Paramushir Island. City of Severo-Kurilsk

From my diary: September 8. We entered in the 2nd Kuril Strait between the islands Paramushir and Shumshu.

The city has 10 thousand inhabitants. Basically it - border guards and fishermen. Fish-processing plant is unprofitable. Probably, on the island, it is necessary to keep the civilian population.

We go along the road laid down by the Japanese

The landscape becomes fantastic. The impression is that we move to the hell

We had to cover nose and mouth to escape the toxic fumes: volcanic gases, sulfur and chlorine. Effects of poisoning can be severe: diarrhea, vomiting and cough

The ground beneath our feet becomes warm. Under cracked crust - bubbling pools with boiling sulfuric poisonous-yellow liquid

A fumarole.  It is an opening in a planet's crust, often near volcanoes, which throws out steam and gases

Our group reached volcano. We had drank some vodka to encourage ourselves to go down towards the fiery lake inside the crater

The fiery lake inside the crater. Boiling lake, on the sides - hissing fountains.

The fiery lake inside the crater

The fiery lake inside the crater.