Thrillseeker Joseph Anthony from Bournemouth has spent seven years travelling thousands of miles to the likes of Iceland, Japan and the USA to find erupting volcanoes
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Joseph Anthony films Hawaiian house narrowly avoiding shower of lava bombs
A thrillseeker who travels the globe looking for erupting volcanoes says he feels as though he is looking at the “dawn of life on Earth”.
Joseph Anthony, 50, has spent seven years travelling thousands of miles to capture the destructive moments they explode. To ensure his safety he wears protective clothing, uses Sulphur Dioxide monitors and always makes sure he has an escape plan ready in case things quickly go south.
Despite his precautions he has previously had to dodge “lava bombs” in the likes of Hawaii, Iceland, Uganda, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Madeira, Indonesia and Japan. Joseph, from Bournemouth, said: “They are primal, primordial and I feel like I could be looking at the dawn of life on earth.
“Being near one is a profoundly visceral and even spiritual experience. I reflect on the meaning of life and so many humbling things when I am around them. I have a long-time fascination with their beauty and the dichotomy.
“Creation and destruction occurring simultaneously. Ultimately creating new fertile land upon which all life on earth depends.
“Once, there were lava bombs I had to dodge while trying to access an area for a shot but I fell over while doing this tripping on the lava rocks that had landed and were strewn all around me, I smashed my knee badly in the process also having multiple lacerations on my leg.”
“I am often thanked for my hard work and for documenting the natural history of Earth. There are many surreal moments that most would say were terrifying but for me although stressful and concerning.”
He added many people say his antics are crazy and worry for his safety during visits, but his safety protocols keep him safe. During his travels he has taken more than 75,000 videos and pictures to boost understanding of the dangers.
He added: “There were numerous times in flight I had to detour around volcanic eruptions, we had reroutes due to volcano eruptions and flew past many on the way to the USA for example the ones in Eastern Russia and the Aleutian Islands. Be aware of toxic fumes and that you might not be even able to smell them which is why noting the wind direction is important and being aware of olfactory fatigue where your sense of smell becomes useless quite quickly.
“Things can happen suddenly and unexpectedly even with official warnings. Be mindful that there can also be lags and just because there is a lull in activity doesn’t mean things are over. Make sure someone knows where you went and when you left. Have a means of communication if possible.
“Always have more than one escape plan. Sometimes bear in mind that the safest escape route might counter-intuitively require you to move closer to the volcano instead of away from it in an emergency. This upside-down thinking could save your life.”
