Sunday, August 21, 2011

Himatangi Beach

Today it was hard to believe that snow had been such a dramatic sight for us earlier in the week in Palmerston North. It was glorious and I decided to head off down to Himatangi Beach for a walk. You could see the higher parts of the Tararua Ranges from there, and could see that snow still lingered quite thickly on the higher peaks.

 Himatangi Beach is one that I think we Kiwis tend to underestimate as a trifle 'boring', but I have grown to love it: such a long uninterrupted stretch of sand to walk along next to the waves. So many ways the waves can come into shore- and so much they can bring with them. Today I bring you a few photos of some of the shoreline gifts left by the waves.

 Small bits of driftwood were being moved around at the edge of waves today. And each time the gentle front end of the waves rolled in, the various bits of wood were jumbled together in different ways.


And though most of the shells at this beach are of one kind- boring to us, but apparently 'endemic' and special to this region- there were other shells tossed on the sand to amuse my eyes. 

 I walked quite far, as did others. But when it came time to go, I couldn't quite leave the place, and sat on some driftwood, watching others wander by. Near me a small boy was playing with his parents. He was so happy just being at the beach. He rolled his little body along the flat sand for a good ten metres, then he stood up and ran to his mother, then ran back to his father, then climbed a 'mountain' of sand and driftwood, an Everest explorer in the making. The beach was today a place of calmness and relaxation, and sheer fun for all-comers.


11 comments:

  1. Loved these pictures! You certainly have an eye for subject and composition.

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  2. Thanks Lynne. It was a lovely peaceful walk in the sunshine.

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  3. wowww!!!! gorgeous presents from the waves, lucky you!. Thanks for sharing

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  4. A-B-C it was a particularly gorgeous walk, a calm sunny day, and little bits of storm debris on the edges of the waves...

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  5. What a week of gifts offered to you. The pictures are LOVEly. I hope you don't mind that I copied your scallop shell. ;)

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  6. You are more than welcome to the scallop shell Lilian. I could e-mail you a better resolution copy if you would like one....

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  7. nice great shot of the nature.himatangi beach is a must list for me to travel there! really beautiful place to stop by with to enjoy the sensual nature. :)

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  8. Poor thing wasn't too keen on me eyeing it up Simon!

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  9. I agree with you - I've spent many happy hours at "the Tang", both in and out of the water, and it is a lovely place. It may not be a picture postcard tropical beach but it has its own charm, as your photos show.

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  10. Hi Anne-Marie, Yes, I have taken a friend from Germany there who was blown away by the extensive amount of sandy beach along such a length of coast, and so few people there. But we complain too much about the sand colour sometimes!

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