DP Photo Challenge: new horizon

Lake Tarawera, Rotorua, NZ. This scene truly is does show a new horizon. The landscape here was massively altered by the volcanic eruption, in 1886, of Mt Tarawera (the remnants of which are in the background). Image: Su Leslie, 2016

There is an irony I guess, that the image I chose to show my desire for more time spent in nature, should offer not only a metaphorical, but a literal “new horizon.”

Had I been gazing upon Lake Tarawera 130 years ago (unlikely I agree, as I only feel that old), the view would have been very different. That’s because on June 10 1886, Mt Tarawera (in the background) erupted in the most lethal volcanic explosion in New Zealand’s recorded history.

According to GNS, the earth, geoscience and isotope research centre:

Tarawera is one of a number of dome volcanoes in the Okataina Volcanic Centre which lies east of Rotorua. This area is a caldera (collapse crater) that became volcanically active about 400 000 years ago and which last subsided about 64,000 years ago.

And GeoNet:

Rumblings from the Tarawera eruption were heard as far south as Blenheim, in the South Island. During the eruption a series of large explosions opened up a rift 17 km long, which expelled ash and rocks for a few hours. When hot magma came into contact with Lake Rotomahana, huge explosions covered the region with mud and ash up to one metre deep and many buildings collapsed. Three villages were buried under hot heavy ash and mud and 108 people killed, the Māori village of Te Wairoa, its Pa and whares were completely buried. The Pink and White Terraces, considered one of the great natural wonders of the world were also destroyed.

New Zealand is one of the most geologically active places in the world, so it is inevitable that horizons change frequently, and often violently. And not only in nature. The individual horizons of everyone affected by earthquakes and volcanic activity are also changed forever.

This post was written for the Daily Post Photo Challenge.