14 January - Blowholes and Pancake Rocks in Punakaiki (Paparoa National PARK)

Land and seascapes just keep getting more amazing. This morning we headed north for high tide at the Pancake Rocks, giant formations of layered sandstone and limestone in the Tasman Sea. Water has formed huge caverns and blowholes in the rock, and at high tide, the water flies over the rocks and is forced up the vertical tunnels to spout out the blowholes.

Isn't it amazing how one of the softest of substances can be so strong, wearing stone down hundreds of feet to form cliffs and canyons? The sound was like fireworks being let off, like thunder.

Though the skies were misty and grey, the roadside wildflowers were brilliant colours of orange and violet, yellow and white. The vegetation is more jungle-like than I have ever seen in Africa. The coastal route is considered one of the most scenic in the world, and the hairpin turns are really something! But given the drizzle, the mountains were shrouded in mist, so we came back to our motel to do some laundry. Of course, then the clouds dissipated. The weather is so unpredictable.

Pancake rock formations and the Tasman Sea.

Note the water coming out of the blow hole.

Not sure what kind of birds these are, sitting on a pancake rock cliff.

Water surging into a gorge.