Overview
Sat Mar 1
Got up at 7 am + had another swim in the big hot pool + a plunge in the cold one alongside. At 9 am those wishing to visit the Geyser Valley assembled + set off with the guide. The party consisted of nine beside the guide. The track crosses the Taupo-Rotorua main roaa + runs up the valley of the Wairakei hot creek for ¾ mile before the thermal area is reached. The guide proved a talkative + jocular individual of considerable knowledge in some lines
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+ smelling strongly of whiskey. All the thermal wonders - and these are of marvellous variety and number - lie in the narrow gully cut by the Wairakei Creek, The first wonder proved to be one of, if not the gem of the whole show - the Champagne Pool, of tremendous depth + lying in a sort of pit fringed with curiously-shaped rocks. The water is bright blue, sometimes boiling furiously, at others almost quiescent. The overflow passes through a breach in the side of the pit + flows down terraces into the main creek. At various points great bubbles of steam can be seen rising thro’ the clear waters to the surface. The waters of the Pool are saline-alkaline + are superheated according to the guide to 40° above boiling point. Across the main creek are the steaming cliffs, mostly of red colour + covered with patches of moss + manuka. (All the wonders of the valley lie encircled in manuka scrub.) Near the cliffs are
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Yellow and green terraces which can be made to change colour by manipulating springs on bank above. Continuing up the valley we looked down into the Packhorse Geyser so called because a pack-horse once fell into it. At little futher on we came to the Great Wairakei Geyser which plays every 10 minutes. Its crater is about 10 ft deep and fringed with jagged silica-covered rocks. Took a photo (67) of the geyser in action + one (68) of the crater. Near by is the Waitangi cooking pool of a lovely blue colour, boiling merrily + backed up by a bank principally of yellow, but also of red + white [sinter]. Just beside this is a patch of white on ground - called by guide a radium salt “lick” - a pinch every day ensures perpetual youth. Crossing the Wairakei Creek we came to the Fairy Pools on which a crust is forming, gradually covering them out of sight + this making a death-trap for the unwary. Beside them is the oil pool
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- very tiny + looking like porridge + water. Bubbly + ready to be cooked. As the track climbed the bank we passed a nook in rock encrusted with alum. Then we reached the Dragon’s Mouth, an extraordinary geyser like gaping jaws, red inside. The pipe of this geyser is horizontal, so that the water splashes about inside. It plays every five minutes. During an interval the guide and one of the lady tourists descended into the monster’s mouth + I took a photo (69). Below the Dragon’s Mouth is the Lightening Pool where a huge blue bubble keeps on rising to the surface with a flash like lightening. Then the guide dipped down with a glass on the end of a string + gave us each a drink of cold mineral water. A little further on we saw the Black Geyser - its crater is coloured black by uranium + manganese oxide. Retracing our steps we descended the valley + sitting down + listened to underground pounding sounding like big
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guns - the guide called it Kruger’s Long Tom. The cause of the noise was found in a funnel-shaped pit, almost 4 ft deep and a yard wide at the top - an inverted hollow cone in which a peculiar jelly-like mud was tossed about with a throbbing noise. The mud seldom comes past the rim of the hole, but splashes about inside. This jelly mud is said to be a splendid cure for cuts and wounds of any kind. We were now opposite the Wairakei Geyser so I took a general view (70) of it looking across the valley. Passing on we reached the Porridge Pots - cauldrons of bubbling white mud - took a photo (71) of one of them - a curious sight. We were then shown the Steam Whistle - the guide placed the mouths of different sized bottles to the vent of a small but powerful (invisible) steam jet + whistles of varying pitch resonated. Then we saw the Blue Pool - circular and about 4 yds across. It was boiling in several places, + on one side were springs the shutting on or turning off of
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Which caused the terraces below to change colour - “to green on St Patrick’s Day + to orange when Mr Massey visits valley because he is an Orangeman”, said the guide. We then came out on the top of the Old [Sinter] Plateau or Terrace above the Steaming Cliffs + opp[osite] the Champagne Cauldron - took general photo (72) of latter showing towards in foreground. A little futher on the guide burrowed into a hole in the ground + brought out lumps of soft, pink rock (sinter) which he called “Wairakei silver polishing powder” + then showed how it worked by polishing some coins to remarkable brilliancy - we all took samples. Next we saw a pounding geyser pounding like a hammer, + then the “Eagles Nest”. Sticks have been placed round the orifice of this geyser in the form of a nest + the whole has been encrusted into a solid mass by the mineralized waters. Took a photo (73). We then saw a large sinter terrace - the largest in Wairakei - which is dotted with many geysers - Devil’s
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Punch-hole, Boiler Geyser, Paddle Wheel Geyser,, The Twins, The Feathers, etc. In between the silica has assumed many weird shapes “Nature’s statuary” - heads, faces, human figures, animals, Nelson’s breach-loader, etc. We sat on a natural bridge over Wairakei hot creek to see the Feathers geyser play, but when it did we could not see it for steam-clouds which the wind blew towards us. I therefore took a photo (74) of the The Twins geyser in action. The guide told us how we once conducted a [bibulous] individual round the valley - this gentleman stared at all the wonders but did not utter a word - on return to hotel someone asked him what he thought of it. “Well”, he said, “I reckon it’s just five inches from hell”. Passing on we saw the craters of Terekereke + Red Coral + Geysers + reached the Wishing Well. Just here the cliff leans outward - below these is a water-filled crater of an extinct geyser - from the overhanging ledge comes a continuous drip of hot water. This is
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caught on the palm of the hand + drunk + drinker’s wish will come true. Wished Maud health + happiness. The job was a painful one as the dripping water varies from warm to scalding hot + generally makes the attempt at the wrong moment. As it was getting late - about 12.3- - we started for the hotel.. Crossed the hot creek + visited Round Pond - probably an old geyser crater now filled with water by the Wairakei Creek which flows through it. In the depths of the Pond is the Steam Hammer - first there is a thud + then a sharp crack - a rather startling sound which can’t be exactly located. When we get back to the hotel, I packed up, settled bill + left before dinner as funds are getting low + I didn’t want to be stranded up here. I will probably have to miss a few meals + have snacks which are a good deal cheaper. Cycled back to Taupo. Took photo (75) of Waikato River ½ mile below the Huka Falls. Called at Falls for a last look + on way
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Back to Taupo took a view (76) of the Waikato from the bridge near that village. Called at Taupo store, bought a 4lb 10d loaf + made a meal of dry bread + river water. Read “In Kidar’s Tents” to fill in the time till dark. Went to “Lake” Hotel at 6.30 + got accommodation. Walked round the township but found it to be a negative quantity.
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