21 Dec 2010 – Rotorua

Wow, no rain this morning when we woke up – but still some clouds.  Today is a day to get active while we can before more rain returns.   However, before we leave we have some questions to give to the hosts here at the campsite – like why was there a siren last night that went on for several minutes?  And what was the reason for the other siren this morning.  Since we are in a earthquake area we wondered if it was meant to be a warning of some kind.  But we did not really worry at the time since no one else in the camp was running around concerned.  Turns out it is the sound of the fire alarm calling the volunteers to their stations.

Wes has routed us to head off to Hell’s Gate which is another geothermal field but this one is noted for having mud baths.   The mud is taken from the mud pools.  What is interesting is that the bath tubs are set up with heated mud but not really thick mud.  Apparently it is more ‘muddy’ water than thick with mud but it is very good for your skin.  We did not find out.

The walk around the trail took us past several noted sites such as Devils Bath (used by the high priest for spiritual baths), Ink Pots (black water), Baby Adam, Sulphur Bath (yellow in color), and the Inferno Pools (made up of 3 major pools with an average temperature of 105-110 degrees C.  Then we followed the Bush Walk which contains many examples of New Zealand’s native trees and plants.  In particular we saw the flax.   Along this walk we were able to see the Kakahi Falls which is the largest hot water fall in the Southern Hemisphere.  

As we exited from the walking trail we entered another thermal area where we followed the boardwalk to see the Sulphur Crystal Valley which is deposited sulphur that condenses from the geothermal steam.  The blackened areas highlight a unique phenomena – spontaneous combustion which occurs when deposited sulphur reaches 120 degrees C from ground and sun heat, ignites then burns at 380 degrees C causing the silica rocks to melt and flow like lava.  

Other sights along this path included the Devils Cauldron (black mud with a temperature of about 120 degrees C), Mud Volcano, Steaming Cliffs (the pool is the hottest with a surface temp of 122 degrees C and 145 degrees C one meter below the surface), Hot Lakes, Cooking Pool (the temp is about 98 degrees C and has been used to cook food – a adult pig can be cooked within 2 hours), Sulphur Lake (a lake used for healing), Map of Australia (name because its natural shape resembles Australia), and finally Steaming Fumeroles.

As we finished walking around the boardwalk we walked past a workshop where a Maori Carver was working.  We stopped to chat with him and marvelled at the quality and detailed carving being done.  

We considered going to another geothermal reserve but decided that we had now visited two and that would be sufficient.  Instead we decided to head over to the Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest and go for a bit of a hike.   We were interested to learn that in 1901 over a hundred different species of trees were introduced to New Zealand to begin a process of reforestation.  The natural trees are too slow in growing.  Out of this came the Coastal Redwoods from California which have taken well.  Other trees in the forest that were introduced include the Douglas Fir and the Radiata Pine.  The redwoods grow quickly but the wood is too soft for many commercial uses.  However the Radiata Pine also grows straight and quick and is a good wood for commercial uses.  This has become the favoured wood for the commercial forests in New Zealand.

So we decided to take the 7 ½ km hike along the Pohaturoa Track.  We initially passed through the Redwoods and then through stands of Radiata pine, Mexican pine, Japanese Larch and Douglas Fir.  A steep climb took us up the hillside for fantastic views of Rotorua city, Lake Rotorua, the Waipa Sawmill and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve.   We actually were able to see the Pohutu Geyser erupting.

We returned from this hike and decided to drive out to Blue Lake and Green Lake.  These two lakes are separated by a narrow strip of land so we were able to park and easily see both lakes.  Apparently Blue Lake on a sunny day (not today but no rain remember) is startling blue in color. Green Lake, on a sunny day, is beautiful shade of green.  Today they looked much the same.  We noted though that both lakes are fresh water lakes and that Blue Lake had boaters and swimmers on and around it.

We followed pass both lakes to continue up the road and considered stopping at the Buried Village.  This is the excavated village that was basically buried in the 1886 volcanic eruption killing about 100 people.  We learned about this village at the museum yesterday but at a cost of $31 each we did not feel the need to explore the excavated site.  So we settled on going to the viewpoint of Lake Tarawera.  Perched on the edge of a lava flow,  this viewpoint provides a spectacular panorama of the volcano landscape Okataina Caldera volcano.   Across the horizon is the Terewera Volcano.

By now it is getting late in the day so we decide to call it a day and head for home satisfied that at last we have completed a day in New Zealand without being rained on.