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Part 6 of 7New Zealand's South Island, 2019

Blowholes, a gorge and driftwood on the West Coast

The blowholes at Punakaiki, the suspension bridge at Hokitika Gorge, driftwood on Hokitika Beach and an evening at Monteith's in Greymouth.

By Thawaio1 min read30 November 2019 · The West Coast

Spray rising from an opening among stacked, layered limestone rocks beside the sea, with a misty coastline beyond.
A blowhole at the Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki, 30 November.

Pancake Rocks and the blowholes

On 30 November, we visited Punakaiki and explored the Pancake Rocks. What I remember best are the blowholes: every so often, seawater shot upwards through openings in the rocks.

Grey limestone stacked in thin horizontal layers, with flax in the foreground and the sea beyond under grey cloud.
The layered rocks.
A narrow, steep-sided chasm in green-topped rock running out to the sea, with a viewing platform along the cliff at the right.
A chasm opening to the sea.

Hokitika Gorge

Later that day, we went to Hokitika Gorge. I particularly remember the suspension bridge and the beautiful scenery.

Looking down over thick forest at a pale blue river winding through the gorge, under a partly cloudy sky.
Hokitika Gorge from above, 30 November.
Looking down from a suspension bridge, past one of its cables, at pale blue water between white rocks and forested banks.
From the suspension bridge.
A wide, pale blue river flowing between large rounded boulders and forested banks.
The river in the gorge.

Hokitika Beach

We then spent some time at Hokitika Beach, where the children played with sticks and driftwood. A yellow Hot Donuts van was parked by the beach.

A sandy beach with bleached driftwood and grey stones in the foreground, and the sea under a bright sky.
Driftwood and stones on the beach.
A small boy in a striped top and jeans dragging a long stick across smooth grey sand, drawing large curving lines, with waves breaking behind him.
Playing with a stick on Hokitika Beach.
A yellow caravan with a sign reading “Hot Donuts” and “Fresh & Hot”, parked on sandy ground beside the beach, with a rock wall and the sea behind.
The Hot Donuts van.
Two branches of driftwood lying on smooth grey sand, with footprints and the sea behind.
Driftwood in the sand.

An evening at Monteith’s

In the evening, the adults went out without the children. We went to Monteith’s Brewery in Greymouth, where we did some beer tasting, including a tasting paddle, and had dinner.

A high timber ceiling with hanging lamps above a bar, with a lit sign reading “Beer & Eat” and a green neon sign at the right.
Inside Monteith's in Greymouth.