Waitomo Caves - Black Lab yrinth Tour

While researching for this trip, we found an adventurous activity in Waitomo (pronounced Wa-e-toe-moe). Waitomo is filled with limestone caves. Of course there are the calm tours that take you within the cave to look at the stalactites and the stalagmites, but there are also tours when are a bit more extreme. We chose to go with the Black Water Rafting Company which provides three main tours. We signed up for the most adventurous, Black Abyss. In this tour we would abseil into the cave, jump into freezing cold water, float along the water to watch glowworms, swim, hike, and then climb back out of the cave in a waterfall.

I was super excited for this, because it was our first organized group activity since we had been to New Zealand. After attending church in Hamilton, we drove about an hour and a half south until we reached the Waitomo caves. Since we were a bit early we relaxed and enjoyed the warmth as the sun was out. That warmth did not last long though, because as soon as we met our guides, Regan and Dunny, we were given damp wetsuits to put on. I left for the women’s changing room which was outside in the cold air and put my swimsuit on, then slowly wedged myself into a wet and cold wetsuit. I then pulled on a long sleeved shirt which was provided to give warmth, then came the wetsuit jacket, booties, and rubber boots. I also had to wear a helmet. From that point on, I was shivering throughout the tour.

I’m generally cold by nature, so I figured that once again, I was crazy to get myself in this message for four long hours of freezing. Luckily though, I did not have much time to think about my troubles as I was the first volunteer to enter the cave. I slowly descended into the darkness. At one point it was a bit scary as I squeezed through a narrow passage. After about forty feet I stopped and a new person was harness in to repel into the cave. I had a lovely conversation with my guide, Regan, about how Washington D.C. got its name. I told him that he asked the wrong person, because I wasn’t going to give him a short answer. As a history teacher I feel obligated to “fill him in” on all the good details.

After about fifteen minutes everyone had entered the cave and walked a ways before we were once again harnessed onto a rope for a zip line in the dark. Actually it wasn’t completely in the dark since we were able to see the glowworms. Glowworms are only found in New Zealand, and they emit a bluish light in the dark. They can be found clinging to rocks in caves and outside on cliffs. I found out that glowworms are really just maggot larvae, and the glowing part is their backside. They glow to attract innocent flies for eating. Even if it is their butt, it was beautiful to behold. I felt like I was looking at the stars.

We had a short break to shiver a bit as we enjoyed a warm snack and admired glowworms. Then the guides informed us that we would be jumping into the water. We would make a ten foot jump into the underground river of freezing water. I am fearful of jumping into water so I did not volunteer to be first. I let most other in front of my and then I took a deep breath, jumped, lifted my feet up and held onto the inner tube that soon became wedged around my butt. After going all the way under the inner tube lifted me up and I gasped as the shock of cold water sunk in. Just thinking about it makes me chilled. We soon began paddling into the cave. I didn’t like this too much because my hands were not wearing any time of wetsuit, so they were bitterly cold. What was probably only five minutes felt like eternity in coldness. Dunny asked us to for a train with out feet on the inner tube of the person in front of us. He then instructed us to turn off our headlamps.

He made a large clap on the water and the sound brightened up the glowworms. The glowworms will eat anything that buzzes, so when they hear sound they brighten. Dunny then pulled us along as we enjoyed the illuminescent view. It seemed that we were looking at stars in the sky, there were thousands of glowworms. Since we were getting wet, I could not take my camera. Even if I had taken a picture, it would not do just to this natural beauty. The cold water was worth such an amazing view. I also enjoyed Dunny’s singing. He tried to get everyone to sing along, but for some reason our group was rather quiet. I tried to sing along, but lost track as I kept looking up at the glowworms.

Our tranquil experience did not last long enough though, for shortly thereafter we handed over the innertubes and began to swim on the river. We swam and we hiked, swam and hikes. We stopped for a break to drink hot tang and eat chocolate. Then we swam and hiked some more. Towards the end of our trip we were asked to climb two waterfalls. I was excited to climb, but I was skeptical about climbing with gumboots and splashing water. I underestimated our fun guides, who directed us perfectly and when I couldn’t reach and move they would practically pull me up.

The tour ended with a hot shower (only I didn’t stay warm, because the showers were outside. I was cold before I even got my clothes on! Then we went into the lodge for warm tomato soup and toasted bagels. It was a freezing activity, but well worth the money that I paid for it. I have thought about it I would do it again and I am a littler nervous about being that cold again, but I think I would. There are too other tours that are provided as well, neither as extreme in temperature. So this is a must-do when traveling to New Zealand.
After the Tour with our guides.