Birdlings Flat... Gathering Coloured Stones...

I have been in Christchurch for ten days. 

We have done lots of things and been

lots of places. One place was Birdlings Flat

 on the Kaitorete Spit on Banks Peninsula...

 On the way to Akaroa.

 It's a wild desolate place... Why did I want to go there?

To gather these beautiful coloured stones.

There is now a gemstone museum...

 

 The road into Birdlings Flat beach and residential area.

Even the road in looks desolate...

 

 It's a wild stony beach on the East Coast of the South Island.

This is the beginning of Lake Forsyth...

 It's fed both from a channel at the far end of the beach 

which is dredged out from time to time and also the

water seeps under all the stones.

 Stones... Stones...

 

  And more stones as far as you can see.

The waves are wild and strong. They crash onto the stones...

 
And suck out again...

Get caught in them and you would be history.

Many dogs have drowned here chasing sticks.

Over time the sea has made high banks of stones.

Walking up them is a mission... One step up...

Two down again... But there are millions

of coloured stones to be found.

These are the few I picked up... To take home to my bus!

 This is some of the residential area.

People live here for the fishing...

I'm told it's good surf casting... Kahawai to be caught...
I'll come back in my bus and find out how they do it
in such rough surf.

 

It was bitterly cold... The wind was piercing and

lovely as it was to visit and re-live some old memories

of going there over the years...

I was pleased to get back into the car and turn up the heater!