New Zealand’s inner workings are all on show.
In fact a geologist of my acquaintance once told me that all you needed to learn about the country’s geology, you could see from the windows of a bus. Of course, he was Australian, and over there, he said, you had to dig deep holes to find out how the place was structured.
A brief gap in the weather yesterday allowed Mary and I to drive out around the Southern end of the Miramar peninsula where the country’s rugged bones were visible. The South Coast of the North Island is wild and beautiful, but very cruel. You just need to look at the edges of those rock strata in the first image to know that you would not want to be anywhere near there in a big storm.
Imagine these teeth with waves crashing over them
At one level, with the sea relatively calm, some sunshine and blue sky, it is easy to be enchanted by the colour and form of the rocks.
A brief blue sky interlude in an otherwise grey day
When the sea starts to heave, however, and throw itself against the shore, it is easy to sea why mariners treat this coast with the utmost respect.
I had to move quickly to avoid wet feet
As I watched, the waves were slowly becoming more forceful, and every so often they would burst over the interesting rock in my last image. Do you think we are being watched? Heavy waves would arrive on the back of this rock with an audible thump, but the rock was unmoved as it has probably been through many storms over hundreds of years.
Are we being watched?
The weather event is getting closer.
* … the ragged rascal ran (old tongue-twister often used to teach the pronunciation of the letter “r”
The weather was fascinating yesterday, almost a bit of everything.
Gosh you really can see a face in that last image! Love it!