Lady Knox Geyser - Wai-o-tapu

Lady Knox

Mud pool

Artist's palette

Champagne Pool

Bird's nest in side of crater.

There's a reason the sign says the Lady Knox erupts at 10:15.  The story is, this area was the local prison, and the prisoners were given the job of clearing the brush.  When they found the hot springs, they realized they could save time not having to build a fire to heat water to wash their clothes.  They also realized that it would be more intriguing to build it up like a tower and have the water come out the top.  (The hottest water is down below, and the cooler on top, and to create a geyser something has to happen to break the stasis). If they tossed some soap in, the water would come bubbling out.  So now, in 2012, they can and do, toss soap into this very same geyser at 10:15 each day, and enthrall bus loads of visitors.  After seeing the geyser, we checked out some bubbling mud pools, complete with plopping sounds, and then walked a "trek" that led us up, around, and past 25 unique thermal sites.   Unique, with the color produced by the different minerals, the shape, and the way some are being used.  The birds have discovered, that if they lay their eggs in some of the holes on the walls of the craters, the heat from below will incubate their eggs.  We did just fine with the odor!