New Year, New Island

Following a volcanic eruption in the Red Sea a new island has formed. It is fairly common for underwater eruptions to create new islands but they normally don't last long, sometimes they disappear and regrow many times before becoming stable, this was the case with Anak Krakatau. But for some reason islands in the Red Sea tend to be more stable than in other places. The island has formed around the gaps in the Arabia and Africa tectonic plates close to the Zubair Group of islands between Haycock Island and Rugged Island (which the quick minded among you may have noticed is the name of the 'Rival Island' on Father Ted where Father Dick Byrne lives). The new island has not been named yet, probably because it may not be stable, I don't have any ideas for the name (apart from Craggy Island) but I don't think I'm qualified to name an island.

Perhaps the most interesting example of a new island performing after an eruption is Surtsey which is the southernmost point of Iceland and formed in 1965 and has been eroding away since then. Which has happened to other Icelandic islands formed in this way. Surtsey is interesting because during its short lifetime we have been able to track the formation of life on the island as the island was firstly inhabited by lichen and moss. Flora, birds and insects also live on the island, however it is thought that the island will fade away.

Happy New Year and I only got one volcano related Christmas present this year which I'll post about when I can be bothered.