[Geysers] Pohutu

[Kory Collier]

A message from Kory Collier  20 Dec 2005

In 1994, a flight of mine got unexpectedly re-routed through Auckland with a 
really long layover---long enough to rent a car, drive to Rotorua, spend two 
hours at Whakarewarewa, and get back to the airport in time (a lot of 
driving that day, but well worth it!)

Like Tara, I was very impressed with Pohutu.  If I've read her data 
correctly, the intervals they were there for were all very close to 40 
minutes, and the durations in the 15-20 minute range.

During the two hours I was there in September 1994, the intervals were a lot 
shorter: I think roughly about 5 minutes (I have no idea where my notes from 
that day are now); but I clearly remember that the intervals from start to 
start were in the 10 to 15 minute range---at least the several that I timed. 
  I wasn't always in spots where I could see Pohutu, but as I explored the 
basin, I kept looking over my shoulder at it as much as possible, and it 
never went very long without erupting.

I would love it if any of the New Zealand list readers could tell me (my 
curiosity of eleven years ago has been reawakened) if the short intervals I 
observed were typical for 1994.  If so, for how long of a period of time 
were the intervals typically that short?  Or maybe did Pohutu cycle between 
short intervals and longer ones?  What would be the best resource for me to 
look up what Pohutu's numbers and behavior have been like over the years?

I went there that day with a vague understanding that Pohutu's intervals 
were usually some small number of hours, and I wasn't even sure I should 
hope to see an eruption in my limited amount of time.  So seeing several was 
a real treat.  And the eruptions were indeed beautiful.  From some angles of 
view, the column of water had a slender, nearly perfect shape, and from 
others it gave me a wider, more powerful impression.  It was also amazing to 
me to note how very Yellowstone-like the hot springs appeared in general 
while their setting was very unlike Yellowstone geyser basins.  I guess that 
shouldn't be surprising, but somehow it still struck me as uncanny.  It was 
definitely one of the more fascinating two-hours periods I've ever spent.

Kory Collier
kory at mstar.net (Note the different address.  For some strange reason I can't 
post to the list using my MSTAR e-mail, but it's the only account I usually 
read.)

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