Wai-o-tapu which also means sacred waters is a truly unique place. It is a geothermal wonderland which has been in the making for thousands of years.
The Lady Knox Geyser:It is named after Lady Constance Knox, the daughter of the 15th Governor of NZ. The geyser is induced to erupt daily at 10:15am by dropping a surfactant into the opening of the vent. Eruptions produce a jet of water reaching up to 20m and can last for over an hour, depending on the weather. The visible spout is made of rocks placed around the base of the spring to enhance the eruption; over the years silica from the eruptions has built up to give a white cone-shaped appearance. It was first discovered by a gang of prisoners who added soap to the hot water to wash their clothes.
Waiting for Lady Knox to erupt!
The mud pools:A mudpot, mud pool or paint pot is a sort of hot spring or fumarole consisting of a pool of usually bubbling mud. The mud is generally of white to greyish color, but is sometimes stained with reddish or pink spots from iron compounds. When the slurry is particularly colorful, the feature is then called a paint pot.
Mudpots form in high-temperature geothermal areas where water is in short supply. The little water that is available rises to the surface at a spot where the soil is rich in volcanic ash, clay and other fine particulates. The thickness of the mud usually changes along with seasonal changes in the water table.
The mud takes the form of a viscous, often bubbling, slurry. As the boiling mud is often squirted over the brims of the mudpot, a sort of mini-volcano of mud starts to build up, sometimes reaching heights of 3–5 feet. Although mudpots are often called mud volcanoes, true mud volcanoes are very different in nature.
Boiling mud
Devil's inkpots!
Warnings all over to stay on the boardwalks!
New terraces being formed....
The Champagne Pool
This pool was neon green!
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