Waitoto Caves

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Visited the caves today has been interesting although you couldn't take any photographs due to the glow worms that live there. There was one beautiful cave there which was called the Cathedral Cave the owners daughter got married in it apparently which I think would have been amazing. The height of the cave was about the same height as the inside of a cathedral and with the stalactites and staglamites giving a very majestic feel. The guide told us that in New Zealnd if your land has caves beneath it then the caves belong to you, the government take a small skim off if they are open to the public. The lady who got married here was a direct descendant of the original Maori owner.

It takes about twenty minutes for your eyes to adjust to night vision so we stopped off at various places in the caves. One was like a tunnel where the water has cascaded down for years and worn a Shute to the river that runs beneath. This is where we viewed the glow worms. Once at the bottom of the caves near the river we got into a boat and went through the cave where the glow worms reside. they make long strands called fishing lines to catch flies and other insects whilst growing before they go into pupa stage. The lights come from the bottom of their bodies this is achieved by produciing chemicals to attract the flies In a dark environment. Apparently the same chemicals are used to produce glow sticks.

It was very pretty like little stars dangling, some bigger than others depending on the size of the worm.

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