evidence of a sunken forest or trees, as reported by Fitzgerald off Moura. While there were forests over the pre-eruption Mt Tarawera, Totara trees were scattered and only recorded over the western and southern mountain flanks. Given Totara tree groves could hardly appear in the eruption craters; it appears likely any sunken forest lies in the north-east corner of the new lake. The placement of the sunken forest would have been post-eruption, via the mechanism described by the US Forest Service after the Mt. St. Helens eruption. The trees were uprooted in the eruption and propelled into the crater during or after the eruption. As the new lake formed over decades, the trunks floated for a time, then tipped vertically; later descending into a vertical lie, and became embedded into the lake floor coming to resemble a sunken forest. Hence, another myth about the Tarawera eruption and Lake Rotomahana is explained. References External links Pink & White Terraces photos The 1886 eruption The Pink and White terraces 2011 Lakes of the Bay of Plenty Region Okataina Volcanic Centre Volcanic crater lakes 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera Taupō Volcanic Zone