Stepping on Kasatochi, the island that blew up last year

On a skiff from the Tiglax, the 120-foot boat belonging to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, keepers of the Aleutians, we went to visit the gray island.

These are color photos. There just isn't much color left on Kasatochi.

This is the GPS coordinates of the cabin on Kasatochi that disappeared in the eruption last year. Jeff Williams, who has good memories of the island and the cabin, said he felt like he was burying the place when he drove in the stakes a few months ago.

Derek Sikes, one hard-workin' bug guy, looks for insects on the surface of the moon.

Life!  After one hour of hiking, this is the first plant we saw. More surprising biology next time.