Continued from Waitomo Black Water Rafting I
A Waitomo Tumu Tumu Cave mud slide! Crawling through barely-big-enough-for-you tunnels and getting completely covered in mud. More mud slides, fewer wars, I reckon. The mud slide was optional. Those people who’d rather rest and sit it out can plot their next invasion.
Black water rafting. Photo courtesy of Waitomo Adventures
After about 30-45 minutes underground, we arrive at the first tubing section. Clambering on to the tube, it is great to sit for a moment. Then I realise there isn’t enough of a current to float the proper direction, so grabbing the rope in the water, I pull myself through the water passage hand over hand.
Getting off the tube is trickier than you might think. Wetsuits are very buoyant and the glowing white gumboots seemed to have minds of their own. I imagine Baryshnikov would manage it with grace. I just manage to manage it.
Out of the water and a few metres down the way, everyone sits down for a brush with celebrity. “See over there? Tom Cruise sat on that rock!” Headlights off. After a moment there is a bluish-white glow patterned like constellations you can reach out and touch.
We get a lecture on the glow worms. As it turns out, they are not worms at all, but larval flies aka maggots. The glow comes from internally processing fecal matter instead of expelling it. When they change into their flying form, they have no mouths. So it is gather rosebuds while ye may, mate, lay eggs and die of starvation or exhaustion. With that sobering though, headlamps are back on and away we go.
We have more rocks, a lecture on stalactite formation and a short break for my first ever taste of the Kiwi confectionery icon, the Chocolate Fish. This delight is strawberry flavoured marshmallow shaped like a fish, covered in, you guessed it, chocolate. In New Zealand they don’t say you deserve a gold star if you are a good boy or girl. Nope, in Kiwiland, you deserve a chocolate fish. So I enjoy my first Choccie Fish served up with a cup of orange juice to give us some energy for the last half of the trip.
Cave Formations. Photo courtesy of Waitomo Adventures.
Next up is “Pinball Alley,” rapid water, sharp pointy rocks underwater and lots of opportunities for foot
entrapment. One of the guides sits above just in case someone slips and needs to be fished out. Sharp rocks, rushing water and vigilantly peering guides. Getting my leg up high enough to get on top of the rocks is a problem due to my wetsuit fit. I’m nervous, but I make it through with no outside intervention.
The optional “rebirthing” tunnel that follows is surprisingly long, 9 metres (about 30 feet). As you might expect, it is fairly small tunnel with not much room for head or feet, but when you pop out, there you are ready for the second tubing cave. Again, hand over hand work is required to progress through the water. This time, the ceiling is low and I have to duck my head while still on the inner tube in places.
Tumu Tumu Exit. Photo courtesy of Waitomo Adventures.
More rocks, more waist-to-chest deep water and not too far along, a big wall to climb back to the surface.
Feeling fatigued and still struggling with the low penguin crotch of my wetsuit I lose my footing and slide off the trail. The Canadian couple behind me hoisted me up. The Man, who had scampered on ahead in his energetic way, came back and took me by the hand the rest of the walk in the dark, headlamps shining.
Getting back to the shed is thrilling as it means the vile penguin wetsuit/gumboot ensemble can be removed and hot water applied to clammy skin and muddy, sandy hair. Bliss! Back into dry clothes, everyone climbs back on the Hello Kitty bus and huddles for warmth with their significant others for the ride back.
Exertion Factor: 10/10 mostly due to wetsuit fit problems. Without the penguin crotch making me constantly fight to walk and get my legs up high enough to reach the next rock it would probably be a 6-7/10 at a guess. *I have sworn not to go back and do this again unless I have an appropriately fitting wetsuit. A quick call to Waitomo Adventures reveals that they still only have men’s wetsuits available.*
Physical Blocks: High demand adventure with a penguin crotch. Climbing rocks, balancing over rushing water, crawling on hands and knees, getting on and off inner tubes.
Mental Blocks: Hanging on the rope to get into the cave, close overhead rock. Extremely tight spaces are optional. For claustrophobics, I would suggest the Lost World Tour also with Waitomo Adventures instead as that cave is massively expansive. I’d do the Lost World Tour again in a flash as no wetsuit was required for the four hour trip.
Time of Year: Caving is available year round unless there has been significant rainfall.
Gear: Swimsuit, towel, a jacket for the ride back in case you are chilled.
Fantastic Factor: 4/10. I’d rate it significantly higher if it weren’t for the wetsuit issues.
Cost: $125 for the Tumu Tumu Toobing trip. Four hours total, approximately two hours underground.
Maximum Weight: None, but be fit and willing to wear whatever wetsuit they can find for you.
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