Waitomo Caves

by

FOWChallenge-Glow

~~~~~

glow

give out steady light without flame.
****

An ideal photo for this challenge.

Glow Worms in Ruakuri Cave

Waitomo, New Zealand.

Just in case you think I have posted a black square,

upon careful examination you will

see some glow worms.

~~~~~

Fandango’s One Word Challenge:…Glow

by

One-Word-Sunday-Spiral

~~~~~

~~~~~

One far away spiral one not so far away.

Ruakari cave

Ruakari cave

The Vatican’s

Spiral Staircase…

…complete with arches which could have

been used last  week 🙂

~~~~~

One Word Sunday Challenge:  Spiral

by

Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk239-Winding

~~~~~~~

 

~~~~~

winding

a twisting movement or course.
~~~~~

The walk to Waitomo’s

Ruakuri Cave entrance…

…is gentle.

However, once through the entrance we were

greeted by this long winding ramp

which took us down into the cave proper.

~~~~~

 

Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk239 – Winding

by

Lens-Artist-PC-100-Long-Winding-Road

~~~~~

This would be nearly as long a piece

of straight road as you would find in

the Great Ocean Road area.

 

 

Even on a quiet day it only takes one

overly cautious driver to have traffic

bumper to bumper.

 

Along winding walk down into the Ruakuri Cave

at Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

New Zealand.

 

And there is only one entry/exit,

so another long winding walk

up to ground level.

~~~~~

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Patti:   Long-Winding-Road

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Leya:    Long-Winding-Road

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Amy:   Long-Winding-Road

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Tina:    Long-Winding-Road

by

MCoW-Mt-Elephant

~~~~~

 

Decided to skip back across the ditch

to MY Corner of the World this week.

~~~~~

If you use your imagination…

…it is not a great leap to think of this shape as

the top half of an elephant.

And I guess that was running through

early settlers/explorers minds when they named

this extinct (I hope) volcano

Mount Elephant.

Mount Elephant is just one of

half a dozen volcanic cones

(that I can think of off-hand)

which dot Victoria’s Western District farmland.

~~~~~

My-Corner-of-the-World:  #17

~~~~~

~~~~~

 

by

Lens-Artist-PC-51-Unique

 

~~~~~

As soon as I saw this week’s theme…

…I thought of the Waitomo Caves in New Zealand.

These photos come from Ruakuri Cave.

Photography is not permitted in the Glow Worm Cave.

None of the stalactites, stalagmite formations are the same

The average growth rate of

a stalagmite/stalactite is around 0.13 mm per year

(the fastest growth rate being 3 mm per year).

 

Therefore, at an average growth rate

these formations would increase

by approximately ONE centimetre

(half an inch) every century.

And while many appear to be similar…

…they are all unique.

In Ruakuri Cave photography is permitted.

While the glow worms  are nowhere as prolific

as in the Glow Worm Cave there were some.

As to be expected a hand held camera

could only partly record the light.

As soon as we spoke of a New Zealand

North Island road trip…

Waitomo was first stop on our list.

~~~~~

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Patti:  Unique

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Leya:  Unique

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Amy:  Unique

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Tina:  Unique

 

by

Wordless Wednesday18_1212-Stalactites

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~~~~~

Ruakuri Cave,

Waitomo, New Zealand.

Stalactites grow about 1 centimetre every 100 years.

Just imagine how old the joined stalactite and stalagmite,

in the centre of this image, are.

 ~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed.

 ~~~~~

by

FOWChallenge-Magical

~~~~~

Not stars in the sky.

Rather some of the few Glow-worms in Waitomo’s,

Ruakuri Cave in New Zealand.

Ruakuri Cave is the only glow-worm cave

in which photography is permitted. 

Recommend all three caves if you visit Waitomo. 

All three caves are different and magical in their own right….

especially the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. 

~~~~~

Fandango’s One Word Challenge:  Magical