Index to “September 2026 Book Launch Trip” Series

For this trip, I drive down to Southland, its main purpose being to formally launch the book that Chrissy and I have just produced, “What’s This Stone? A Photographic Collection of Finds from Gemstone Beach”. This takes place on 10 September at the monthly meeting of the Southland Geological and Lapidary Club. I also (naturally) take the opportunity to visit a few beaches and look for some interesting stones. In this Index, you can click on a link to be taken to the relevant Post. The photos above each link give you an idea of the contents of that Post. For Indexes to other fossicking trips I’ve conducted in the past, see “An Annotated Index of Indexes on TumbleStone Blog”.   

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Part 1 – Five Finds From Ward Beach, Saturday 5 September

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Part 2 – A Productive Kakanui Fossick, Monday 7 September

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Back Beach, Riverton Aparima.

The digger at the back of the Back Beach.

Part 3 – Visiting Riverton Aparima’s Back Beach, Tuesday 8 September

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The crib in the cliff.

Part 4 – Caught in a Storm on Gemstone Beach, Wednesday 9 September

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I fossicked around the corner from the Back Beach. http://www.google.com/maps/@-46.3826061,168.0294395,907m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDkwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Just around the corner from the main Back Beach. Looking south.

Raindow over Foveaux Strait.

Part 5 – Rainbow Over Foveaux Strait, Riverton Aparima, Thursday 10 September

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Cover of “What’s This Stone?”

Page 12 of “What’s This Stone?”

Part 6 – The Book Launch, Thursday Evening 10 September

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Chrissy and two other brave stone hunters.

Could this be a Gemstone Beach sapphire? Photo by Michelle.

Part 7 – Michelle’s Blue Stone, and Cold Wind and Sea Foam at Gemstone Beach, Sunday 13 September   

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Part 8 – Two Hours and Some Gorgeous Finds on Gemstone Beach, Monday 14 September

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Lots of stones on most of the beach.

One of the sandflies actives on the beach today.

Part 9 – Ninety Minutes With the Sandflies on Papatotara Beach, Tuesday 15 September   

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Stones along the edge of the Waimeamea River.

Driftwood packs the dry southern end of the Waimeamea River Lagoon.

Part 10 – A Solitary Fossick on Gemstone Beach, Friday 18 September 

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Looking back over the Taunoa Stream (middle distance) to the beach in front of the car park.

Chrissy and Ohla on the way to the Waimeamea River.

Part 11 – Last Visit to Gemstone Beach, Monday 21 September 

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My destination, the south end of Seadown Beach.

A lot of sand had recently been removed from this area by the sea.

Looking back towards the car park from the rocks.

Part 12 – An Early Morning Visit to Seadown Beach, Kakanui, Wednesday 23 September

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The parking area at the Reserve.

Looking south towards Seadown Beach, three kilometres away.

Part 13 – Thirty Minutes at Kakanui Beach Road Reserve, Wednesday Morning 23 September

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A bit further north, more stones.

Looking back south.

Part 14 – Seven Finds From a High Tide Fossick at Kakanui’s Seadown Beach, Wednesday Afternoon 23 September    

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One of the patches of stones I searched.

Part 15 – Thirty Minutes at Kakanui’s Seadown Beach, Thursday 24 September

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Ward Beach, looking south.

Looking north.

At the waves’ edge.

Part 16 – A Brief Cold Fossick at Ward Beach, Monday 28 September 

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