Walking to Collingwood!

 I had read somewhere that it is a 40 minute walk along the

beach from Milnthorpe to Collingwood... So off I went...

 Through the reserve wallk-way that started near where I was parked

 There is art hidden away amongst the trees. Golden

Bay is a favourite place for artists of all sorts and

Milnethorpe Reserve is very popular with carvers...

 These big trees with flaky bark on the trunks

 And high foliage... I think they are Kahikatea (White Pine) or

Miro (Brown Pine)...

 At the end of this part of the walkway are steps and this concrete

bridge with big pipes through it to let the tide in and out...

Of this corner of the inlet.

 Looking back to my bus across the outgoing tide...

 Following the channel as it empties out to the sea is this bank of

stones. Talking to a local man who was walking his dog, he told me

they were exposed in a huge storm nine months ago...

Before that it was a sandy bank...

 Some more of the locals, and there's not many people living in

this little place, had made a path for access to the beach...

 Looking north towards Collingwood... 40 minutes!... 

Mmmm... Looks a long way.

 A deserted beach... Beautiful stands of gum trees...

 Then suddenly, although it was very hot, it looked like rain

approaching... But it didn't come my way.

 I can't see Collingwood yet! I met a couple who had been this

way before... 40 minutes?... Oh no... 90 minutes each way!

So I changed my mind... Sometimes I'm very glad 

my mind is changeable! and had a little snooze in the hot sand

before heading back the way I had come.

 The tide had continued to go  out leaving vast amounts of sand...

 The sea just visible on the horizon.

And back the way I had come, over the stones, over the bridge,

through the bush walk and back to my bus.

I felt I had been on quite an expedition,

I think I'll drive next time...

Milnthorpe Bush Reserve...

 
 Milnthorpe is a few kilometers south of Collingwood. The road into

it is quite an unnoticable gravel road signposted to the bush reserve.

I was here many years ago so knew about the old wharf and had been

told there was a space to park.

 
I investigated and found this little road which I carefully backed along
into a corner, leaving enough room for other cars but no more room for
over nighting - so I had the place to myself.

 It was a delightful spot...

 The sea on both sides...

 

 Just enough room to open my door and not fall in,

 Milnthorpe is on the edge of the Parapara Inlet, don't know how

big an area it covers but it's a reasonable size.. On the map you
will see Nelson street, the wharf is at the bottom of that on the
little bit that juts out into the inlet... At low tide the huge amount of
water all runs out and leaves a deep channel...

Behind me... The old wharf. It's now derelect, owned by the

crown and under the administration of DoC.

It's a favourite fishing spot but nothing was being caught

while I was there... I did have a fish but just caught seaweed.

The tide right out, the open sea in the far distance.

At this spot there is a five meter height difference between low
and high tides... So a lot of water movement.

Twice a day a massive amount of water rushes in and out

creating very strong currents.

The inlet filling up...

And full up...

On the other side of me the water came right up to the

side of the road...

And covered every available bit of land...

It was fascinating to watch.

In the still evenings the most beautiful gentle sunset...

And in the morning... A most beautiful Kotuku or

White Heron... Not too far from it's only nesting place

in New Zealand - Okarito on the West Coast of the South Island... 

It was sitting on top of  a pile on the old wharf...

More Rocks... An Amazing Geological Wonderland...

 One of the biggest attractions in Golden Bay would have to be

all the amazing rock structures. This place is another

great place to explore on a hot day... It's well signposted on the

road from Takaka to Pohara... There is parking and entry

is free although donations to 'Friends of Labyrinth Rocks'

are gratefully received as is volunteer help to keep this place going.

 This is the map inside the free brochure available at the entrance.

As you can see there are two parts that are like a maze

and as I walked along the 3km of paths I really felt I could get lost,
but eventually they all come back to the main path.

The Labyrinth is a  two hectares (five acres) wonderland

of limestone rock formations and regenerating

native bush. Limestone is a sedimentary rock made

by the accumulation and consolidation of the remains of shells

plankton and other organisms that lived in the sea and

on the sea floor. The limestone in the Labyrinth

originated in the Oligocene geological era some

30 million years ago. About 25 million years ago

earthquakes and ruptures lifted this land out of the

sea and exposed it to the effects of weather and erosion.

The tremendous tectonic forces that caused this upheaval produced 

a series of cracks through the rock. This allowed rain,

 always slightly acidic, to percolate through and slowly dissolve

 the limestone (alkaline calcium carbonate). 

After millions of years the small cracks widened to become 

the 'canyons' that now form the Labyrinth.

Rain falling on bare rock surfaces continues the same

dissolving process and has produced these

incredible natural sculptures.

Water entering the vertical cracks escapes by finding its way through

horizontal weaknesses in the rock strata and in a similar fashion

produces undercuts, tunnels and caves. The maze area is a

spectacular example of this...

Silt from a nearby flooding river have filled the

deep canyons and made the paths to walk on

around this amazing natural phenomenon

which has taken millions of years to create.

It is  fascinating and awesome to explore... I highly recommend...

My Early Morning Drink...

Juice 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon cider vinegar (with the mother in it)

1 big teaspoon manuka honey

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

few grains cayenne pepper

small spring rosemary

Put all in a cup fill with hot or warm water...

Sit in a peaceful place and drink...

This has become  my daily early morning liver cleansing

drink... Sitting outside in the sun when it's fine or

in bed or by the fire when it's cold... Before I start my day.

Some friends came to visit... I couldn't get over the change

in John. He had lost a lot of weight, was more energetic,

more positive and had cured himself of diabetes and his

heart condition was improving... So not all bad eh!

He also cut out... Red meat but ate lamb, chicken or fish.

No sugar  or substitutes. He used a little honey or stevia.

No MSG

NO white flour, pasta, rice - nothing white.

No processed foods, food in cans.

Don't peel fruit or veges.

Use organic produce if you can

No fruit or vegetable juices.

The web site is - www. Dr Blaylock report.com

You have to subscribe so I haven't...

The above is enough for me to start on

John did this for 19 days = no diabetes any more.

A Crack In The Rocks...

 I'm still parked on the grass at Tarakohe coming and

going to do things and explore places. I've moved

to park at the back of the grass area further away from

the gravel road in and the cars and boats that come

and go and create so much dust in this dry

weather we are continuing to enjoy.

Right outside my windows on one side is this

amazing crack in the rocks. It's like the rocks

have just split and separated... Nothing seems to hold 

them apart...

 Except one small rock wedged between them...

towards the top of this photo...

Down the bottom is a deep hole...

Every time I look out I expect to see

a pre-historic fire breathing dragon appear...

Sort of scary... My silly imagination...

But one might!