Sam Cossman and George Kourounis, a pair of extreme adventurers, rappelled down the crater of Mount Marum. This geologically-active feature is situated on one of 80 islands that compose the Republic of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. A GoPro camera accompanied the men as they plummeted into the fiery abyss.
Mount Marum is one of the most geologically-active volcanoes in the world, erupting 48 times since 1774. Eruptions in 1894 and 1913 took the lives of a combined 31 people. It is not uncommon for bold adventurers to trek to the edge of the volcanic chamber, but rarely do travelers cross over the precipice, inside the active volcano.
Magma in the chamber burns at 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring anyone nearing the bed to wear a heat-resistant suit, like those worn by firefighters. The atmosphere near the lava bed is filled with sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrochloric acid. The mixture is toxic, and climbers bold enough to venture inside need to wear masks, in order to breathe.
"I was able to get as close as humanly possible to the violently boiling lava while wearing a protective heat suit. Without it, the heat was totally unbearable within seconds," Kourounis stated in text accompanying video of the adventure.
The team flew from San Francisco to the island, where they boarded a helicopter to ferry them to the volcano. Once there, they repelled down a cliff in order to reach the mouth of the scorching magma chamber. The lake of lava lies 1,200 feet beneath the surface of the crater.
"This expedition has been an amazing, epic success, and the photos & video are just out of this world. We faced splashes of lava, toxic sulfur dioxide gas, shockingly strong acid rain... The challenges went on and on, but in the end, we were able to get to the bottom twice," Kourounis wrote on his blog.
George Kourounis is an adventurer, chasing storms and seeking out extreme conditions in which to film. The Toronto native has traveled around the globe, recording hurricanes, forest fires, and other epic events.
GoPro cameras have captured some unique situations before this one. In one video, a diver swims with sharks while wearing one of the devices. Another shows a real-life armed mugging taking place, with the wearer as the victim. A fetch harness available from the camera manufacturer allows dog owners to record video from the perspective of their canine companion. Several models of the devices retail for a few hundred dollars.
Video taken by the GoPro camera is available on a YouTube page managed by Kourounis.
