Oceania

[Visited: October 2012]

After a chat with the friendly lady at the entrance, I decided to first head to the lavafield and see the blowhole; after all, tide was going down now. I walked down from a well-kept garden with trees and flowers to the black coast just below. Lava formations are constantly pounded by the big waves, and when I got close to the surf, I saw black bridges of lava under which the white waves crashed, and rock pools of water constantly filled by the powerful Pacific Ocean water. I was looking for a blowhole, but did not find it, expecting a fountain of water spouting through a hole in the lava rocks. An old man resting on the rocks, in the shade of a tree, appeared to belong to the family maintaining the place, and advised me to climb over the ridge, where I would find more lava fields.
As soon as I descended the low hill, I enjoyed the views of the black lava rock coast on which the waves of the deep blue ocean were breaking, causing a permanent white line of foam along the coastline. Just behind the waterline were several natural rock pools, lined by palmtrees, almost giving them the appearance of an oasis. I walked the rough lava rocks in search of the blowhole, and when I heard the hissing sound of water and air being sucked into, and out, of a hole, I knew I was close. I descended into a small depression, found a small pool of water which was constantly filled by the ocean through a tunnel under the rocks, and every now and then, saw a delicate spray of water being forced out of the blowhole; the sun was right above me and caused a rainbow to appear inside the black hole. I watched the spectacle for a while, until I was so hot, surrounded by the black rocks, that I had to leave. I walked to the beach on the other side of the To Sua complex, a narrow strech of white sand hemmed in by cliffs on both sides and with little sunshine.
By this time, I really needed to cool off, so I walked to the waterhole of To Sua, walked around it for views of the curious place, and descended into it using the wooden ladder. There was a large group swimming around, their voices ringing around the vertical rocks forming the hole. I entered the water, which is sea water and therefore not only salt, but also not as cool as you might expect, and swam to the seaside, where I saw a swim-through to the sea. Without knowing the other side of it, I did not dare to swim through, and instead went to the other side of the pool. The water is pretty deep and there are only few parts where you can stand. When the group had left and peace had returned to this wonderful place isolated from the rest of the world, I swam with my camera in hand to take some shots, and then lied in the sun on the wooden platform before climbing up the ladder again.

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To Sua trench (Samoa)

To Sua trench > Samoa > Oceania

[Visited: October 2012]

Around the World in 80 Clicks