 11/09/2006 12:26:50 PM PST by Explodo (Pessimism is simply pattern recognition)
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To: Ben Mugged
Check out the pumice raft pics on the following link :)

Tonga volcanic eruption seen by yacht crew

51 posted on 11/09/2006 12:28:58 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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Hey, this talk about island countries reminds me..where is that oil platform located that is an independent nation? North Sea?


52 posted on 11/09/2006 12:30:43 PM PST by OldArmy94
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To: ASOC
In the story, they had the link to the blog. It had even more pictures.
53 posted on 11/09/2006 12:30:58 PM PST by DejaJude (Admiral Clark said, "Our mantra today is life, liberty and the pursuit of those who threaten it!")
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To: mutley

"No, it's where KONG lives."
Drat! Beat me to it! :)


54 posted on 11/09/2006 12:31:45 PM PST by 95 Bravo ("Freedom is not free.")
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To: Toby06
Thanks for posting that. One of these days, I'll learn how to do it. Did you read this part of the story?
Frederik Fransson the skipper reported, "You might have heard about the sailor's superstition that you should 'never leave on a Friday'. Well, we did and the sea turned to stone, it is hard to get a stronger sign than that.

The sea turning to stone sounds like something out of mythology.

55 posted on 11/09/2006 12:35:37 PM PST by DejaJude (Admiral Clark said, "Our mantra today is life, liberty and the pursuit of those who threaten it!")
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To: Explodo

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Hazards/What/VolGas/volgas.html

Comparison of CO2 emissions from volcanoes vs. human activities.

Scientists have calculated that volcanoes emit between about 130-230 million tonnes (145-255 million tons) of CO2 into the atmosphere every year (Gerlach, 1999, 1992). This estimate includes both subaerial and submarine volcanoes, about in equal amounts. Emissions of CO2 by human activities, including fossil fuel burning, cement production, and gas flaring, amount to about 22 billion tonnes per year (24 billion tons) [ ( Marland, et al., 1998) - The reference gives the amount of released carbon (C), rather than CO2.]. Human activities release more than 150 times the amount of CO2 emitted by volcanoes--the equivalent of nearly 17,000 additional volcanoes like Kilauea (Kilauea emits about 13.2 million tonnes/year)!


56 posted on 11/09/2006 12:39:26 PM PST by Strategerist (Those who know what's best for us must rise and save us from ourselves)
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To: DejaJude
That's a really cool pic, and yeah, a hell of a sign!


57 posted on 11/09/2006 12:48:37 PM PST by Toby06 (jon carry is a piece of s#it)
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To: Ben Mugged
SWEET ... THE US needs to put a flag out there and claim the damn thing ASAP. Another strategic location for stuff.
58 posted on 11/09/2006 12:51:42 PM PST by Centurion2000 (If the Romans had nukes, Carthage would still be glowing.)
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To: Toby06

What the heck is that?


59 posted on 11/09/2006 12:52:51 PM PST by angcat ("IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM")
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To: angcat

On either side is the floating pumice, in the middle is the channel cut by their boat.

The story is here: http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/natural_events/tonga_eruption_081106.shtml


60 posted on 11/09/2006 12:54:38 PM PST by Toby06 (jon carry is a piece of s#it)
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