Early 2024 Fossicking Trip – Part 10, Bigger Waves on Te Waewae Bay Beach, Sunday 25 February

I usually fossick at Gemstone Beach, and its extension along Te Waewae Bay, while the tide is going out. This minimises the chances of being caught by a wave and getting wet gumboots However, sometimes the timing of things means I fossick while the tide is coming in, as I did today. The waves were more energetic and moving faster and further up the beach than the previous few days, so I did get wet gumboots, despite being vigilant and trying hard to avoid it.

The weather was cool, windy and sometimes rainy this morning. I walked all the way to the mouth of the Waimeamea River in order to check out the drained lagoon I had noticed two days ago. It turns out that it was only half of the lagoon that was dry, and I noticed some “seepages” – areas where water from the lagoon was flowing beneath and through the barrier of stones to the sea. Maybe a little more water has been flowing through the seepages than has been coming down the river. I spotted a couple of pied shags (kāruhiruhi) on the bank of the lagoon there. On the way back, I was surprised to see the previously dry part of the lagoon seemed to be partially filled up again – half an hour made a big difference. Maybe the waves of the incoming tide were bringing some water in.

The lagoon at 10.11am, on my way west. Looking the same as two days ago.

The lagoon at 11.20am, on my way back. Not entirely sure where all the water came from – at least some of it could have come from the incoming tide.

A “seepage” – water flowing from the lagoon through the stones to the sea.

The two pied shags on the edge of the part of the lagoon that had water in it.

The waves were coming higher up the beach than the previous few days. This fellow fossicker and I were making sure we got back to the carpark before we were pushed up against the cliffs.

I had brief chats on the beach with two fossickers today, both times near the carpark. One was from Te Aroha in the Waikato, the other from Cromwell in Central Otago.

Two of my best finds today, both gorgeous – a small quartzite(?) and a small poppy jasper:

Small brecciated quartzite, I think.

Small poppy jasper.

Three green stones from my finds:

A range of nice green hues in this one.

Epidote in quartz?

Argillite, a kind of “turtle-back” pattern.

The best from the rest:

Interesting hydrogrossular garnet – transparent on left, opaque to right.

Maybe a quartzite?

Maybe a mudstone/argillite?

Part 11 in this Series is here. The 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