Archive for January, 2020

The area is very interesting because there are neat formations created by the sand dunes, they have probably been formed over 100’s of years and as the sand shifts it reveals more, we saw so many cool things! I will add some pictures.

Another interesting thing about the dunes is the evidence of ancient humans, there are many places where you can see where Maori tribes have traveled to the beach to collect and eat tuatua and other shellfish. The shells from such trips are pilled up in the dunes, it keeps the sand still and they eventually look like mounds of shells, but there is just sand underneath.

I found a chip of obsidian, this is important because the Maori people used obsidian for tools, it has sharp edges (it’s volcanic glass) and is good for cutting. When I got home I did some investigating and the piece I found probably was traded for by Maori from Mayor Island in the Bay of Plenty. That is a well traveled chip of obsidian.