Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Long drive to Hanmer Springs for a day at the Thermal pools.
Driving up to Hanmer we once again went through some great landscape, we stop at some good photo spots one was just over the Waiiau gorge ferry bridge 77.7m across and 30m high the first bridge was demolished by gale force nor wester winds in 1874. The second bridge opened in 1887 and still stands today. This is the only way to get into Hanmer Springs and as you do I took a few photos here today.
Hanmer Springs, New Zealand's premier alpine spa destination. The Maori were the first to discover the natural thermal springs when passing through the South Island to settlements around kailoura and on the westcoast. The complex is now better than ever in side are many pools, sulphur pools, Private pools and steam rooms, hexagon pools, Aqua therapy, fresh water pool lazy river and the rainbow and rock pools, as well as water slides & kids area and the Super Bowl water ride of which Neil and myself enjoyed very much. Betty and me had a private pool for 30 mins the water was between 38c & 42c was hotter than a bath back home.
The mineral-rich water of Hanmer Springs thermal pools formed as rain fell on Hanmer plains around 2000 years ago. Seeping through cracks and fissures in the greywacke basement rock, it created a water table that is naturally warmed by the intense heat radiating from earth's core.
Springs appear on faultlines, where the rock beneath the surface is broken. The faultline provides a pathway for the water and the heat created the pressure that forced the water to the surface, creating the original pool.
Today they draw the thermal water from a depth of 47 metres at a rate of between 1 and 2 litres per second. The water is a constant 52c which enables them to use this energy to maintain the pool temperatures ( ranging from 40c to 27c ) through a series of heat exchanges. The circulating thermal pool water is filtered and sanitised to maintain optimum water while keeping its natural mineral content.
We have had a fantastic day here, oh so relaxing, we cannot understand why we are feeling so tied, but we are so early to bed I think.
- comments