Last Day!!!!
Trip Start
Jan 08, 2011
1
8
48
Trip End
Jan 30, 2011
Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Friday, January 14, 2011
So we asked where the squeeze is. Oh thats right by the waterfalls!!So we headed off late morning in the heat ,about 11.am. The squeeze is also known as the chasm as well. Yip its got hot water flowing through it as well.
The water is about waist deep, sometimes more ,sometimes less. Its a narrow gorge from years of erosion (approx more than one). It has vertical sides and some mossy bits too. We must have been the first in as there was trapped debris like fern leaver and branches etc floating on the surface. While the actual gap varies its probably only about a half of a metre on average with some tight squeezes !! The bottom is undulating and care was needed to avoid scraping ones limbs on the sand stone rocks.
However it turned out to be a difficult place for photographs, fortunately some turned out ok. Probably about 50 meters long and took 15 to 20 minutes. There was one deep bit which was on a curve ,with a sharp drop off into the pool, about chest deep on me. As we neared the end the water started to chill dramatically from the warm bath like temp. This was the lake water mixing with the stream water. A suddenly as it starts its over!! So time yo chill out for a bit and then tackle the stream up stream.
Bes t wear boat shoes as Annemieke did. However a good pair of jandals will do!! As worn by your Daddy!!
Oh yeer it starts with a cave and A did manage to scrape her ankle .from there it was a quick walk upstream (no path just water way) back to the hot falls and pool. After another good relaxing soak we were about to head off when the author realised he left his hat at the beginning of the squeeze!!
So its back to the cave entrance where I find it. Annemieke was having another soak!!
Lunch consists of B.L.A.T.s. these days thanks for the abundance of great avocados here. The North Island produce is better than down south ,I guess its because it's the areas its grown. Mostly.
So for the afternoon my E.D.P (Evil Diabolical Plan) was to borrow another canoe and paddle across the lake to have a Flat White coffee at the cafe. She wouldn’t partake in this sheer madness !! So I managed to talk the kayak owner into it. Really easy when youre paying for the drinks!!
So after a short paddle (15 min doodle) Kevin and I were at the cafe. However during the journey we had the pleasure of watching a float plane come and circle us then land in the lake. We met the pilot over the course of consuming the edible foodstuffs we managed to açquire!! We were surprised to learn SHE was only on her 20s ,but very informative when we quizzed her. Like a bad day for her is a very high waves on the lake , especially on Taupo where they are based. Late we watched her take off and then fly over camp. At such a close range it was a great sight!! Now Im no expert on planes but I say it was a Fletcher or Cessna!! One prop and a radial motor by the sound of it!! A twin exhaust system as well!!
How to finish off such a great day, well a lake side swim of course!! While A. Stayed on the shore I swam out to the boy No 1. What the heck I went out further to boy no 2 ! Thats enough as probably have several fathoms under me!! Back to boy no 1 ,to which I hang onto for some what of a breather!! Then the final 50 metre dash to the shore. While quite exhausting it was sooo refreshing. Later we noticed the thermometer at 31 in the shade!
WAIT THERES MORE!!!
During the evening we discovered there are glow worms in the waterfall area!!Too tempting to resist we set off at sunset to discover the little critters. We could just see as we arrived at the falls. However the dam bugs weren’t doing it for us! As the keen insect life started to bite our skin we thought lets retreat t the kombi for the nite. As we were heading down the dark bush track, there was a sudden crashing in the bush beside us!!! May have been a possum but sounded as big as a wild pig – walked a little faster after that.
