Wai-o-tapu Thermal Park

Wai-o-tapu thermal park was a short 15 minutes from our hotspring campground. We arrived a little early and had coffee and breakfast before the eruption of the Lady Knox geyser at 10:15 am. Jon and I were having a little debate about how on earth they knew the exact time of the eruption each day...how could it possibly be that punctual? We would soon find out....


Lady Knox Geyser


This guy is responsible....The park interpreter told the story of how many years ago, a prison work camp was stationed here. The guys came over to the geyser and used the hot water in the pool to wash their clothes. Apparently some of the soap got down in there, and soon after, the geyser blew. The crafty criminals piled rocks around it to constrict the flow and shoot the water higher in the air. So now, every day at 10:15, someone pours a little soap down the geyser's hole to break the surface water tension between hot and cold water in a subsurface chamber. The mixing water causes a geothermal eruption....


Although assisted by man, this was pretty fun to watch. The geyser would normally erupt anyway, unassisted, but on a 72 hour cycle at an unknown time. The minerals in the water have solidified and created the cone shape we see today over the original piled rocks.

After the geyser show, it was into the park and on to look at what is billed as the most colourful geothermal area in New Zealand. http://www.geyserland.co.nz/


Sulfer pots


mud pools


Ok, I don't know what to call this! The big steamy thing is the Champagne Pool.


Must be lots of sulpher and iron here.


This is a huge terrace covered with mineral deposits


close up of the beautiful mineral deposits


In addition to the thermal activity, lichen, moss, and algae put on their own colourful show


A smaller sulpher pot


Very cool hot pool






All the water from the big terrace areas seem to eventually end up in this crazy green lake.


How's this for a waterfall?


The edge of the Champagne Pool


Champagne Pool...don't really know why they call it that as it didn't really bubble much when we were there, but it sure put off a lot of steam.


Ok, I wouldn't want to fall in that! Can you believe the color?

After our strange morning of colors, we were ready to hit the road again in search of Huka falls and the Huka Jet!