Published 12 years ago, updated 5 years ago

As reported by the Huffington Post and CNN.

A mass of small volcanic rocks nearly the size of Belgium has been discovered floating off the coast of New Zealand.

The stretch of golf-ball-size pumice rocks was first spotted this week by a New Zealand air force plane about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) northeast of Auckland (South West of Raoul island). The rocks stretch for about 26,000 square kilometres (10,000 square miles).

A navy ship took scientists to the rocks Thursday night. Naval Lt. Tim Oscar says, “The rock looked to be sitting two feet above the surface of the waves, and lit up a brilliant white colour in the spotlight. It looked exactly like the edge of an ice shelf.”

He says it’s the “weirdest thing” he’s seen in 18 years at sea.

Sailors said taking their ship directly into the floating pumice to gather samples for research scientists didn’t put the vessel at risk because the rock was so lightweight.

Scientists say the rocks likely spewed up in an eruption by an underwater volcano. They don’t believe the eruption is connected to the onshore ash eruption this week of another volcano, Mount Tongariro.

The Defence Force says the mass of rocks stretches 250 nautical miles by 30 nautical miles.

Pumice is made from lava and water and is very lightweight, so it poses no danger to ships. Pumice has a variety of uses: as an ingredient in concrete, polishes and scrubbing cleaners; to stone wash jeans and exfoliate skin.