By the numbers
1 boat
1 island
10.90kms
2,286 steps
I woke up with a start thinking my alarm had not gone off
and that I had missed the boat to go out to White Island. I soon found this was
not the case and I had woken 5 mins before my alarm went off. It was better
than nothing at all and I was happy that I would not be missing anything. Since
I was connected to the internet, I had several messages of concern and I was
wondering if I had missed a RU OK type of day. Checking the NZ news told me
this was not the case and there was even a Tsunami warning. I was not concerned
and had not gotten a call to say that the trip was canned. My phone is actually
on silent as any messages or updates tend to vibrate worse than any ringtone.
The bed isn’t the most comfy I have been in nor is the pillow, but it is still
a bed for a night.
I found breakfast and made my way to the White Island tours
building where I had to check in. I found coffee on the way so was happy that
was something. I had to sign my life away acknowledging the fact that I am
aware of dangers including on the island, which was pretty straightforward to
be honest. I paid and got myself a new hat. One that I knew I would not lose
when it got windy. I don’t like it when my hat blows away as then I would have
no hat. I was given a token that would get me onto the boat called Predator
that I found was an ex shark cage boat and the company had gone into receivership.
Leaving the Whakatane bar looked really hair raising and if you had no idea
then it would not be pretty and I think the water is also shallow as well. The
boat trip took us past Whale Island, which is a reserve that you need
permission to visit and the same tour group takes you there too. It took around
an hour to get to the island, but I was happy to sit out the back and enjoy the
scenery going past.
Before arriving to the island we were given gas masks and
hard hats in case we needed them. I didn’t realise at the time how close we
were to the island until we stopped. You could see the steam venting away along
with old buildings from past ventures where they would get the sulphur. I found
there were actually two and both failed. One where 10 or so men died around the
war years and the other when the company went bankrupt. According to the guides
you could sign up for 3 month contracts and one man signed up for 8 years
worth. We were told to watch out feet and to step where the guides step as we
may step in hot mud and that would not be good at all. The wanderings took us
all the way to some steam vents that sounded more like jet engines than super
heated steam and I did get a lung full of sulphur. Just a little something to
keep you awake and on your toes. It was follow the leader to the edge of the
crater, but not too close. I remarked that we could make a sacrifice to the
Gods. The crater had water from natural causes like rain and the geothermal was
constantly being monitored on the island even though some cameras maybe broken.
I have heard of one that has a dinosaur nearby so dont know if it is still
there.
We did wander to several other places including two streams
running down. One of which you could place a coin like a NZ 10c piece and it
would be cleaned up. I did that and it did come out cleaner as the water is
meant to have the same PH level as a can of coke plus a bit of iron as well. Within
the crater area there are no trees growing, but on the outside of the island
there are some there. Birds do nest on the island as well so it has some life.
The last part of the walk took us through the different bays including the
alternative landing spot that was all rocks, so would apparently add a further
40 mins to the trip on the island. People did live on the other side of the
island away from the crater after the first lot of people had died and there
were even advertisements to work on a pacific island. That would be interesting
to see. The warehouse we were standing in is meant to be the second floor
though I couldn’t confirm that at all, but the wood used for the support beams
were from Canada. On our way back to the boat we scrubbed our shoes so we wouldn’t
track dirt back onto the boat.
Once back on the boat we waited for all people to get back
and the entire time we were on the island there were helicopters coming and
going. They were doing their own tours, but we at least got a boat ride out of
it. We were handed out our lunches and then the boat proceeded to go around the
island to show the difference some nature makes from what was a bare crater
with very few living things. I tried to stand up top while the boat pulled way,
but it got too hard trying to hold a camera and my lunch at the same time even
though I was munching on an apple. Half way home we came across several pods of
dolphins and pilot whales according to the skipper. We stayed around them for a
little while until we ourselves had to move on and get back to shore. I was
happy to be back, although could see the weather changing as we came back. I
could tell that the next day the weather might not be so nice.
After the boat, I took a wander to see if I could find the
Domain Street cemetery and while I did find it. I had to wonder if this was not
the oldest cemetery in the city. I thought it was weird that they were calling
the same cemetery different names like Domain Street west and the other end was
East. I did notice some other backpackers and I was happy that I was staying
where I was as it would have been a huge walk that I would not have wanted to
take. I needed to do some washing and have some food before it got too late as
I didn’t want to run out of clothes. I don’t know when the lint catcher was
last cleaned, but there was a big layer stuck there. Tomorrow I am not sure
what I am doing, but will see what the weather is doing before I move out into
the open spaces.
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