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Once in a while, going light on your gear leads to missing an image. It is a weigh off I am usually fine with, but on this occasion, it was a real shame I didn’t anticipate the need and carry my polarizing filter! With it, I think the photos really could have at least partially shown the beauty of this spot.

On the west side of Rotorua, we visited the natural springs of Te Puna-a-Hangurua. The main spring (pictured above) is the biggest in New Zealand’s North Island and flows 4,500,00 litres of water each hour, after taking around 70 years to surface!.

It really was so beautiful and blue, encouraging one to jump in for a swim – although this is not allowed at the initial exit point. Way back in 1957 they sent two skin divers  down whom recovered 5000 pennies (coin money) dating back to 1860 – the ‘loot’ then donated to children’s charities. There certainly was not 5000 coins there today, but I suspect they clean it out periodically as there was still a fair bit of coinage for people likely tossing one in for good luck.

Eventually, after passing through many points of interest and waterfalls, the water exits into the Pacific Ocean.