pictures-of-newzealand.com » Travelogue New Zealand: Karekare Beach

Travelogue New Zealand

Oct 26
Thu

Karekare Beach

The black sand is glistening. The long waves leave cloud mirrors on it when they back away. Above the sand, in the distance, a mixture of mist and a warm flickering in front of the narrow knife-edged ridge. In the other direction, there's a mirage, all shades of blue. Purple in the sky and green in the sand. My eye is caught by the pointed rock in the water, where the waves are leaving little waterfalls with every coming and going.

Karekare Beach · more Karekare Beach pictures

Wideness. On the ground a handful of white shells, wood, a coconut. The sand is so soft it feels like walking on a cushion. Fine and powdery. Where the water has been before the surface has a thin hardened coat, which splits in and frees the soft sand by every step. Walking on this sand is sensuous.

On the way to the beach across the dunes, small birds with yellow heads. Climbing onto the Watchman at the end of the walk and sitting there on warm boards in the sun with a view of the surf. Walking through the little stream, which ends at the bird meadows by the carpark.

Black sand · more Karekare Beach pictures

At the carpark there's a wooden Māori figure set in a circle of stones. I sit here and listen to the birds. Tui and black bird are singing, mixing up familiar and strange sounds. A curious sparrow at my side. The field on the other side of the bridge looks wonderful for playing frisbee, so we do. Some walkers pass by and greet us with a smile, also enjoying the beautiful day. I'd like to walk to the viewpoint from here, but the walk turns out to be steep, wet and slippery. I'm not wearing the right shoes and decide to walk another way instead, which starts behind the field and leads to the beach, passing a gate of Pohutukawas. Another large field with tall, lush plants and some trees. Looks like paradise. There are narrow paths leading up the hills. I choose one of them and the scene changes in an instant – I'm walking through dense native forest now. Ponga, palms, ferns and the scent of damp wood. The paths are muddy and steep again, but better for walking because they are partly covered with wood. Many little birds, unknown to me, and a black beetle with a proboscis and two thorns on his back. The sun gives the ferns a shine.

Fern · more Karekare Beach pictures

Tired from the heat I walk back to the carpark across palm meadows, hot sand dunes and through the cool stream. After a snack and some chilling, Ralph comes with me to walk this gorgeous field beach walk again in the evening. When the sun sets we say goodbye to Karekare Beach, the evening sky's reflecting in the water.

Night falls on Karekare Beach · more Karekare Beach pictures

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Travelogue New Zealand

Karekare Beach