Cave Stream and Castle Hill

By Jen.

On our first pass through Arthur’s Pass, we tried to do Cave Stream, but then shortly realized I would be too wet and cold than was good for me while sick. The whole elaborate loop through both passes was just so that we could do this walk. This time, we were both quite healthy, and the water didn’t look too high, so we thought we make a try for it. We knew the water could get up to waist deep, so we changed into water-appropriate clothing (me into my stinger suit and swim gear), and pulled on shoes we didn’t mind getting wet. For me, that was Jonathan’s old pair of shoes that he wore daily in Australia and retired when we came here. For him, he thought he would see how water-proof his new hiking boots were. Geared up, we started down the hill to the entrance.

The entrance is the deepest section. And, sure enough, we had to plow right through the water that just kept getting deeper. I was reminded that Jonathan’s and my heights vary quite a bit. While the water only reached his upper waist, it was up to my chest at the deepest part. I was also reminded how different NZ is from AUS. The cave and accompanying stream in AUS was placid and you mostly got walk on dry ground with only occasional low-level water crossings. We were able to do that walk in our flip-flops (called “jandals” here). In NZ, it was a rushing, roaring stream in a rocky cave, walking almost exclusively in the cold water and not on land. We had to do it in secure shoes and watch each step. Definitely a different atmosphere!

The deepest section. Definitely much deeper for me!

Was it fun? Oh yeah! We acclimated to the cold water pretty quickly. While very dark, it definitely wasn’t quiet. You know how rapids sound? Magnify that in an echoing room. We had to shout and be close to each other to be heard. And, while there were no sharp edges, the walls were definitely not flat. It was like walking through a surrealist painting with whacky walls and shapes.

I made Jonathan take photographic proof that went through it.

This time the glowing red dot is my husband’s headlamp, not young crocodiles.

As we went along Jonathan was able to spot a few fun things as well (my light was way too dim to see much). This is an eel.

There were a couple sections around some of these dividers that were narrow, with water rushing through with great force. Some we were able to barely get through, another we had to try and rock climb on the walls past it (while not dropping my camera into the churning water).

Some foam.

A rock bridge that we had to go over.

Some water that was falling in from another source than the stream.

This is the end. See those rungs, we have to climb those to get out. In that dark chamber beyond is a 3m gushing waterfall that you can’t climb up on your own.

Then, when you get to the top, you have to hold onto the chain on the left and crawl along on all fours to make sure you don’t descend back down that 3m.

The waterfall and 3m drop.

Sure doesn’t look so bad from the outside, does it?

After drying off and having some lunch, we ventured down the road shortly to Castle Hill. Here rocks have been weathered down into fanciful shapes that remind some of old buildings, castles, or forts. We took a leisurely walk through them.

That isn’t actually an arch, just different colored rock. Deceptive, huh?

Next day was a visit to Mt Thomas, but with the heat and humidity, I didn’t last very long.

In a town on the way to Mt Thomas.

Then, the next day, we ran into Christchurch for supplies. Our colander developed a crack that was ever-widening, and I wanted some water shoes. The flip-flops that I had owned since 1st or 2nd year of college (11-13 years ago, a really hardy pair given to me by my mom) finally broke in Australia, back when we put our canoe into a crater lake in the Atherton Tablelands. I tried for a while to find a cheap pair to replace them, but couldn’t find what I wanted. I finally gave up and opted to wear Jonathan’s old flip-flops whenever I needed them (which wasn’t very often). But, Cave Stream had been a reminder that those wouldn’t work when crossing rivers, and I didn’t want wet feet for long hikes. So, we went in search of several items that day in Christchurch, and were mostly successful. And, of course, I had manipulated our schedule so that we would be in Christchurch on an ultimate-frisbee-pickup-game day. So, while Jonathan was being productive writing posts, I learned a new game of frisbee that you can play with only 4 players.

 

Only one of the flip-flops broke, but it was time. The water shoes are lightweight, cheap, and my feet won’t slip out of them when walking on awkward, wet surfaces.