Travelogue

Pancake RocksAfter a delicious fish and chips in Hokitika, we got back in the campervan and drove north along the coast to the Punakaiki sea stacks, more popularly known as the Pancake Rocks.

These intriguing rock formations can best be seen along the easy, 0.75-mile Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Track at Dolomite Point, near Punakaiki Village.

The short 0.75 track winds through native forest, with beautiful views of the Tasman Sea on its way to the “pancakes.”

I always find it more interesting to view rock formations when I have a better understanding as to how they got that way.

Pancake RocksSo, besides being beautiful to look at, these “pancakes” had a story to tell, and one that is 30 million years old.

Once upon a time, this entire area was submerged beneath the sea, where tiny fragments of marine creatures and plants accumulated on the seabed.

Millions of years of Immense water pressure caused these fragments to solidify, forming layers of alternating harder limestone and softer mudstone.

Punakaiki Blow HoleOver time, seismic activity lifted the limestone formations above sea level, where they were then exposed to millions of years of erosion from wind, rain, and waves.
The "pancake" effect is due to alternating layers of harder limestone and softer mudstone, which erode at different rates.

The End, or at least in our lifetimes. Who knows what they will look like in another 30 million years.

Along the walk there was also a Blowhole. Like the “pancakes,” blowholes are also created by the sea eroding the limestone, but in this case, they form vertical shafts.

When the tide is high and there is a large swell, the water is forced up through the shaft, creating a geyser-like spray.

Punakaiki Beach sea stackAfter completing the walk, we drove on to the Punakaiki Beach Camp, where we would be staying for the night.

Talk about location!! We’ve had some very scenic campgrounds before, but this one was right on Punakaiki Beach with surfers and sea stacks.

Punakaiki Beach Sea StackAs we walked along the beach north towards the large sea stack in the distance, I noticed children playing in the Pororari River that was meandering down towards that sea stack I was heading towards.

I followed the river to its mouth, where it flowed into the Tasman Sea, and found my sea stack just on the other side or the river. I very briefly toyed with taking off my shoes, rolling up my pant legs, and crossing over to the sea stack for a closer look, but decided it probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do.

Surfer off Punakaiki BeachBesides the view of it was better from this side, with the river flowing by in the foreground.

Later that evening after dinner, we returned to the beach to watch the sunset.

It would have been absolutely perfect, if it hadn’t been for the sandflies, which are all over the South Island, but especially along the West Coast. I had been dealing with them most of the trip and have welts on my legs to bring home as a souvenir.

A local that I asked how he dealt with them, told me they didn’t bother him. It just takes 10,000 bites to become immune to them. I told him that I think I was close.

Sunset from Punakaiki BeachHe said that if I wanted a shortcut reaching 10,000, I should just put out a glass of red wine outside at night and the next morning just drink the 50 or so that had drowned in it.

I have a funny feeling that he was just trying to get the American tourist to do something foolish. I did google it afterwards and the part about using red wine to trap him is legit, but nothing mentioned actually drinking it. I think I’ll stick with my benadryl cream.

The evening was so lovely that I put sand flies out of my mind and just watched the sun set beneath the horizon on the Tasman Sea.