Terceira: at the heart of the living Earth

🌋 Terceira - Between depth and energy

On the island of Terceira, geological exploration takes on a unique dimension: this is a land where the bowels of the volcano and the ocean meet to create a complex, living relief.

During the expedition, we entered some impressive caves, the remains of ancient eruptions or hollowed out by the sea. In these underground spaces, the walls tell the story of lava flows, their cooling and emptying, leaving behind veritable mineral corridors. Elsewhere, the rock has been sculpted by marine erosion, proof that water is just as creative as fire.

At sea, the underwater landscapes are marked by the traces of powerful volcanic explosions: steep canyons, circular cavities and, above all, the two emblematic islets that stand opposite the coast, witnesses to explosive phenomena where magma and ocean clashed.

On land, Monte Brasil embodies the same story: a mountain born of a confrontation between fire and water, now emblematic of Angra do Heroísmo.

Beneath the surface, the activity remains very real. At a geothermal power station, we followed the path of the infiltrated water, heated by the volcano and then transformed into steam to produce an essential part of the island's electricity. Here, underground heat not only shapes the landscape: it also feeds daily life.

An expedition to Terceira reveals the obvious: this island is a natural laboratory where we can observe, side by side, the forces that build volcanic lands and those that nourish human societies.