Yesterday (Friday 1 July) was too cold and wet to visit a beach. Today was much better. After dropping off my wife at the Invercargill airport, I drove back to Riverton Aparima and then out to Gemstone Beach, arriving at 10.50am (about three and a half hours before high tide). Although the temperature was only nine degrees, it was sunny and there was no wind, so I needed only a light coat, scarf and cap. I walked down to the Waimeamea River mouth, the first half of the walk being in the shadow of the higher cliffs, the second being in sunlight as the cliffs lowered and sometimes faded out. Yesterday’s rain had swollen the river and it was far too swift and deep to ford. I ended up spending two hours fossicking and the temperature had risen to 12 degrees by the time I left.
Two of today’s stones are stunners, found about two-thirds of the way back to the carpark. The first is probably an orbicular jasper. I have previously found small orbicular jaspers at Gemstone Beach, though they have tended to be slightly redder, not so “rusty” in colour (see this Post). The second is an amygdaloidal stone, a volcanic stones whose vesicles (small holes left by gas) have been infilled by a mineral – it too is bigger than others I have previously found here, and the amygdales are less regular in shape (see this Post):
Eight other stones I found today:
A shorter version of this Post first appeared in the Facebook Group “New Zealand Lapidary, Rocks, Minerals, Fossils”. My fifth day to visit Gemstone Beach is featured in the next Post. The first Post in this Series is here.
Some lovely stones there. One day I hope to get to Gemstone beach.