Punakaiki

flyingmonk

February 26

Punakaki, Southern island, New Zealand

Close to Greymouth, on the western coast of New Zealand, Punakaiki is a spectacular limestone formation named this way for their stackable appearance. The rocks may have been developed in time under the sea level and pushed up later by tectonic movements. The geological marvels of the pancake rocks crafted from lime-rich remnants of deceased marine shells let the sea waves pass underneath and explode in spectacular blowholes.

Punakaki, Southern island, New Zealand

Their creation commenced approximately 30 million years ago, as lime-rich fragments of deceased marine shells gradually accumulated on the ocean floor, laying the foundation for these distinctive pancake-like structures. But in Maori legends, they may mean "spring of food", a place of abundance. Or the name may be even a transliteration of the western term of pancake rocks...

The short walk around the Pancake Rocks can be extended with the inspiring hike of Punakaiki - Pororari River loop. Walking back from the carpark towards the Pancake Rocks you stop on the way to explore the Punakaiki Cave, right off the road. Its entrance is lined up with nikau palms in front of a huge cliff wall which is usually dripping with water. Inside there are corridors for more than 150 meters to explore if you have time and a torch.

Pororari River, Punakaki, New Zealand

The Punakaiki-Porora River loop together with the visit to Punakaiki Rocks is a bit shy of 9 miles crossing a mysterious rain forest ridden with gigantic ferns among contorted trees with moss hanging from their branches. This is the realm of Tana, the god of the forest.

Weka

Tāne Mahuta, revered as the Lord of the Forest, holds a significant place in Māori lore and history. As the eldest of six siblings, Tāne grew weary of dwelling in perpetual darkness, confined between his celestial father, Ranginui, and terrestrial mother, Papa-tū-ā-nuku. Driven by a desire for illumination and freedom, Tāne resolved to separate his parents and, in this monumental act, ushered forth the world of light, known as Te Ao Mārama, which we inhabit to this day.

Punakaiki Beach, Southern island, New Zealand

Just a bit further up the road, on Truman Trail you can reach an atmospheric beach where springs merge in small waterfalls pouring from the rain forest into the Tasman Sea.

Punakaiki Beach, Southern island, New Zealand

Punakaiki Beach invites you to explore it and take pictures under the gigantic and precarious caves formed by the powerful waves. The rock walls washed by the high waves are covered in minuscule clams or tiny snail shells, looking like the intricate work of a meticulous artist, layers of shells that will create in the distant future more stratified rocks.

Punakaiki Beach, Southern island, New Zealand

Back in Hokitika for dinner - finally able to come back in time to find the restaurants still open - we stroll in the dark to Dell one of the few location on the southern island were you could see glow worms. The tiny dots of light in the image bellow are the worms glowing in the night doing their best to attract the pray. But more about them in a future post.