Candlemas Island

About Candlemas Island

The southern end of Candlemas Island consists of an eroded, glacier-covered basaltic stratovolcano cut by steep cliffs on the east. Lava flows along the cliff dip to the west, suggesting that the original summit vent was beyond the eastern shoreline. The northern end of the irregularly shaped, 6-km-long island consists of an andesitic-to-dacitic complex of scoria cones with radiating lava flows. These initially formed a separate island but now consist of a low attached platform that is estimated to be no more than a few hundred years old (LeMasurier and Thomson, 1990). Dark brown clouds mixed with white steam were reported in 1823 and 1911, but it has not been demonstrated which, if any, of the young north flank lava flows formed since the island was discovered in 1775. Geysers and hot pools have been observed on several occasions during the 20th century. Vindication Island, of possible Holocene age, is located 4.5 km west of Candlemas Island.