June-July 2022 Fossicking Trip: 1) Ward Beach

TumbleStoneTwo webpage on Ward Beach.

Looking towards the Ward Beach carpark from near the Flaxbourne River mouth. Camping area in behind carpark.

Powerful waves at Ward Beach today.

Ward Beach stones.

I have embarked on another beach stone fossicking trip to the South Island – I live near Whanganui and make a trip like this by car about three times a year. After an at times rough Cook Strait ferry crossing on Tuesday (21 June), I drove to the small town of Ward for an overnight stay. I made my first beach visit of the trip on Wednesday morning, driving the six kilometres to Ward Beach for a 90 minute fossick.

Main areas of Ward Beach that I have visited so far over the last two years. Base map = Google Maps.

Ward Beach Reserve and carpark area. From information signage at the beach.

Beach in front of Ward Beach carpark, looking towards Flaxbourne River mouth area.

The stone bank, in front of the Ward Beach carpark.

When I arrived at the beach at 9 a.m., it was cold, about five degrees, but mainly sunny and there was not much wind. Due to recent storms causing heavy swells, the waves were large and powerful. I have recently written a page on Ward Beach for my new website TumbleStoneTwo, so it was interesting to visit in person again. I was also able to take some photos I need to round out the page.

I found some interesting zoophycos stones, a couple with an unusual red stain, but no agates this time.

Probably a limestone, with red staining.

Zoophycos trace fossil in limestone.

This stone has a slightly raised trace fossil 2/3s up its length.

Nice black trace fossil.

Pastel grey-brown stone.

Some kind of brecciated stone, I think.

I have not yet tried to polish the zoophycos stones as they tend to be softish limestone. But I intend to experiment with them sometime, maybe see what a straight polish tumble will do.

Powerful waves at Ward Beach.

Ward Beach.

Ward Beach stones.

Mouth of the Flaxbourne River, quite narrow at this point, maybe a couple of metres. Rock to left was uplifted by the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake.

A shortened version of this Post first appeared in the Facebook Group “New Zealand Lapidary, Rocks, Minerals, Fossils”. The next Post in this Series is on my visit to Birdlings Flat. A Series Index is here.

Author: tumblestoneblog

Retired Academic, male, living in the New Zealand countryside near Whanganui with his wife as well as Jasper the dog, Fluffy the cat, Dancer and Penny, the horses, and a shed half-full of stones. Email john.tumblestone@gmail.com. View all posts by tumblestoneblog