The Blowhole

It was hard to choose the blip for this occasion as I did manage to score quite a few images on the day. Oh well. "Them's the breaks" I suppose.

One can't go to Kiama without visiting the famous "Blowhole". It first became known to Europeans when it was discovered by George Bass during his voyage of coastal exploration on December 6, 1797. He wrote: "The shore, showed evidence of considerable volcanic fire ... there was a deep ragged hole of about 25 to 30 feet in diameter and on one side of it the sea washed in through a subterraneous passage ... with a most tremendous noise ..."

After countless centuries, the basalt forming the headland had eroded to form a partly submerged cave with a large hole and crater like structure at one end, open to the air. Breakers enter the cave, blocking off the entrance, compressing the air within and causing the water to spurt headlong upward. Depending on the force and volume of the wave, a spout can reputedly reach 40 metres or more up into the sky.

On the day I was there, the swell was not especially high but the blowhole was "doing its thing" very handsomely, drenching me quite soundly on several occasions as I tried to get pictures.

Some people say that the hole has eroded too far to work well any more. I have to say that it worked pretty well while I was there. Evidently the best shows occur when the swell approaches the headland from the south west - which it did on this occasion. According to the experts the performances are not especially affected by the state or height of the tide.

Watch the Blowhole wet some tourists.