Home Reef

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Aster satellite "simulated natural color image" of the new volcanic island called "Home Reef". The two bluish plumes visible in the image are hot seawater that is laden with volcanic ash and chemicals. The plumes can be traced for almost 15 km (9 miles) to the E.

Home Reef is an ephemeral island built by a submarine volcano whose top has repeatedly breached the surface and was subsequently eroded by wave action again. It is located in the South Pacific, south of Late Island and southwest of Vava'u along the Tofua volcanic arc in Tonga, at coordinates 18°59′28″S, 174°45′47″WCoordinates: 18°59′28″S, 174°45′47″W.

After island-building eruptions in 1852, 1857, and 1984, Home Reef once again rose above sea level in August 2006. It emerged after a volcanic eruption started on 8 August which also spewed large amounts of floating pumice into Tongan waters and swept across to Fiji about 350 km (220 miles) to the west of where the new island formed.

In October 2006 it reached almost the same size as it did in 1984 when it was about 0.5 by 1.5 km (0.3 by 0.9 miles). The island was first seen by the crew of a yacht, who recorded its emergence in their blog. The eruptions produced extensive rafts of pumice, which drifted northeast from the new island. The pumice rafts and new island were imaged by the Aqua satellite in August 2006. Images also revealed the presence of several small, hot crater lakes on the newly formed island.