Setting Inspiration: Blackwater Rafting

One of my most memorable experiences was Blackwater Rafting in the glowworm caves in New Zealand. The word "rafting" is a bit misleading, because it's actually tubing, and at a rather relaxed pace. The awesome part comes from the fact that it's on the underground river, through a cave, with glow worms lighting up the ceiling overhead. Some of the tours cross bridges over the river, so you can see each other occasionally. One of my early Setting Inspirations was from another part of the same cave network, if you want to check that out.

All right, that photo above isn't from the blackwater rafting. It's a photo of the caves I got from google. There are that many glowworms, but as most of the tour was in pitch blackness, I don't have any photos of them. All the photos came from the tour guide, who had a waterproof camera.

Before we launched, we had to don wet suits, helmets, and go over procedure. One of the important steps we had to do was to link up in one big chain, so they could turn out the lights and let us float silently downriver under the glow worms.

While on the one hand, the caves were beautiful and peaceful, it was also a bit of a rush. Dark, cold water; surrounded by rough rock; the only sign of civilization the occasional tour group crossing a bridge way overhead.

There was one thing that required a bit of courage on my part: because this is a natural river, there were two waterfalls along our path. Which you cross by jumping off. Backwards. In pitch blackness.

They had us practice outside, jumping off a tall platform onto the river. You'll have to take my word that there's a big platform just outside that camera shot.

After jumping in the river, we made our way to this tiny little opening surrounded by shrubs. It wasn't some grand tourist entrance with signs and lights and steps. It was pure cave. Climb through the natural opening, scramble down the natural rocks, wait for everyone behind you, and pose for the picture!

After a twisty, windy tour though the cave, and over the two waterfalls, the very last area of the river was a broad, slow pool, where the guide left the lights off and had us all paddle our way to the distant light at the end of the tunnel. We emerged through an inauspicious opening back into the jungle, where the river continued on its merry way.

As a setting, it's hard to compare how I imagine caves to actually experiencing one. And not just a safe, touristy one with lots of hand rails and colored lights. It was dark, lit only by the guide's flashlight. Cold. The rocks were uneven and rough and they pressed close. Sometimes there was a "shore" or a slope; sometimes it was sheer cliffs on both sides of us. The waterfalls were small, but loud, and there was that rush as we jumped off, fell through blackness, and splashed into the water below. Sounds echoed strangely and voices sometimes floated down from tour groups somewhere out of sight, well overhead. Everything was narrow and windy and slick with condensation.

And afterwards, there was complementary hot chocolate in the lounge. :)