The idea of hanging
over boiling lava
seems more than a little crazy.
But the rock and gas samples
from deep within the crater
are the final pieces of the puzzle.
Shane needs to understand
what this volcano is doing.
So you ready to be a guinea pig?
I am.
These are like tip sticks.
And that, you know, they're a glass tube.
And I'm going to break off the end. Yeah.
And then during your descent and.
And return
over that period,
the gases that you encounter will react
with the chemical on the foam
and you
kind of put them facing downwards
so they don't get ash. Okay.
And when you get back,
we'll take them off
and see how much gas
you've been breathing. Thank you,
Rightyóh.
We're ready to roll.
Squeeze that leaver.
Once we are clipped in.
There's no turning back.
See, as wide a as possible.
Yeah.
We'll give you a balance.
We plan to abseiled down
this near-vertical drop
to a ledge above
the boiling lake of lava.
Excuse me.
Don´t worry at all.
We´ll be doing this to each other
all the time.
They're just stiff.
And I said to each other,
If we're successful, it will help
give us a new insight into the inner
workings of this volcano.
I have to confess
that all I'm looking at at
the moment is my feet and Tim's feet.
And I haven't looked around me
and I have a view.
I think if I did,
I would be stuck here forever more.
Watch out for one of these snaps
again, one of these vertical bits.
The heat from the lake is intense
and the noxious gases
mean we can't be here for long.
We have to move fast.
But the crumbling rock
makes it difficult to get a foothold.
Lean back, feet apart,
Legs straight as you can.
Woo, sorry.
Oh, Tim sorry.
Ok, no problem.
Oh, I really did bash you.
Okay.
Everything we're carrying
has to be tied on to us,
or we'll lose it forever.
We just want to have safety.
All right?
Just as well
there's nobody below me
not containing rocks down
This will last until
we're down to the ledge. All right.
Yeah, its a bit unconfortable now.
The roar of the lava boiling away
drowns out everything else,
and it's a truly awe inspiring sight
as you stand if you want.
Spectacular,
sound of it
It's amazing.
Wow.
It's beautiful.
You know, they often say this is the
eye you know,
Eye blew him or the eye of the volcano
and in the local language.
But it's to me,
it looks more like the heart.
You know, it's
just so active, so pulsing,
so alive, full of full of
the good red stuff.
Wow. That's cool.
That is so cool.
Now, often, you know, you think of
geological processes
as being old and dead processes.
But this is this is
this is geology in action, isn't it?
Wow, it's amazing.
I just try and get over there.
Shane's
mission is to collect rock samples
from inside the crater
Knock down some extra volcano goods.
Chris will analyze them
to see if any of the newer lava
is similar in composition
to the lava
from previous major eruptions.
If so, it could mean
Marum is heading
for another big eruption.
Come on.
Are we there? Yes.
Finally,
Tim and I reach the ledge
we've been aiming for.
Getting gas samples
from close to the lake
will give Shane clues to
understand this volcano.
Would you do
this to slowly adjust these?
Not so you can get fooled.
I don't want to go forward.
I really don't. I really don't. I just.
Not yet. Anyway.
Let me interrupt you
I have got you.
and then I don't want to pull you
over the edge, Tim.
It's just so loose, this rock.
So know, what we will do is
I am clinging on
for what feels like dear life.
But to get the best samples,
I have to get even closer to the edge.
You're going back off so
that it will be right on there,
on the edge.
Do they?
Right on the white rock.
That is it.
Yes, that way.
A bit more.
Centimeter by centimeters towards the white rock.
You've got to be kidding.
We can get you to.
Oh, wow.
Okay.
It's sort of like witnessing
the beginning of the earth,
but it's
the most astonishing feeling, really,
to be down
the crater of a very active volcano.
And these glass files on my back
that Shane put there
will hopefully give him
some sort of clues as to how active this
volcano really is at this very moment.
The conditions are intense.
The gas mask keeps out
most of the noxious gases,
but they burn your eyes and your throat
and the heat is overwhelming.
So we have to go
while we've still got the
strength to climb to the top.