When we reached Philipp Foltz on the phone yesterday, he was in a hurry. He had just learnt that he would be allowed to return to the evacuated area in the afternoon to collect more belongings from his bike station in Puerto Naos. Several thousand people have had to evacuate to La Palma because of the volcanic eruption leave their houses and flats. Among them is Foltz, who has been operating his travel company in the south-west of the Canary Island since 2005. Atlantic Cycling tours. We spoke to him about the volcanic eruption, the evacuation to Los Llanos and the upcoming 2021/22 bike season.
BIKE: Hi Philipp, are we catching you at your bike station or somewhere else?
Philipp Foltz: I'm currently in Los Llanos, about six kilometres north of my station in Puerto Naos. We had to evacuate the station and shop two days ago, but the evacuation was well organised. The experts thought that the lava would flow much faster, but the lava flow is now travelling much more slowly.
How did the evacuation and the bikes work out?
We travelled with five cars and three trailers and stored the bikes in garages in Los Llanos. We received a lot of help from friends who were eager to lend a hand. We were instructed to only take the bikes and personal belongings with us. Fortunately, we now have another opportunity to catch up on things from Puerto Naos.
There were already earthquakes in the run-up to the volcanic eruption. How violent were they?
Yes, they were clearly noticeable. After all, they had a strength of up to 3.8. It was clear that something was brewing. But there was also a citizens' meeting before the eruption where the evacuation plan was discussed. Overall, everything was very well organised. It later turned out that the lava was flowing much more slowly than predicted. But nobody knows exactly how long the eruption will last. At the moment, explosions can be heard repeatedly throughout the day. They are a bit like thunderclaps. But they are so violent that even six kilometres away the window panes are still rattling.
At what distance from you does the lava flow roll towards the sea?
I have a direct view of the volcano from Los Llanos. But life goes on as normal in Los Llanos. This is because the lava flow runs through the plateau between Los Llanos and Puerto Naos and will flow far past both towns. It will only hit and bury the connecting roads.
After Corona, this is the next challenge for your company. Is it possible to insure against a volcanic eruption?
We haven't looked into that yet. Nor whether any shortfalls will be covered. Everyone in the area is still very relaxed at the moment. The Spanish president was on site shortly after the eruption and has shown that he cares. There will probably be state aid for the affected region after the volcanic eruption, something like the flood aid in Germany.
Is the upcoming 2021/22 bike season on La Palma in jeopardy?
We generally have a good booking situation from 24 October. Nobody has cancelled at the moment. Ideally, we will be able to start guiding and offering tours regularly from the beginning of November. The North Island is not affected by the outbreak at all and is very safe. The airport in the east is not affected either. Over the next few weeks, we will work out suitable alternatives if necessary so that we can offer tours again as soon as possible. There is plenty of alternative accommodation in the area where we can accommodate our guests. We are happy about every guest who comes, because this is our future.
