Hidden Wonders in the Dark EarthCache
Hidden Wonders in the Dark
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Piripiri Cave Walk
Located in Waitomo area in the Waikato region
Piripiri Cave offers the chance to soak in the majesty of a cave in one of the few free caves open to the general public in the area.
A short walk takes you up through native bush and past some limestone outcrops, and then descends a short stair case to the cave entrance. A platform at the bottom allows you to stand and marvel at the size of the cave and the fragile ecosystems within
Getting there
Piripiri Cave is 29 km west of Waitomo on Te Anga Road.
Know before you go
Due to the cave environment, the stairs may be slippery- good shoes or tramping boots are recommended.
You will need a torch to enter and exit the cave.
Despite the dark, the cave photographs well so take a camera along.
What is a Formation of a Cave?
Types of Caves
Solution caves -are formed in carbonate and sulfate rocks such as limestone, dolomite, marble, and gypsum by the action of slowly moving ground water that dissolves the rock to form tunnels, irregular passages, and even large caverns along joints and bedding planes. Most of the caves in the world-as well as the largest-are of this type.
lava caves -are tunnels or tubes in lava formed when the outer surface of a lava flow cools and hardens while the molten lava within continues to flow and eventually drains out through the newly formed tube.
Sea caves- are formed by the constant action of waves which attacks the weaker portions of rocks lining the shores of oceans and large lakes. Such caves testify to the enormous pressures exerted by waves and to the corrosive power of wave-carried sand and gravel.
glacier caves- are formed by melt water which excavates drainage tunnels through the ice. Of entirely different origin and not to be included in the category of glacier caves are so-called ice caves, which usually are either solution caves or lava caves within which ice forms and persists through all or most of the year.
Stalactites and Stalagmites
When discussing mineral formations in caves, we often talk about stalactites and stalagmites.
A stalactite is an icicle-shaped formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave, and is produced by precipitation of minerals from water dripping through the cave ceiling. Most stalactites have pointed tips.
Limestone is the chief form of calcium carbonate rock, which is dissolved by water that contains carbon dioxide, forming a calcium bicarbonate solution in underground caverns. If stalactites – the ceiling formations – grow long enough to connect with stalagmites on the floor, they form a column.
Life in the Cave
Arachnocampa-Luminosa-Species unique to New Zealand
A glow worm is the lavae stage in the life cycle of a two winged insect .
A glow worm uses its glow to burn of its waste .Its tail glows because of bioluminescence,which is the reaction between the chemicals given off by the glow worm and the oxygen in the air
Why are caves always the same temperature ?
The temperature in caves tends to stay the same year round ,because they are under ground and not affected by surface weather patterns .The temperature of a cave is usually close to the average annual temperature for the region where it is located .
Information obtained for this cache came from
www.waitomo.com/waitomo-information
waitomo glow worm caves
To log this cache you must first send answers to the below questions and then all good to log as a find
I will get back in touch with you if needed
Q1
What type of cave do you think this is ?give your reason for saying so
Q2
Do you see any Stalactites and Stalagmites joining to form a column ?
I hope you enjoy the wonders within the cave
The co-ords may be slightly off due to tree cover so just keep to the path and it will take you to the cave from the car park.
Additional Hints
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Treasures
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