Auckland view from Mount Victoria
Sunday, August 17th 2014
North Island volcanoes and geothermal areas
Sunday, August 17th 2014
After the conference in Australia, I headed for New Zealand, to visit my friends John and Juliet who'd moved there at the same time as I'd moved to Chile in 2011. We took a drive around Auckland on the evening I arrived.
Monday, August 25th 2014
We went to Piha, an hour's drive from Auckland, and climbed Lion Rock.
Wednesday, August 27th 2014
We went on a road trip around the North Island, and spent a few days in Rotorua. While we were there we took a trip out to White Island, New Zealand's most active volcano.
Wednesday, August 27th 2014
The island was pretty epic, with lots of geothermal activity in the crater. The volcano had erupted in 2012 and 2013 so it was definitely possible that another eruption was imminent.
Wednesday, August 27th 2014
There were fumaroles everywhere, steaming and roaring and building up the sulphur deposits that used to be mined on the island.
Wednesday, August 27th 2014
White Island's viciously acidic crater lake has a negative pH apparently.
Wednesday, August 27th 2014
White Island was too volcanic for sulphur mining to be viable in the long run. Factory owners probably don't mind too much if their workers are swept out to sea by pyroclastic flows - workers can be replaced - but if the factory itself keeps getting destroyed, that's a deal breaker.
Thursday, August 28th 2014
Back in Rotorua, we went to Whakarewarewa and saw Pohotu and Prince of Wales Feathers geysers erupting.
Friday, August 29th 2014
Near the base of Ngauruhoe's cone on the Tongariro Crossing
Friday, August 29th 2014
It had been sunny at first but then we had a complete whiteout for a bit. The sun started to come out again as we were nearing the highest point on the crossing.
Friday, August 29th 2014
It was good weather again at the top, and we relaxed in the sun on the edge of Red Crater, which last erupted in 1926.
Friday, August 29th 2014
From Red Crater we headed down. If we'd have been coming this way in summer there would have been colourful lakes on the way but they were all frozen and buried under snow.
Saturday, August 30th 2014
The day after the Tongariro Crossing, we drove to Whakapapa, and stopped for a coffee with a good view at the Chateau Tongariro.