Pancake Rocks and Limestone Arches

The limestone arches in the Oparara Valley are an unbelievable site of Mother Nature’s. They are just a bit further up from Karamea, down an hours track through the bush.

They are 200 metres long, and 37 metres high. The ‘sandwich’ has an underlying layer of Granite and an overlaying layer of mudstone, formed around 30 million years ago, beneath the sea! The limestone was created by millions of tiny skeletons and shells of marine animals crushing and compacting.

On the walk up to them we passed what looked like your own private beach, totally secluded. Shame the water was so cold!

Then on the way back down we passed this little fella, yet to tell you what bird he is!

The Pancake rocks of Punakaiki we saw on our way from Westport through to Greymouth. These look like stacks of American pancakes, they’re just missing the bacon and maple syrup! They are still a mystery, although they know they are limestone they cannot fathom how they became to be in layers.

The pressure forming under the rocks with he waves constantly crashing, create blow holes. They weren't massive today, but this video gives you an idea!

Berkeley was misbehaving today, trying to climb the trees!