Punakaiki’s limestone rocks were formed under the sea 35 million years ago by fragments of marine organisms. Why these particular rocks have formed in layers, like stacks of pancakes, is still a mystery.
Pancake rock throne.
The Punakaiki Blowholes are supposed to look like this “when the tide is right”. However, although we made a special (third) trip out to the rocks at high tide, it turned out that not only the tide, but also the sea had to be right. The day we were there, the “tempestuous Tasman” was as calm as a millpond, and so the blowhole didn’t blow.
We did see a lot of giant swirling seaweed where a blowhole would blow, if it was blowing.
We did see some gannets on the rocks.
As well as gannets, we also saw dolphins, but they were too far out to photograph.
We saw Nikau Palms (Rhopalostylis salpida) which look as though they have been put together upside down. They are the most southern naturally growing palm in the world.
We saw NZ Flax Harakeke (Phormium tenax) used by Maoris for weaving, ropes, fishing nets, clothing and rafts. A sign told us that only the three outside leaves per plant are harvested to conserve supplies. Considering that we have seen lots of it everywhere we have been, this strategy seems to be working. It doesn’t look as though it’s going to be running out any time soon.
We saw Cabbage Tree Ti kouka (Cordyline australis) which looks a lot like our pandanus. The Maoris used it for food, sugar, roofing, clothing, sandals, ropes, nets and baskets.
We saw the Pepper Tree Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) prized by the Maoris for its medicinal properties. It was also prized by insects, and whenever we saw it, it was always chewed into a lacy pattern.
We saw a weka, another NZ flightless bird.
Like the kea, this one seemed to inhabit carparks, had no fear of humans, and was very curious.
It’s a wonder the weka is not extinct. This one seemed to choose the most inappropriate moment to casually wander across the main round-NZ highway.
So even though we didn’t see the blowhole blowing, we did see a lot of other interesting sights.
Punakaiki is very small and very stretched out, and had no NZ Telecom internet access. There are three places to eat in Punakaiki – the cafe (closed at night), the restaurant at our resort (expensive) and the Punakaiki Tavern. Consequently, for both of the nights that we were there, we walked the 2km to the Tavern (and the 2km back) each night. Both nights, the sky was fully clouded over, with no starlight, and no street lights. So the flashlight app on my clever little iPhone came in very handy.
It was quite exciting walking back each night in the dark over the cliffs, listening to the sea crashing on one side of us and every now and then a car would hurtle past on the other side of us.
11th – 12th April 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment