Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:28 PM

bemildred (67,509 posts)

Vast volcanic 'raft' found in Pacific, near New Zealand

Source: BBC

A vast "raft" of volcanic rocks covering 10,000 sq miles (26,000 sq km) of ocean has been spotted by a New Zealand military aircraft.

A naval ship was forced to change course in order to avoid the cluster of buoyant rocks, located 1,000 miles off the New Zealand coast.

The unusual phenomenon was probably the result of pumice being released from an underwater volcano, experts said.

One navy officer described it as the "weirdest thing" he had seen at sea.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19207810

14 replies, 3070 views

Reply to this thread

Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum

Replies to this discussion thread

14 replies	Author	Time	Post
Vast volcanic 'raft' found in Pacific, near New Zealand (Original post)	bemildred	Aug 2012	OP
Or are they really cleverly disguised Alien Dingleberries (R)	Berlum	Aug 2012	#1
Ruh Roh.	TalkingDog	Aug 2012	#2
Happened a few years ago elswhere in the Pacific near Tonga	hobbit709	Aug 2012	#3
Great link!	DeSwiss	Aug 2012	#12
That's how some islands are formed	dipsydoodle	Aug 2012	#4
Probably good for removing barnacles from the hull	Duer 157099	Aug 2012	#5
stick your feet in the water also, good for those as well!	cbdo2007	Aug 2012	#6
I've seen similar formations of styrofoam packing "peanuts."	hunter	Aug 2012	#7
It's mine! I claim it!	sofa king	Aug 2012	#8
five more posts and you'll be at 7777!	truthisfreedom	Aug 2012	#9
Just flush it again.	FailureToCommunicate	Aug 2012	#10
Volcanos have floaters?	StrictlyRockers	Aug 2012	#11
LOVE your tag line!	FailureToCommunicate	Aug 2012	#13
That's just too funny!	Odin2005	Aug 2012	#14

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:35 PM

Berlum (3,711 posts)

1. Or are they really cleverly disguised Alien Dingleberries (R)

Last edited Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:37 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Paging agents Mulder & Scully

Reply to this post

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:40 PM

TalkingDog (7,631 posts)

2. Ruh Roh.

Look out! Lake Taupo is gonna blow!!!!

okay not really....
http://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/activity/taupo/index.html

But that is weird.

Reply to this post

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:41 PM

hobbit709 (26,087 posts)

3. Happened a few years ago elswhere in the Pacific near Tonga

Last edited Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:43 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

http://www.wavetrain.net/news-a-views/181-tonga-volcano-sailing-thru-a-sea-of-pumice

Reply to this post

Response to hobbit709 (Reply #3)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 06:11 PM

DeSwiss (17,213 posts)

12. Great link!

- Thanks!

Reply to this post

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:47 PM

dipsydoodle (32,668 posts)

4. That's how some islands are formed

Santorini for example :

After the Minoan Eruption

Mount Thera did not die as a result of the eruption. It started to reform, eventually poking its tip above the water in 197 BC. A number of islands have formed and reformed in the centre of the caldera. At present there are two, known as Paleo Kameni (Old Burnt Island) and Nea Kameni (New Burnt Island). These have erupted sporadically over the centuries. Nea Kameni erupted as recently as 1950 and is still smoking even today. These are minor affairs, however, compared with the mind-boggling scale of the previous eruptions. Volcanoes are unpredictable things, but it is likely that the Thera volcano will continue to grow until it is once again a major mountain, and maybe blow its top again.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A721117

Reply to this post

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:48 PM

Duer 157099 (16,528 posts)

5. Probably good for removing barnacles from the hull

just sail right through

Reply to this post

Response to Duer 157099 (Reply #5)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 01:59 PM

cbdo2007 (6,556 posts)

6. stick your feet in the water also, good for those as well!

Reply to this post

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 02:16 PM

hunter (16,127 posts)

7. I've seen similar formations of styrofoam packing "peanuts."

I hope this really is pumice and not plastic.

Reply to this post

Response to bemildred (Original post)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 02:16 PM

sofa king (8,707 posts)

8. It's mine! I claim it!

I hereby proclaim the Floating Kingdom of Sofa, of which I am sole regent. I'll be rowing out there with a bunch of tarps, zip ties, lawn chairs, and a bouncy-house which shall be my castle.

You bring the beer.

Reply to this post

Response to sofa king (Reply #8)

Fri Aug 10, 2012, 03:02 PM

truthisfreedom (17,677 posts)