Capelinhos Volcano

In September 1957 a submarine eruption began off the western tip of Faial and continued for thirteen months, building an island that then joined itself to the coast and added about two and a half square kilometres of new land. Ash fell across the western half of the island, burying farms and blocking wells; the Farol dos Capelinhos, a lighthouse begun in 1894 and lit in 1903, was buried to the level of its upper floors and left standing in a grey desert. Around two thousand people emigrated, most to the United States under a special act of Congress passed for them, which is why so many Azorean-Americans in New England trace to Faial. The area today is a moon-like landscape of ash cones and eroding tuff, with an underground interpretation centre built into the ash, paths across it, and the lighthouse open to climb.

History

The eruption lasted 13 months, from 27 September 1957 to 24 October 1958, enlarged the island by 2.4 km², and was the first submarine eruption documented from beginning to end. By 10 October it had built a small island, called Ilha Nova by the locals, 600 metres across; the ash destroyed 300 houses in Capelo and Praia do Norte and forced the evacuation of 2,000 people (Wikipedia, Capelinhos).

Highlights

• The buried lighthouse - the Farol dos Capelinhos, lit in 1903, in ash to its upper floors.
• The new land - about two and a half square kilometres added by the 1957 eruption.
• The ash landscape - cones and eroding tuff, grey and largely bare.
• The emigration story - two thousand people who left, mostly for the United States.

When to go

Year-round. Two to three hours. The interpretation centre is closed on some days; check before travelling.

What to expect

Fierce, constant wind - the ash blows and gets everywhere. Nothing grows, so there is no shade or shelter. Ash and tuff underfoot is loose and paths are eroding; cliff edges are unstable. The interpretation centre and the lighthouse are ticketed separately from the free outdoor area.

Nearby

Horta and the marina are east; the Caldeira do Faial is in the island's centre.

Key facts