Lake Taupo

The weather wasn’t too bad today. Well, at least it didn’t rain and I had enough sun breaks to get a couple shots. I went first to Huka Falls, an impressive torrent that is the outlet of Lake Taipo. I’m sure there’s even more water than usual due to the recent rains. Then I went to Aratiatia Rapids downstream a few miles from the falls. They built a dam just above the rapids that completely drained them and left a bunch of huge rocks where there used to be whitewater. Fortunately, every day at 10:00, 12:00 and 2:00 they open the floodgates on the dam and let the river run free for 15 minutes. So you get to see the rapids in full force if you are there at the right time. I went to the Noon release and it was pretty impressive. I thought it might make a pretty cool timelapse, so after lunch I went back for the 2:00 release and filmed a timelapse. I was right, it looks pretty cool to see the canyon fill up with 30 feet of raging whitewater in just a few minutes. I also did a cloud timelapse while I was there and setup.

I’m still waiting for the sky to clear enough to see the mountains at Tongariro National Park which is just south of where I’m camping. Not sure if tomorrow is going to work, but maybe the next day. I sort of have to camp here (sorry about the pun (not really)) and wait for the shot. Right now I have quite a bit of sun all around me, but those darn mountains are socked in. I’m camping right on the edge of the lake where I have an unobstructed view toward the mountains.


This is the narrow channel that leads from Lake Taupo to Huka Falls.


This is Huka Falls where all that water pours out to form the source of the Waikato River.


This is the (former) Aratiatia Rapids looking upstream toward the dam.


This is looking downstream toward the lower rapids.


This is what it looks like upstream toward the dam about 5 minutes after they have opened the floodgates to let the river run free.


And this is what the lower rapids looks like.


I’m “Freedom Camping” today. In certain places, there are scenic turnouts that you are allowed to park and camp overnight if you have a fully self contained motorhome. No tents, no cars or vans. The only downside is that I don’t have an AC power hookup so I have to run on battery power, but that’s what this rig is built to do. I’m literally just a few feet from the edge of Lake Taupo. Somewhere hidden in those low clouds to the left are the mountains I’m waiting for.


This is the view out of the back of my motorhome looking West.