“The mountains melt like wax before the Lord.” (Psalm 97:5) Volcanoes do erupt in some pretty dramatic ways. Plumes of ash, rivers of lava, and earthquakes display God’s power. 

Miles of pumice floating in the ocean are a quieter display. A NASA satellite captured images of a “raft” of pumice.It was seen floating in the Pacific Ocean and is bigger than Manhattan! 

Geologists believe this 58-square-mile mass came from an undersea volcano. It erupted near the island of Tonga. The raft is bound for Australia. Its trip could take as long as 12 months.

Frothy lava from an underseavolcano hardens as it rises. The result is pumice. The rock floats because it is porous—light and full of holes. It is used in cleaning products and polishes. Your mom might use a pumice stone to smooth the heels of her feet.

Australians Michael and Larissa Hoult came upon the raft of pumicewhile they were on a sailing trip. The raft looked like a thick, gray milkshake. It rolled with the ocean waves. The Hoults say there were “stones from marble to basketball size” as far as they could see.

Underwater volcano expert Scott Bryan says the raft could be covered in algae, crabs, corals, and other small sea creatures. This sea life travels with the raft as it floats on the currents. He believes the sea creatures could help the Great Barrier Reef.

Some scientists worry about the reef’s dying corals. They hope the creatures on the pumice raft will bring more corals to grow on the reef. But other scientists say the number of sea animals on this raft won’t make a big difference.

This pumice raft might not save the corals. But it’s made part of the Pacific a very rocky road for the next several months!