There was one thing on the New Zealand Tourist Checklist that was just screaming out at me above all else. I wasn’t too bothered by sky-diving, bungee jumping, water skiing or walking a glacier (next time, maybe) but visiting the glowworm caves of Waitomo just had to be done, especially as I’d been there before as a wee baby in the 70s and just about remembered it.
This was probably the most touristy thing I did (and this has been a pretty touristy holiday by my standards) but it was worth it. They could have ramped up the tacky to the nth degree and it would still have been wonderful because the caves are fantastic.
There’s a number of different caves to visit but we went for a two-cave combo. First was the Aranui Cave, a mile or so from the main drag and a less popular visit as it doesn’t have the glowing bugs. This, I think, was the best cave to spend time is as the guide was low-key and informative and the crowds much smaller. Loads of limestone stalactites and mites with lighting that, apparently, was well overdue for replacing but I felt added something to the experience. Photos were taken giving the Gorillapod it’s first real test and I was pretty pleased with the results.
We then did the Glow Worm cave along with everyone else and the most corny and bouncy guide imaginable. But it didn’t matter. Glow worms really are magical and the final boat trip, floating silently through the darkness lit only by the thousands of points of blue light hanging from the ceiling, was worth every penny. Photos weren’t allowed in this cave, which was a shame, as the flash makes the worms uncomfortable. But no regrets there.
One thing that struck me while I was in there is there’s no such thing as “natural light” in a cave. You only see them under artificial conditions so you never see them as nature intended for nature had no such intent. So whoever decided where the lights would go pretty much defined how the caves would be perceived for a generation. Hmm…
Pete – techie photography question .. what settings did you use to get such great photos at low light?
Hi Pete
Have really enjoyed your pics and trip stories – thanks for sharing. I am heading over next month. I wondered which do you think is the best place you went to? I’ll be over staying with my brother in Auckland, doing weddings and family stuff etc. but am planning to hire car and do road trip for at least a week. Which do you reckon is bestest, ‘mustn’t miss it’ place you went to? kind of bearing in my mind my side-kick will be a reasonably adventruous 7 yr old?
Thanks
Charlotte
gadget: The Gorillapod mentioned is a tripod and that’s the trick. On the whole I went for a long-ish exposure (5-30 secs) on a narrow aperture (f16 would be good) – the former to get the light in, the latter to get the depth of field (making sure as much is in focus as possible). Without a tripod or other way of stabilising they would have been all blurry and shit. This also allows you to keep the ISO low (200 for these) avoiding noise. Unless you like noise. (I push it up for the gig photos).
If you ever want to know the settings I;ve used click on “More Properties” on the sidebar in Flickr. That’ll give you a summary of my EXIF data. But bear in mind the actual conditions will affect this.
gadget: Pete has it right. Never, never use flash as the stone comes out a weak grey color with no character at all. That available light from the orange/blue/green floodlights is so much better! On a trip down Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico I hauled a huge Manifrotti tripod and it was worth it!
Pete: I’d be interested to know how these caves compare with Sonora, Texas? Like you I’ve been to both but Waitomo was in 1979.