2006

27/12 It’s plenty of snow! It was a white Christmas here on Etna and now there is all snow we could wish. After two good winter seasons this could be third one.

21/12 Would you like to run around our volcano? Also in answer is “absolutely not” every year there is a international event. This year organization choose us as hotel and I gladly offer them a link to Volcano Trail. If you anyway don’t want to run you can always join event. On organization website you can read: “In order to follow the runners during the race we propose a hiking program, escorted by an English speaking guide, on the northern side of the Etna. We will hike on the same paths taken by the competitors. It will be possible to discover the environment, the lava flows and to look at the runners passing by on the last km of the marathon. The hikers meeting point is at the Ragabo hut on the northern side of the Etna. The buffet at the end of the marathon is also provided to the hikers.” . They leave no excuses even if you don’t run!

18/12 Mr. Reichart ‘did it’ again. I thought his photos published on 09/12 where probably between the most impressive I’ve seen this year but Thomas Reichart had some surprise yet. There are so many exceptional photos that I prefer to open a new permanent gallery. Click on link to Reichart photos of Etna and enjoy all new pictures.

16/12 Activity is increasing. After stop around 08th eruption continues like early December. Anyway winter comes, lava remains confined in Valle del Bove where, when snow arrives, it will be just a little note of colour. It is very difficult to reach eruption zone now.

14/12 Yesterday evening it was possible to see two big lava rivers in Valle del Bove but weather was not so good. I am sorry I will be busy today so I can’t provide more news. I am looking for my ‘new old car’ as you can read on http://www.mcorion.com/ideesse in italian. For French people who follow us if you have one at home and you wish to sell it contact me. Following link you will understand why French have priority…

12/12 Yes, as you could expect eruption started again. Fabrice Digonnet sent us some photos of last week’s activity. I am happy to report is comment “Thanks for everything: our week in your hotel was perfect, as every time”, sometimes I’m happy to remember my work is not to write news but to keep an hotel. As a good new new website is ready. I just need a bit of time to ‘migrate’ every text and photo of this website in new one. Don’t count on me to see new site in ‘human times’. Thanks to Digonnet for all nice new photo he allowed me to share with you all. This year activity is fantastic and photos are never enough 🙂

09/12 Explosions, lava, ash, everything has stopped. Eruption 2006 seems (another time) concluded. Lava is just moving a bit for gravity but there is no more alimentation. Anyway if lava stops our friends all over the world don’t stop to show us the best photos of Etna. We received a full load of extraordinary photos by mr. Reichart (who was here just few days ago and will come back in hotel today). I had to choose the best ones but i could not. At end I choose to publish them all. I strongly recommend to click on them and appreciate them in higher resolution. Yesterday we saw first great snow on Etna. It is impressive how dense was snow when falling down at least how it was fast to melt down in two hours.

07/12 Etna activity is slowing down. Yesterday evening seismic signals were 85-90% reduced and also activity slowed down.

04/12 This morning ash column was particularly dense. Weather is fantastic and I appreciated contrast between white of first snow and grey of ash.

02/12 UPDATE It appeared an interesting article about “The Forgotten Tsunami”. It seems 8.000 years ago eastern flank of Etna falled inside sea. On its back it left Valle del Bove, an immense depression where nowadays most lava rivers pacifically spread. Inside sea in just ten minutes a wall of water 50 meters has born and started is deadly course for half Mediterranean sea. It was probably strongest Tsunami we have memory and, confronted to it, Asian recent tsunami was “a joke”. Atlantis myth could so be not provoked by an event like Santorini explosion but by our volcano. You can check “Lost tsunami Etna” (translating ‘lost’ in your language) to get some complete articles. In English you can try this link
02/12 Yesterday a little new fracture in SE crater created a little lava river. No harm, as usual. Good weather come back so it is yet possible to go up and see directly all activity.

01/12 Another ash column 1.000 meters high is covering us with a small quantity of boring sand. I begin to hate it. Airport is closed every night after sunset since eight days. Lava river continues to flood down. It has arrived to 1.600 meters of altitude in “Valle del Bove”.

29/11 Snow and fire, we have them both on Etna at same moment, today. Weather today is much better so we could see new Sud Est explosions trying to dirty the white veil. About ‘best translation prize’ today they win “absolutely nothing” (as usual) our ‘old friends’ Michel and Julie of “Tingo Tanca” (one of best wesites you can find to buy ‘precious stones’, ‘semi precious stones’, ‘not-precious-but-they-are-too-nice stones’ and ‘Rolling Stones’). Last version of translation is final and I thank all people who helped us (especially Rosy who had to do first translation, and Amara who did a big reinterpretation work, off course). Mr. and Mrs. Krabusch will come back next year and today Mr. Krabusch shows us as a famous “Pietracannone” (cannon rock?) borns. Lava enters in a wood and encounter trees. Trees burn long with red lava consuming them but while they burn lava is coldened enough it can’t take place of three. Pietracannone remain as trees simulacra, forever.

28/11 Yesterday they said activity was strongly increasing, today they say is decreasing. In god we trust. Mr and Mrs Adlam-Stiles suggested me to look at Decade Volcano website for November photos. Effectively Marco Fulle and Tom Pfeiffer surely did a good work filling eight pages. Check Decade Volcano link. They also suggest to look at Rietze and Boeckel photos.

27/11 UPDATE: I know, I should write about ETna but ‘translation game’ is having a good success. Today we had some more corrections by mr. Redmond, our guest in October and an entire new version of text by Amara Graps (do you remember October, 19th new with photo of lava bomb effect and November,24th video?). I thanks them both. I publish here first text and second text asking you all which one should I use. As usual you win practically nothing except maybe some new pictures… yes, let me see… October… got one! And published here. This is Sud Est before last days explosions. Ash column here is small. In last days columns where five kilometers high and driven by wind they cutted sky in half. This photo is courtesy of mr. Anthony of Euroshots and show crater on October, 10th.
27/11 Airport is back open. During afternoon they will decide if they will close it again by night for precautions.

26/11 UPDATE: Faster than light mr. Hepplewhite was first friend to help us correcting a little mistake in our brochure text. “to sky in Sicily – I think should be – to ski in Sicily”… and he is right because we were talking about skiing! I am glad of correction but I am glad too because with this little ‘experiment’ I had possibility to get an e-mail by our 2003 guest. He has won… an eruption when he will come again on Etna (I hope!). Experiment continues so if anybody has anything to add I will be glad to receive other suggestions.
26/11 a new ash column was visible today and it seemed to increase in strength during morning. Today I ask your help. I have a little text in English which will be used in new Hotel Corsaro brochures but I would appreciate ‘an eye’ by somebody of moIn order to follow the runners during the race we propose a hiking program, escorted by an English speaking guide, on the northern side of the Etna. We will hike on the same paths taken by the competitors. It will be possible to discover the environment, the lava flows and to look at the runners passing by on the last km of the marathon. The hikers meeting point is at the Ragabo hut on the northern side of the Etna. The buffet at the end of the marathon is also provided to the hikers.ther tongue before publishing it. Text is available clicking here. Thanks in advance and thanks to Rosy Sciuto who gave me translation.

25/11 SMALL UPDATE: Catania airport was closed again, today. This evening a new small ash cloud started from Sud Est fracture.
25/11 Catania Airport is fully operative. It has been closed, yesterday, because there was risk to have ash in air space around it but today situation is normal. Sud Est crater continued its strombolian activity this night with fountains 200-300 meters high.

24/11 Back at work. This morning Sud Est is producing a very big column of brown ash. Thanks to good weather it was possible to see how long it is. It remembers activity like 2001/2002 or unforgotten 1986 cloud. New cloud should come by a new fracture born on Sud Est base. I’m glad to shere a two days old video of night activity of Amara Graps (HI-RES 10,0MB, LO-RES 2,3MB). She is a scientist who studies Etna to better understand volcanic activity of other volcanoes in our solar system but she also loves to simply watch webcams when she’s far away like now. On www.amara.com you can have an idea of so big are her interests and her studies.

16/11 Sorry for so great delay in news but I finally am in full health after solving all problems related to a motorbike accident I had on January 2005. Etna was in full activity in past days reaching his top this morning with a great launch of sand fro SE Crater. There is also a new small and quiet lava river form same crater. Some days ago it was also possible to see great lava fountains but I was far from my computers to report it.

04/11 A new webcam is active. Many thanks to Fabrizio Leonardi who reported it. It is a panoramic webcam of EtnaTech which can be viewed at this link. If you wish to read something in english about current activity check Marco Fulle and Tom Pfeiffer experience on Volcano Discovery page

31/10 Lava everywhere. Bocca Nuova fracture opened again in past days and a big lava river come down on southern side (not in our direction). Sud Est continues his activity. Etna is full of lava and top craters are highly fractured. I am not an expert. I just feel there are good conditions for a side eruption in close future.

27/10 Fracture on Bocca Nuova ended his activity yesterday. Today lava continued to flow inside Valle del Bove.

26/10 UPDATE: monsieur De Chambrier of Géo-Découverte just gave me some news. Sud Est and Bocca Nuova show many fractures. Lava stars form one of these and divides in two arms. One shows poor life while the other one, going west, is well alimented. Top craters seem full of lava and probably all Etna is under heavy pressure. As ‘rare’ news (I heard of this nowhere) it seems few days ago one person took a video of a cloud of steam and lava released by Sud Est while a new fracture opened. It is very unusual activity for Etna and I’m waiting to see this video.

26/10 Looking at Etna from my house, this morning, I see something strange. It seems there is or a lava river from Bocca Nuova or Sud Est on southern side around 3.000 meters. Maybe it is also one or more holes somewhere around Torre del Filosofo. I wait some news but you can use this I.N.G.V. webcam which is following this event.

25/10 Eruption continues and hotel is getting crowdie. More people are here, less time I have to ask information. I hope to get some better news from Géo-Découverte and Aventure et Volcan group which are coming to sleep here in next days.

23/10 This evening eruption was fantastic. I just reached home in Nicolosi some minutes ago and, stopping several times on my way home, I could clearly see (from Southern side of Etna) Sud Est crater river starting apparently by half of its cone (2004 fracture?). Lava flows in bright red, probably fast. I could not see directly its direction but all smoke coming up from lava river shown river is probably going deep in Valle del Bove. Perfect weather finally helps a lot in direct vision of lava. Latest new, some day ago an Hornito has born and it offers another ‘piece of collection’ of a nice eruption. All people coming in hotel in last days choose to stay at least one night more because show is incredible.

15/10 …and lava river again! Thanks to monsieur Sintes who has shown us video of new lava.

11/10 …and explosions again, Sud Est crater is going to be boring this year. Activity continues alternating activity and quiescence. I will not continue to write communicates just to say that Sud Est is stopping and then is back in activity.

09/10 This new eruption of Etna has ended, too. It is fourth time me see Sud Est crater exploding, stopping and then beginning again to explode. 17 excursionist, lost in fog, have been found and saved yesterday.

04/10 SMALL UPDATE: mr. Oliver Beck gave us address of a NEW WEBCAM of INGV, perfect to follow new activity. This evening explosions are perfectly visible from Hotel.
04/10 Sud Est crater continues to launch sand but finally a new lava river is coming. This is fourth time since July Sud Est crater offers an effusive activity. A nice new about lava produced by Sud Est: it contains sedimentary rocks inside like in eruptions 2001, 2002 and 2004 (thanks to Charles Riviere website, you can see his photos on Charles Riviere’s news – 1st October new). Many thanks to mrs. Stiles who has stolen us possibility to be first to notice there was new lava and who sent us another image by Etna Trekking webcam. He wrote “I am sure you already have this information but in case you have been too busy to hear the news… “. Well, you are right about second option, I was very busy and you arrived first! Image is slightly elaborated by mrs. Stiles to improve quality. (little correction, initially I wrote “Mr. Stiles” but e-mail and photo has been sent by “Mrs. Stiles” and, to be exact, “Mrs. Adlam-Stiles”. Now I understand how they arrive so fast to discover what happens on Etna, they are two and can cover all 24 hours).

29/09 This morning I found in reception a little note by mr. and mrs. Ktabusch, friends, guests and Etna lovers. “Sud Est is not sleeping[…]. This morning mr. Krabusch saw a little ash cloud growing out of the crater, arriving over Montagnola. Solo uno [just one] at 7:45.“

28/09 Eruption has ended. Short, synthetic and sad 🙂

27/09 A nice lava river come on 22nd. According to Charles Riviere lava has reached Valle del Bove border, now. I am happy to find one minute to add link to ActiV which news about Etna have been updated by our hotel in past days thanks to Fabrice Digonnet. He promised he will send us some photos so I am anxiously waiting. About today’s news you will find photos of mr. Stiles. He says: “Thank you for our recent stay at Hotel Corsaro. We had an excellent stay on Etna, and are looking forward to being able to come and visit again soon. It is also very interesting to learn that Etna is erupting again! As promised, I attach a few of the photos we took during our visit“. We thank him for photos he is sharing with we all. About first photo he says: “Taken on 06-09-2006 from base of SE crater. You can clearly see the new lava flow running into the mini-crater on SE crater. i thought it was rather nice to be able to see this, and the explosions, in daylight!“. About second photo, that one with a man looking up, he says: “This was our vantage point for the next few photos… note the channel in the middle of the picture left by the previous (July) eruption. This was filling up with lava!!!“. I am happy after so many days I could add some photos but I yet have some unanswered e-mails of friends. I didn’t forget you (I hope)!

24/09 Activity is increasing and night show was fantastic again. Someone says a lava river will soon come. We hope so. Sorry but I had no much time in last days to publish news and photos.

21/09 Charles Riviere couldn’t come here in hotel but I called me to say I could use one of today’s photos of new activity. It’s possible to see an ash column coming up.
21/09 UPDATE: it is confirmed there is an explosion every half hour.
21/09 Good news form Sud Est crater. Mr and mrs Leroy has just shown me today’s pictures with new explosions of Sud Est: activity started again! In their camera I could see photos of launch of ash and some rocks. If weather this evening is better maybe we can see again a red crown on our favorite volcano. I’am anxious to see Charles Riviere and mr. and mrs Krabusch to get more news

20/09 Mr. Thorsten was here during second Sud Est eruption which has just finished. I strongly recommend to click on photos to enlarge them and watch them with something like Hans Zimmermann’s music for “The Gladiator”… ok, click here and then select ‘hi-fi’ before opening Thorsten masterpieces. He took some extraordinary photos thanks fact he was… unlucky! Weather was bad and he could take some shoot between one cloud and other. Result is than instead having usual photos he created some great effect images, deep and mysterious with red lava reflecting upon light veils of clouds and strings of fog. He also used long exposure to take all stars where in sky to surround eruption with a crown of gems. There is something magic in his pictures and I am glad to publish them. Thanks mr. Thorsten!

19/09 Eruption has ended, it is confirmed. Now it is time to publish some mixed photo of our friends all over the world. First picture I would like to share with you is Amara Graps one. She said: “Attached is my favorite picture from August. A giant stepped here, but in reality it was a volcanic bomb, bouncing merrily down the hill making these impressions“. Second photo is another magnificent shoot of monsieur Riviere. He reports there is a lot of sulphur around top craters but to understand picture please click on it and try to notice there are people in it. This will give you an idea of so great top craters are. Third shoot is a nice view of Sud Est crater after eruption. Please notice not only people to the left but also people on little cone of ‘Sudestino’ (I hope to don’t be wrong about crater). To better try to see them if you click on image you will get a big 1024X768 photo which will help you to see how big are craters.

18/09 Latest news report eruption has ended. Our guests can now walk on same lava they have seen flooding down bright red in past days. There is yet a lot of steam and temperature of black lava remains high in several points (enough to cook on it if it was not toxic…).

17/09 We had two days of terrible weather and finally we have very blue sky. So blue because wind allows no cloud to fly above us. Latest new about eruption said strombolian activity has finished but lava is still flooding down. Speed anyway demonstrates also this activity could be at his end. Will Sud Est crater come back in activity soon or this is time for a new side eruption?

15/09 Today I wish to remember monsieur Arnaud Etienn Nicoladze. Two years ago he was here on Etna preparing his new job/pleasure as guide but he was unlucky and a storm caught him. A lightning took him before he could begin his activity. To his wife and sons our little memory. Once more I wish to report his wife e-mail: “Arnaud adorait ce métier d’accompagnateur qu’il venait de découvrir et il était séduit par le voyage qu’il préparait en Sicile“.

14/09 I beg pardon if I couldn’t add more news in past days but restaurant and hotel are crowdie and touristic season is at his maximum so I really had no time. I’m sorry once more because I got a full load of news and photos of eruption by Charles Riviere and I didn’t share with you. This morning our friend Elizabeth Curie (IsoleIsole in Lipari if you need a contact for Aeolian islands) reported us she was lucky to assist to fall of a wall of “Sud Est” crater in front her eyes. It has been a great and rare experience which completed her magnificent tour of yesterday night close to lava river and (now big) explosions. Same great experience for Aventure et Volcans and Allibert groups we have in these days. Eruption is finally wonderful as expected. Lava river according to Charles Riviere website is about 10 meters wide, quite slow, and explosions have been followed by launch of black sand (unlike 2001 or 2002 this is just a local fact). I add four photos of our precious friend and some little explanation. In first we have Sud Est crater in late afternoon. This first photo is precious to understand second one. In second one lava river is evident but without first one you could not notice there are two lava falls. First one from highest Sud Est border. Second one from 2004 fracture to observer. Lava falls are perhaps more evident in third picture which offers a slightly different view and a wide explosion. In fourth image we have lava river advancing very slow towards Valle del Bove. People can walk around lava river’s head with no arm (but guide is always necessary!). Unluckily yesterday and today Etna was partially covered by clouds but it was not so bad to stop visits to the summit.

 09/09 Before everything else today I had best possible new about actual activity: Charles Riviere is here on Etna and his website is providing some fantastic photos and news!. I hope he will share with us some fresh news sooner possible. By his website my limited french allows me to understand explosions passed by one each minute to one each ten seconds and bombs reach 100-150 meters of altitude. Lava speed this night was about 12 meters per hour which clearly explains why lava took so much time to come out from 2004 fracture. White smoke from other top craters is increasing, sign new activity is influencing other Etna holes. Our friend Amara Graps sent us a picture about a possible second lava river but photo from webcam just revealed red line she saw was simply created by some bombs aligned to extreme left side of webcam view. She couldn’t sleep watching lava river finally coming outside South East crater so she took two very nice shoots which, joined, would give movement sensation. No problem anyway. Lava is extremely far from Rifugio Sapienza zone and there are no possibilities this activity goes towards inhabited places around Etna. Photos from Etna Trekking webcams, as usual; they are providing a constant and very good Etna webcam service.

08/09 Lava finally found its path outside fracture of 2004 and is now slowly going in direction of immense “Valle del Bove” where it will pacifically spread as usual. It reached 2.850 meters and lava river begins to appear like a river and not just a short line as in past days.

07/09 mr. Boeckel Thorsten sent me address of his website, “From Etna to Stromboli“. I am glad to publish his link. About Etna we don’t have great news today. This website in not limited to Etna and Stromboli but it also talks about travels to Merapi, Montserrat, Sangay and many others. Activity here continues like usual. Explosions sometimes are very high and some rocks have been seen in the distance, from hotel, remaining about 30 seconds in air before touching ground.

06/09 A lot of friends are contacting me about new eruption. Dr. Henning told me he closed his computer at 21:25 when first image of new lava river (mr. Becks’ one) is dated 21:30; mr. Becks to say he was lucky to be first to see lava river because he simply turned on computer at that time to update his website. Mr. Becks expected lava could rapidly fill fracture and flow out but now is is clear lava river is quite narrow. He supposes this activity could be prelude to a new flank eruption and if we consider past activity of Etna yes, we agree with him (all personal opinions, off course). Dr. Henning anyway wrote me not just to say he is unlucky with photos but to say he was lucky in finding articles I mentioned on August, 15th. He gave me a scanning of articles but I can’t publish them because they are copyrighted. Sorry. Even our astronomer Amara Graps sent me a nice photo of event but winner of ‘best picture of the day’ is… dr. Henning with his shot of Etna Trekking’s webcam.

05/09 This night I was in Catania’s Airport and it was clear there was, far in the distance, a little lava river from top crater. Back at home I promptly found an e-mail of dr. Beck with first image of new lava river from webcams. Quality is not so good. These is mr. Beck’s interpretation of Etna Trekking’s photo: “since 21:30 lava seems to flow from top crater of SEC into 2004 collaps crater! Strombolian explosions still at the top“. And I trust him 😉

03/09 Eruption continues with strombolian activity. Frequency and energy of explosions remains quite low. Many thanks to Etna ‘fan’ Raimon Schulz for his image of Etna Trekking webcams. This image has been processed to increase general light but it is absolutely a night photo. It is possible to notice rocks are able to go outside cone.

02/09 Shakings in “Sud Est” are decreasing while activity remains constant with launch of material just around cone. Will south east stop its activity fast as in July?

01/09 ANOTHER UPDATE: sir Oliver Beck sent us a photo he took this evening with Etna Trekking’s webcam (see Etna Webcams section to get all links). I had to use a bit of Photoshop to correct it and finally it is possible to clearly recognize South East crater skyline. If you wish Etna news in german please check Vulkan-Etna-Update, Oliver Beck’s website.
01/09 LITTLE UPDATE: new eruption presents no lava rivers. At this moment we just have explosions.
01/09 Back in eruption! “Sud Est” crater is back in activity since yesterday. I wasn’t able to see explosions past nights but today when I arrived in hotel I heard Etna’s breath. I hope to get more news this afternoon.

30/08. Thanks to mr. Peter to have reported that “Catania-Etna” link used a longer route passing from Zafferana Etnea than simply coming up trough Nicolosi. It depends by personal options you choose on your ViaMichelin (preference to main roads) but now I forced route planner to touch Nicolosi and It should work.

15/08 SMALL UPDATE: Check www.amara.com to get (sooner possible, they are working on them yet) new photos of Etna and some news about our friends Amara and Joannemie
15/08 Greeting to Amara and Joannemie who have been on Etna for work and have been our guests. I hope their studies about Etna will help to solve some doubts about volcanism in Solar System. People would listen science much more if all scientists would be so beautiful 😉 I am sorry, I have no pictures, this time.
 About Etna other scientists (probably not so nice) are using a system similar to TAC to follow lava movements inside Etna and predict eruptions. I invite you to follow this link for an INGV page (in Italian but it says that in two weeks two articles should appear on “Geophysical Research Letters” and «Journal Geophysical Research” – if you get links please send them to me and I will publish them).

10/08 if you wish more photos of 2006 eruption check http://www.etna-2006.de/40987.html, dr. Henning’s website. Glad to have helped them to get a power source for their camera.

09/08 Today mr. Ken and mrs. Pam come on Etna and stopped to talk with me about last eruption and possibility to follow lava river’s path. I couldn’t add anything about Etna to that they already knew so I simply was glad of their visit. I just warned them for raining and lightning problems generally occur in afternoons. About this website they are second persons this month who tell me this is one of few websites of Etna news in English.

04/08 Mr. Fred Lovett come back 🙂 I prefer to report a piece of his e-mail instead to give a comment to it. It is a nice experience I prefer to share in its original format: “Ciao Davide,
 We finally got to go up the mountain on the “Jeep” as one tour guide calls them Very big Jeeps! We left about 10:30 am from Provenzana, and quickly found out why only the Mercedes UNIMOG vehicles are used for the regular trips.
 Although they only go as far as the Observatory, many people walk from there to the crater, which looked a bit too far for me with my weak legs.
Isi went on a walk to a point a bit higher up, but not very near to the crater. On the way up we passed quite a few people who were walking all the way from Piano Provenzana to the summit. I was amazed that it was a walk rather than a climb, some folks even took their pet dogs along.
As the mountain was very quiet, except for some strong smoke emissions, everything seemed very tame. There were five busses involved in our trip, mostly French and English tours with their tour leaders. about 100 folks altogether. I stayed with the busses, and from the photos Isi took I was glad I did.
 On the way back they stopped at a point well above Piano Provenzana, and the tourists got out and walked down a trail while the busses drove down to meet them at the bottom. When we got back to Provenzana, Isi and I had a beer and a sandwich before returning[,,,]“

03/08 Mr. Fred Lovett should be to top craters this morning. I hope he we’ll give us some news of upper zone.

28/07 Mr. Riviere is back with exciting news. After eruption ended it seems nord-est crater began a new explosive phase! I just had in my hands some very light pumice-stones but he told zone surrounding crater could be dangerous due to heaviest old lava stones coming out with new raw material. I don’t remember so fast exchange of activity from south-east to north-east craters. Generally their activity has been quite separate. I am guilty to have ignored Charles Riviere’s website in past days so, also if you are far away, if you know about activity before me (it happens!) please contact me. I thank mr. Riviere for new photos (click on images to enlarge them, as usual). He also shown me a video by thermal camera he has on his computer and I hope he can share with you. As you can read on his pages use of thermal camera was a bit risky due to steam who didn’t allow to see eventually rocks launched by Nord-Est.

 27/07 Mr. Fred Lovett lives on northern side of Etna in Linguaglossa. He wrote me an e-mail today in which he says he is glad to have some news in English by our website. I can assure him than in new version of hotelcorsaro.it (finally ready and operative) English will remain first language. He is 78 years old but I don’t know so many 78 years old Sicilians who use a computer and are able to publish their website with their pictures and passions. I am happy to present address of his website “FredsPage” in which you will find photos of Piano Provenzana touristic zone during and after devastation of 2002/2003 eruption. You will also find Zafferana Etnea, Nicolosi and “Gole dell’Alcantara” photos of last three years. Anyway don’t miss his page about Buccaneer 240 boat and all troubles he had at beginning and all solution and modifications he did to his boat. For a “corsair” (Corsaro) on southern side we have a buccaneer on northern! Thanks you again for your e-mail, mr. Lovett. I hope you will come here this summer.

25/07 Monsieur Riviere left us several photos of first day after eruption ended. You can see him walking one step far from  hole from which lava come out. Please notice his gloves. In second picture you can look at lava river totally stopped and black. Clicking on image you can notice a person running on river border. I hope he was able to stop in time. Both pictures copyright Charles Riviere.

24/07 UPDATE: I finally had some minutes to upload three exciting images of new crater by mr. Beck and an evocative portrait of dr. Henning in front to lava river. I thank a lot them them both for all support they gave me in this flash eruption with news and photos and I smile when I think that eruption started in their first day on Etna and finished immediately when they had to leave Sicily. It was long I didn’t see so lucky persons! I just remember another occasion in year 2001 when eruption started in front to hotel and I had people who decided to remain for one month suffering our same pains with doubts, sand, explosions, lava rivers, in a catastrophic but surely unique environment.

24/07 I come back after a week-end near Agrigento just to discover that activity is strongly reduced. I received two e-mails plenty of photos of eruption  from mr. Beck and dr. Henning and I hope I will have one hour this afternoon to publish them. While I was writing mr. Riviere called me to say he is in Rifugio Sapienza waiting for his computer and he will come here to show me his photos. Probably you will see these new photos this evening or tomorrow. Give me some time!

21/07 Another friend has come. Charles Riviere is here in hotel and he downloaded all his morning’s photos on my computer. He told me explosion and noise increased after midnight. Too bad I was there but I left just before midnight. Anyway yesterday evening it was extraordinary with bright yellow explosions and a lot of bombs flying around cone. I didn’t go to lava river just because temperature was around 5 degrees and wind was a bit too strong for my clothes but I will try again in few days. Monsieur Riviere took some photos of big bombs fallen at a distance of 300 meters by crater during this night. These one day old bombs are a warning to all people going alone  without experience and a guide to eruption zone.

20/07 Boris Behncke (INGV) sent me an e-mail with yesterday’s photos of last eruption. There are not great changes in activity. As reported on local online newspaper “La Sicilia” caters are opened at 3.000 and 3.050 meters and lava is flowing down inside “Valle del Bove” reaching “Monti Centenari” at 1.850 meters. Explosions noise in strong and audible from all towns surrounding Etna. There is absolutely no risk not only for population but also for any infrastructure on Etna. This is definitively best time to visit Etna. Our volcano magnificent as usual and a little shown in act. Click on photos to enlarge them and please remember they are all copyrighted by Boris Behncke (INGV) and offered us as courtesy. Don’t use them please. Another good new is that mr. Charles Riviere is “coming back in action” and his extraordinary website is already full of photos and news with a special dedicated to 2006 eruption. Click here to visit Charles Riviere eruption 2006 page.

19/07 Activity continues slightly increased. Every people who go to see eruption come back extraordinarily happy. There are no great changes since eruption started and no great news. Dr. Henning took some videos of eruption but we are looking for a compatible cable to download images on my computer and make them public.

16/07 Mr. Beck and dr. Henning gave me a drawing about area surrounding “Sud Est” crater. (click on picture to see a big copy of this map) SEC indicates “Sud Est” cone. To the center you can notice “summit” point, collapsed 2004 hole and actual explosive vent which from hotel we can clearly hear. Down left you can notice “sudestino” crater and 2001 Hornito. To the right, under explosive vent there are two holes from which lava river starts separate to join short after and then separate again in two different arms going towards “Valle del Bove” (VdB on map). While I was writing this text I read an sms by Boris Behncke about actual activity. “Buona è”, “It’s good”. In this moment he is near top craters. I’m anxious to get more news.

15/07 SECOND UPDATE: webcam page has been updated. Some webcams are not working but we hope this eruption will give webmasters an occasion to repair them. Eruption is confirmed as a very quiet one and some of our guests who just come back from crater zone where simply enthusiastic. They told me it was one of the best experience they had in their life and I know it is true. I am happy for all lucky people who reserved here in this July.
15/07 UPDATE: lava flows down from two holes on Sud Est crater. Its front has reached 2.500 meters of altitude in “Valle del Bove” and it is a very quiet subterminal eruption. Exactly that we call ‘a touristic eruption’. A good new for all people will come this summer on Etna volcano. It seems eruption will be visible from almost every point of eastern coast from Catania to Giardini Naxos, including Taormina. We hope this activity lasts longer possible and allows people to visit it in total safety.
15/07 NEW ERUPTION! Eruption 2006 started yesterday night. New crater has born near “Sud Est” crater at about 2.900m altitude.  Charles Riviere told me about two lava rivers reported by people who visited zone this night. It seems lava is going safely towards “Valle del Bove” classifying this as a classic “touristic eruption” at very low risk. This morning wind took us a bit of ash by new crater but as wind has changed it has totally gone away. Weather is too cloudy for direct vision but I hope webcams will soon give us nice shots of explosions. saro and Videobank Plus are organizing a free wireless hot spot inside hotel to allow volcanologists, geologists, journalist and tourists. Videobank is already offering televisions a Satellite Uplink Service.

10/07 Three new volcanic caves have been discovered in “Valle del Bove” on eastern flank of Etna. Created by 2004-2005 eruption they have been found during a research driven by speleologists of “Centro Speleologico Etneo”. They have been called “Giuseppe M. Licitra”, “Boccabassa” and “Cauru Mannu”, their altitude is respectively 2006, 2300 and 2100 meters and difference in height from highest to lowest point is respectively equal to 115, 197 and 60 meters. A good new in day Italy won football World Cup! Thanks to mr. Heikkilä for his congratulations from Finland for italian victory. I am waiting to repair my camera to show everybody his magnificent painting of Zafferana Eruption he took us.

28/05 (updated on May, 30th) Today we had a meeting of our friends of Ibiza Tuning Club in restaurant. They said that Etna roads are fantastic for engine lovers. I am glad to publish a photo of area surrounding hotel with several Seat Ibiza (and a pair of Seat Leon) writing “ITC” logo. Thanks to Ale[k] of Ibiza Tuning Club to have organized their first Sicilian meeting here on Etna! If you wish to see more pictures of Ibiza Tuning Club meeting click here. If you wish to visit Ibiza Tuning Club meeting’s forum (in italian) click here.

14/05/06 Charles Riviere is here again, today and he showed me what’s happening to Bocca Nuova top crater. Internal septum is collapsing inside eastern hole of Bocca Nuova and you can compare two pictures of 2004 and 2006 from Charles Riviere’s April 2006 webpage. Etna Photoes are courtesy of mr. Charles Riviere. Little update: about Stromboli volcano it seems they are building six bunkers to allow turists to look inside crater with no risk. I hope they will do their best to reduce at minimum damages to Stromboli’s cone.

07/05 Back in activity. Etna? No, Charles Riviere! He come this morning after a jump to top craters and he took us some panoramic views of ‘Voragine’. A lot of gas but no explosions. Thanks to mr. Riviere to have shared once more his photos with us.

27/04 Google Earth is improving quality for Etna. Resolution is not yet high enough but soon it will be possible to see hotel. I am glad to publish another picture which shows better hotel position on Etna volcano and road connection to Nicolosi (19km far). Yes, we are high.

18/04 It is not yet confirmed but It seems an explosion occurred to top craters. A good new, we miss a lot a ‘touristic eruption’ at high altitude. We’ll see.

02/04 Spring is arriving fast. Temperature are high and weather is simply fantastic. Warm air and azure sky. I thank Leonant63, member of Seat Leon Clubs for his visit this morning.

14/03 I’am glad to offer more photos of Etna snow after last storm.  “La Sicilia” newspaper, thanks to his journalist Alfio Di Marco, published today some of my pictures. Both photos are about tunnel created to enter in Reception. In first one I was taking a picture of my brother and Cesare Puglisi of Scalea, a Policeman who helped us. I am happy to report that Policemen, blocked in hotel, gave a big hand to our personnel offering also practical assistance, not despising to roll up their sleeves cooking in our kitchen or going outside under the heavy snow storm to turn on and refuel several times our power generator. While taking picture a new friend has come. It was an extraordinary moment and I was very very lucky. Later, I also took a photo of same place by evening and it seems a very romantic postcard. This morning three tourists come from Brazil where snow is surely not so common and most people never saw that. I tried to take them an unforgettable picture of our ‘famous’ tunnel under snow. I hope it will not melt so fast. Last photo for today’s morning, took from my car, explains why chains are necessary to come on Etna in winter. Sorry for BMW.

13/03 We finally were able to reach hotel after 24 hours. Our personnel had to dig a tunnel to allow people to exit from reception. I took some pictures and I promptly publish them. Situation now is perfect. Roads are opened and all people left hotels. Thanks god we were organized to resist. Our power generator worked fine (and many thanks to able people of Police who were in hotel and have been able to turn it on and make it run at perfect efficiency) and warm and food have been guaranteed for all storm of snow. One more picture with today’s newspaper “La Sicilia” and our friend Luca on Catania’s Provence snowplough service.

11/03 Greetings to all people of Sigonella base. For two weeks we’ll have our advertisement on their newspaper “The Signature” to let them know it is possible to enjoy March’s snow. It is incredible for us to consider how many people don’t know it is perfectly possible to ski in this moment on Etna. March is often a month of heavy snow, more than December or January.

06/03 We are already plenty of snow but weather forecasts say that this evening we will have very heavy snow. Good, it seems we will have a whiter March than expected!

03/03 I am impressed of what Google Earth can do. I took some shoots of Etna to let people understand of high we are on mt. Etna. I am anxious to create a slide shot or a video based on Google Earth capabilities to let people do their tour on Etna from their Home. Etna zone is not yet mapped at high resolution (Hotel is just a white spot) but with proper Tilt and Terrain option activated it it fantastic to fly on our volcano. You will easily recognize famous “Valle del Bove” (a deep enormous depression on eastern flank of Etna) but also Monti Rossi near Nicolosi from where Goethe looked at our volcano. But the best is surely to take control of mouse and turn around Etna. Don’t forget to activate Terrain option to have a magnificent 3D!

06/02 Temperature is -10,5 Celsius and it is yet going down! This evening we have strong wind and we are waiting a slowplough to go back home. A very cold winter and a lot of snow.

13/01 Update: a NEW WEBCAM has born! It has been placed on northern side of Etna by Videobank and I saw its first images. Anyway I can’t yet give its address because it is under testing. Etna launched a bit of red ash, yesterday. It was fantastic to see red fog around us. Anyway new snow is covering (it seems another very good snow-season this year). I had a new picture from Seat Leon Italian Club member (The Sh@rk) who came to sleep here and I am glad to publish it. I am near my black car. Click on picture to enlarge it.

11/01 yet more snow! A friend of Seat Leon Italian Club has come in hotel under heavy snow conditions. You can see pictures of January, 9th-11th snow on Etna clicking here. Today’s weather is simply fantastic and conditions are excellent for skiing.

08/01 snow, snow, snow, we will have two long days of snow!