Vulcan Point: Fascinating Island within a Lake in an Archipelago

The Earth is home to many strange geological formations, but none quite as intriguing as Vulcan Point. This small island is located within a lake, on another island, which is also within a lake, on yet another island, within an archipelago in the Pacific.

The complex combination of nested lakes and islands may be hard to believe, but it is a real location in the Philippines. Like many others found within other things, this anomaly is reminiscent of the concept of Inception and joins a list of peculiar discoveries, such as a parasite living inside a caterpillar or a fish that ate a frog that had previously eaten another fish.

Unique Landform

Vulcan Point is a unique geographical feature located on the tip of a volcano's cone, found within a lake known as Main Crater Lake, which formed inside the Taal volcano. Taal volcano is situated within another larger lake called Lake Taal on Luzon island in the Philippines. Furthermore, Vulcan Point is an island within a lake, located inside a volcano, situated in another larger lake, on a third and final island.

Based on a study from the University of Washington, this phenomenon of an island inside an island is known as a third-order island, and Vulcan Point is not the only one of its kind; another similar island can be found on Victoria Island in Canada.

Vulcan Point is a small island formed when the caldera or crater of Taal volcano filled with water and created Main Crater Lake. The island is made up of the tip of one of the volcano's cinder cones, rising out of the lake's turquoise waters. Main Crater Lake was formed in 1911 following an eruption that lowered the island's elevation by 1-3 meters (3-10 feet).

Vulcan Point in all its glory.
Vulcan Point in all its glory. Anna ART/Shutterstock.com

Lake Taal in a Volcano

Hike Taal Volcano discussed the features of the lake, which is situated inside the caldera of Taal volcano, which has erupted multiple times in the past, dating back to 3580 BCE, and is considered the second most active volcano in the Philippines. In January 2020, Taal volcano erupted again and caused Main Crater Lake to dry up, temporarily disrupting the island-within-a-lake-within-an-island-within-a-lake-within-an-island formation.

However, the lake soon refilled, and Vulcan Point remained intact, according to a report from IFL Science. Vulcan Point, located within Taal volcano, can be found on Luzon island in the province of Batangas in the Philippines. The volcano is situated around 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.

The volcano is surrounded by Lake Taal, the only place in the world where you can find tawilis, a freshwater sardine, and the freshwater Garman's sea snake. The unique formation of Vulcan Point, an island within a lake, within an island, and within a lake, is a fascinating geological feature and a haven for unique and rare wildlife.

Check out more news and information on Volcanoes in Science Times.

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