Initially, Pupu Springs wasn't even on
our itinerary for this trip. However, while waiting out the rain one
day before reaching the national park, we had a free afternoon when
the skies finally cleared, and we noticed the springs on our map. It
wasn't far from the town we were in (Takaka) and I had heard a little bit about it, so we figured, why not?
We are SO glad we went. Pupu Springs
is Australasia's largest springs and the world's clearest fresh water
(the only other place known to have water of greater clarity being
under the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica)! Since the water was so
clear, you could see everything beneath the surface and the blues and
greens were just breathtaking:
A nearby sign read:
“Te Waikoropupu Springs are a taonga
(treasure) and waahi tapu (a sacred place) for Maori, both locally
and nationally. The legends of Te Waikoropupu are told in the
stories of Huriawa, its taniwha (guardian spirit). In Maori
tradition the springs are waiora, (the purest form of water) which is
the wairua (spiritual) and physical source of life. The Springs
provide water for healing, and in the past were a place of ceremonial
blessings at times of birth and death and the leaving and returning
of travellers.”
With that, it requested that visitors
respect the springs which means, of course, no contact whatsoever
allowed. However, the water was just so tempting. I wanted to drink
a cup of it and Andy wanted to dive in it. But don't worry, we
restrained ourselves...
Instead, Andy acted on his impulse at
our next stop at Payne's Ford:
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