Southern Sojourn 2023(14): Fine Weather Fossicking, Gemstone Beach, Monday 13 February

Post 14 https://tumblestoneblog.wordpress.com/2023/02/15/southern-sojourn-fine-weather-fossicking-gemstone-beach-monday-13-february/

Post 15 https://tumblestoneblog.wordpress.com/2023/02/15/southern-sojourn-amazing-beautiful-gemstones-gemstone-beach-tuesday-14-february/

Post 16 https://tumblestoneblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/08/southern-sojourn-a-productive-fossick-gemstone-beach-thursday-16-february/

Post 17 https://tumblestoneblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/09/southern-sojourn-wet-gumboots-and-light-reflections-gemstone-beach-friday-17-february/

Post 18 https://tumblestoneblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/southern-sojourn-the-tattooed-rock-the-trace-fossils-revisiting-gemstone-beachs-trace-fossil-stones-february-2023/

The south of the South Island is sunny and calm today, in contrast to the North Island which is being battered badly by Cyclone Gabrielle. So I was able to spend a comfortable two hours on Gemstone Beach this morning. I like to fossick just west of the Waimeamea River and its flow across the beach had lowered today so fording it wasn’t a problem. However, there was more sand on the beach, with not as many stones showing as previously. I collected fewer stones as a result.

More sand, less exposed stones, on the beach this morning.

How many stones are buried in the sand can be seen here.

Waimeamea River mouth, a lower flow than past few days.

This morning’s finds.

Gemstone Beach carpark just before noon.

Cyclone Gabrielle. The south of the South Island is largely unaffected. Source: https://earth.nullschool.net

There were four stones that particularly stood out amongst my finds today. The first is a tiny jasper.

Very small jasper.

The second is a small hematite jasper.

Small hematite jasper.

Third is a light-coloured quartzite (probably) with quartz veins. The photos don’t do it justice.

Finally, a trace fossil stone that I couldn’t resist. It contains a number of well-formed traces.

The first Post in the “Southern Sojourn 2023” Series is here. The next Post features nine beautiful gems from my next Gemstone Beach fossick. The Index to the whole Series 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