George versus the volcano

Imagine descending into the mouth of the one of the most dangerous active volcanoes in the world, with the satellite phone clipped to your belt your only lifeline to the world. It's all in a day's work for Canadian storm chaser George Kourounis, who recently re-turned from a two-week trip to the Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia to film a Swiss-led expedition of scientists gathering data about the volcano. Miles from major civilization, the crew relied on an Iridium satellite phone supplied by Roadpost, a global voice and data communications solutions provider.

The Erta Ale volcano is located in the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia, 100 miles from the nearest city and one of the hottest, driest, most inhospitable places on Earth. The volcano has been in a state of continuous eruption since 1967 and has the highest mean average temperature of any location in the world, with daytime temperatures reaching above 104 degrees F in the winter season. The team also had to travel with armed guards because of unrest in the region.

“I was actually lowered down inside and was able to film from inside the active volcano,” he said. “I was there documenting the whole thing — for more photographic aspects than actual geophysics. We ended up having to hike 25 kilometers in 45 degree C heat, up hill over rough terrain. We ended up having to get flown out by helicopter.”

Kourounis said the satellite phone he used turned out to be a lifesaver when the group became stranded during floods resulting from a period of record rainfall that produced the most rain the area had had in two years.

“The trucks we were driving off road got stuck in the mud, and we just couldn't progress any farther,” he said. “In order to get out after exploring the volcano, we had to use the satellite phone to make arrangements to call a helicopter to get us out of there. So that thing was a lifesaver.

“It was as easy to use out in the desert as my cell phone is to use in the middle of the city,” he said. “You just pick it up, dial and boom — five seconds later, you're talking.”

To charge the phone, which is a bit larger than the mobile phones of eight to 10 years ago, Kourounis used a couple of auto batteries that were intended to provide backup power for the seismograph the scientists were using.

“I was able to use the cigarette lighter charger that comes with it, literally take the car battery off the side of the camel, set it down, rig up a couple of wires to the battery post and hook it up to the cigarette lighter charger and charge up the satellite phone batteries.”

A seasoned storm chaser, Kourounis' past adventures have been on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Explorer and Canadian networks. Photos of his journey are posted at www.stormchaser.ca.