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Canadian Island's Historic Hot Springs Dry Up After Earthquake

Posted by timothy on from the don't-keep-that-all-bottled-up-inside-you dept.

theshowmecanuck writes with this snippet from Canada's National Post: "Days after the remote B.C. archipelago of Haida Gwaii emerged virtually unscathed from Canada's second-strongest earthquake, locals discovered that the shifting earth had mysteriously switched off a centuries-old hot spring considered sacred by the Haida. ... A Parks Canada inspection party set out to investigate and stepped ashore to find that the island's three main hot spring pools, which once bubbled with water as warm as 77 Celsius, were bone dry. "Not even a small puddle," said Mr. Gladstone. Surrounding rocks, once warm to the touch, were cold." The earthquake measured 7.7 on the Richter scale."

6 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Not the first time this happens... by mfarah · · Score: 4, Informative

    I live in Chile, one of the most earthquake-prone countries. Near my city there used to be a rather popular hot spring pools place *in the Andes Mountains* (not in a close-by valley), called "Baños Morales" ("Morales' [Thermal] Baths"). An earthquake in the '50s shifted plates and the hot springs completely dried up. The place still exists, but it's been abandoned.

    --
    "Trust me - I know what I'm doing."
    - Sledge Hammer
    1. Re:Not the first time this happens... by ewieling · · Score: 5, Funny

      "At least I know where my faults are"

      --
      I really shouldn't have used someone else's email address for this account.
    2. Re:Not the first time this happens... by Anachragnome · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "I used to live in Pacifica California..."

      Just south of there, at Rancho Del Oso (a portion of Big Basin State Park), there is a spring that a pioneering family built their homestead around. That spring almost completely stopped flowing after the Loma Prieta earthquake, while further down the coast near the epicenter in the Forest of Nisene Marks some long dry springs started flowing again.

      If you cut the flow in one place, it will flow somewhere else--or build up pressure until something blows.

      I wonder if there are new hot springs somewhere in Haida Gwaii.

  2. not surprising by v1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    was going to happen eventually. Springs of any sort (hot or otherwise) are a bit of a fluke, it just takes nature awhile to correct them. Water's not supposed to flow uphill ;)

    Hot springs are going to be forming in volcanic active areas anyway, and those are going to be messing up the plates in their area, making earthquakes (even if only small ones) more common. So hot springs themselves should be considered very temporary by their very nature and design. A lot more temporary than say, a cold spring. We have a few of those here in Iowa, and I don't see an earthquake busting their pipes anytime soon out here.

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  3. Haida Pool Service by Chemisor · · Score: 4, Funny

    You should always call a professional to service your pool to avoid natural disasters. Why, only last week God tried to snake the drains on the sacred Haida hot springs, causing a 7.7 magnitude earthquake and completely draining the pools. Don't let this happen to you! Call Haida Pool Service to get the job done right! Proudly serving limbo and all 9 circles since 6000 BC.

  4. This is the Raven's Retribution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "The warriors poured brown salt into the sea from giant canoes, hoping to make chíin return.
    The raven , yáahl, was angered and dropped a stone into the water from hig in the sky.
    The ground shook like thunder and all the gifts of Jáadaa Gántl were taken away."