Black Sand Beaches

That same weekend we visited Rotorua, we were invited to take a trip to Miruwai Beach by Denise's co-worker. All of the beaches on the west coast have black volcanic sands. The beach itself is about 40 miles long, and is actually considered a roadway for 4X4s. Not sure that the Shuttle aka 'Red Rocket' would be able to make on the sand too well, but it has crossed my mind to give it a go.

Muriwai Beach

There is a great lookout point overlooking the beach. It also looks upon a nest spot for some type of sea fairing bird. I can't remember what the name of the bird was. It's winter time here, so the nest were barren, and there were no birds to be found. However, there were beautiful views of the western coastline.

Earlier in the week, while Denise was at work making the big bucks, I went on a hike through the Waitakere Ranges. It also lies on the west coast about an hour west of Auckland. The trail was a bit messy, but it was good to get out in the wilderness. I was able to make it down onto Whatipu Beach because of low tide at that time. I was the only soul out there, and I was truly humbled by the beauty of the landscape.

By the way, if you are having trouble pronouncing the names of these place, I will assure you that you are not the only one. Most of the parks, reserve, and street names for that matter come from Moari words, and both Denise and I have a hard time pronouncing and emphasizing the correct vowel sounds. Anyway, here are some more pics to keep you interested.