New Zealand > White Island Volcano

At a quarter past seven, we check in for the boat trip to White Island volcano. The check-in is at the reception of our hotel, where we can also check out of our room. At the pier lies the Pee Jay VI, the vessel that will take us to the island. I estimate that around forty tourists are already ready to board. I take a seat on the aft deck. The captain calmly navigates the boat out of the harbor and then speeds up once we are at open sea. Through the loudspeaker, he announces that the trip will take one hour and forty minutes and that the boat is traveling at 20 knots (approximately 35 km/h). It is cloudy today, and in the distance, there even seems to be a rain shower. Hopefully, it won’t reach the volcanic island. There is little wind, and the sea is calm. Perhaps because of this, a group of dolphins visits us halfway through the trip. The captain slows the boat. They swim in front of, behind, and alongside us. All around, the small dolphins pop up from the water. The captain signals with his horn that he wants to continue and that everyone must leave the foredeck. Probably the dolphins recognize the signal, because they immediately swim away. The boat continues toward White Island.

New Zealand - The volcano on White Island

The closer we get to the island, the better the weather becomes. On the open sea, the sun is shining — which I don’t mind at all. At the volcanic island, small groups of travelers are ferried ashore by rubber motorboats. Here, the tour begins. Amy, our guide, explains the island, the last eruption in 2000, and shows where we can and definitely cannot walk. “The volcano is still active,” she says. Small earthquakes and eruptions occur regularly. The volcano’s activity is continuously monitored. Currently, the volcano is relatively calm, but we still have to stay alert.

New Zealand - Walking through the volcanic crater

Around me, I feel warmth rising from the ground and smell the sulfur. If the sulfur cloud becomes too intense, I can put on a gas mask. I also wear a helmet in case of eruptions. It is incredible to be able to walk here. Amy invites everyone to taste the iron-rich water. It tastes unpleasant and has a metallic, almost bloody flavor. After walking through the volcanic crater for an hour and a half, we return to the boat. In just over an hour and a half, we sail back to Whakatane. Lunchboxes are handed out along the way. I eat my sandwich while enjoying the sea. From Whakatane, it is just over an hour’s drive to Rotorua. The area around Rotorua is surrounded by geothermal fields. Just before Rotorua, we stop at Hells Gate. The park is owned by a Maori tribe and consists of a thermal area with bubbling mud and sulfur pools.

New Zealand - The geothermal pools of Hells Gate

Warm steam seems to rise from the ground everywhere. Not for nothing are there warnings to stay on the marked paths. The Kakahi Waterfall is the only hot thermal waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere. By late afternoon, we arrive in Rotorua. Around the city center, there are several hot springs and sulfur fields, as well as various bathhouses. We walk along the lake of the same name to Sulphur Point, a spot where lots of water and steam rise from the lake. Even in the park in the city center, the sulfurous smell rises from small ponds. We’ve seen enough springs for today. We take a seat on a terrace on the main street lined with restaurants. Each terrace is cozy and full. We order a beer and something to eat, watching the people pass by — which is entertaining enough on its own.