Farewell spit and Pupu Springs

After a long drive and a late night yesterday we weren't really looking forward to the 5:45 alarm this morning. Somehow we managed it and we made it to the tour which left at 6:30. The sunrise looked beautiful over Golden Bay and the water in the wetlands and mudflats was so still it reflected everything so well. It was a shame we didn't have time to capture it.
Farewell spit was awesome. We were driven 26km along the sand in a 4x4 bus and admired the dunes on our right, the sea in our left and the expanse of sand ahead if us, as far as the eye could see. The wind wasn't too bad, which is good, but it was enough that the loose sand that was whipped up by the wind created an effect of running water. It was a bit like driving on a golden river and when you looked closely you could see the lines if sand in waves, similar in shape to the way the northern lights run like streaks in the sky.

We stopped for photos on route of various features and the birds, lots of oyster catchers here, before arriving near the head of the spit where the lighthouse was positioned. Here we stopped and admires the insanely loud noise of the cicadas in the trees, trees that had been planted over years, by importing soil, to give the lighthouse keepers some respite from the wind. It definitely worked, it was a warm little oasis and we stopped here for tea and a muffin.
The way back had the same views but with a different light this time and a bit more wind. The driver had to be careful to avoid the invisible quicksand, careful not to stop moving if we hit some, whilst still pointing out more wildlife. This time we saw a New Zealand fur seal. It was about bigger than I had imagined and had clearly just landed on the sand. We were on quicksand here so we had to keep moving and be satisfied with bus window pictures, but he circled a couple if tines so we had the chance. So that's dolphins and seals we have seen here now :)

We also stopped aside one of the dunes that we can walk on and we had a go at running down the sheer face. Rob ran from a high point, I chose a slightly lower point, don't want to be responsible for more hospital stays!
We also learnt that they used to have a problem here with cows, until they shot them all (apparently the lack of certain minerals/nutrients in the grass made them angry and difficult to herd) and then a problem with deer, and then pigs. All of which have been shot to prevent them devastating the dunes.

Our final stop was at fossil point. Here you could see so clearly the definition if the layers of sediment in the eroding cliffs and the bottom layer was 50 million years old and dotted with thousands of round stones that once belonged to a river.

All in all it was a beautiful landscape, very end of worldly kind of landscape and very desolate.

After this we headed for lunch and then set of to the next campsite. We stopped via Pupu Springs which are absolutely gorgeous. They were different from the last blue spring we saw in that the river flowing from it was no where near as blue, but the spring itself was much closer to the observation deck and it was amazing to see the water rippling at the surface of this giant pool of water as a result of the spring gushing at the bottom. It was pretty deep and so crystal clear and blue, everyone looking said the same thing, I wish we could just dive in. It is protected and sacred however to a Maori Tribe as one of their Tongas (treasures). It really was beautiful and a very nice quick stop off to stretch the legs.

And now we are at our campsite for the night at Pohara Beach. It is beautiful, hot and sunny at last and we are right by the beach, which called for one thing, a swim in the Tasman Sea!! Our first proper swim since arriving in New Zealand. Pretty cold at first, as always, but we got used to it fairly quickly and enjoyed a few minutes swimming. The waves were s bit foamy though and there were loads which got a bit annoying after a while, especially with the muddy, squelchy sand underfoot and the many fronds of seaweed wrapping around your ankles.

We headed back to camp after a short walk on the beach where we found lots of shells, mostly occupied, and a giant mussel she'll that was about 30cm long!!!! They grow them huge here!

dinner time brought us yet more soupy rice and then we headed back to the beach for the sunset. The tide was out and so the shallow pools of water on the sand gave lovely reflections of the sun. I watched the birds and admired all the shells whilst Rob took some photos by the sea. And then it was bed time.Read more