Winter beachcombing

Winter school holidays aren't generally the time for sunshine and warm temperatures. The many visitors to Stewart Island over the last fortnight experienced all four seasons in fewer days; Monday began with a huge frost followed by blue skies and warm sunshine; Tuesday brought an even bigger frost but heavy cloud all day made for bleak conditions and extra layers of thermals. I stoked the fire up when I got home from work but overnight the wind changed bringing warm temperatures and an over-heated house - the day was balmy, calm and more like summer with both shop doors open and ice-cream stocks running low.

Sunrise on Tuesday morning

...with probably the biggest frost since I moved here

With lovely weather and four-day weekends it's been fun to grab my camera and slow-walk along the beach and bush tracks. Come and join me!

First up was beachcombing on Halfmoon Bay at low tide. At first glance the beach is relatively bare - white sand with a retaining wall of rocks at the far end. Look closer though and there's a whole new world to explore...

Halfmoon Bay at low tide looking west

Peeking underneath the boat sheds - the red seaweed is great for the garden 

North east view of Halfmoon Bay

This juvenile black-backed gull is heading off to do some shopping!

Seaweeds wash up on the beach when the easterly is blowing - there are so many different types.

A knotted mass at the end of the frond - ? the holdfast

This red seaweed is pale green on some fronds - not sure if this is
the new growth or from bleaching

Looking like rimu fronds - I think this is Caulerpa brownie

This one's easier to identify - sea lettuce, one of the 10 Ulva species found here

Maybe Marginariella boryana

A baby Gummy weed, Splachnidium rugosum

Some other things caught my eye; firstly some rocks...

Was this an anchor stone with a large groove cut in?

Seams of ?quartz sandwiched in the grey rock

Tic-tac-toe for the fish??

Beautiful sand patterns with white and black sand

and these beauties

Big oysters around here!

A large paua shell on the beach

A biscuit star, Asterodon spp

Close-up of biscuit star - isn't it gorgeous!

What a great way to spend an hour or two in the winter sunshine; next on the list is slow walking in the bush - see the next blog.