As of today, in season now, through ~December 31. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
South of Vangunu Island in the Solomon Islands, Kavachi is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the southwest Pacific — a restless seamount that, since its first recorded eruption in 1939, has broken the surface as a temporary island at least eight times, only for the sea to erode each one away.
When it erupts, the ocean above the crater turns to a discolored, steaming plume of ash, rock fragments, and sulfur, sometimes visible from passing aircraft and from satellites in orbit.
Its strangest secret was revealed in 2015, when a research expedition lowered a camera into the active crater and found life thriving in the hot, acidic water — scalloped hammerhead and silky sharks and a sixgill stingray cruising inside what should be a lethal environment — earning Kavachi the nickname 'Sharkcano.' Because the volcano lies beneath the sea and erupts unpredictably, there is no rim to stand on and no reliable schedule.
Viewing means a boat or aircraft charter to the area during an active phase, watching for the telltale plume of stained, gas-rich water rising over the seamount.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
|---|
| Kavachi Seamount (south of Vangunu Island) |
This is the short version
This page shows a taste. The app has the full list of where to see this, the exact timing, and live conditions for 1,000+ natural phenomena worldwide, so you know the moment one is genuinely worth the trip.