Punakaiki & The Pancake Rocks

This post catches you up on our adventures between Christchurch and tramping the Tongariro volcanoes…

On Thursday, it was raining in Christchurch and that was ok by us! We were able to spend a lazy, rainy day, recuperating from the 2-day Banks Peninsula hike and planning our next moves. We did some laundry and hung out at Geoff and Shelly’s during the day. In the evening, we took them to dinner at a great local Thai place (a small token in attempt to reciprocate for all they’d done for us). We chatted some more about life, dreams and ideas. No conclusions made yet, but it is helpful hear the stories of other brave souls who confirm that the decision to make the leap is the hard part!

On Friday, we took another recommendation from Geoff and Shelly and started to make our way to the west coast of the South Island. Shelly drove us to the train station and we boarded the TransAlpine for Greymouth. The train is a four hour scenic ride through the quiet New Zealand countryside, across farms, fields and then through the valleys of the Southern Alps.

We sat back in awe at the green hills and mountains passing by. But, even more interesting than the scenery were the tiny towns we passed on the route and the history they held. The conductor retold the story of the gold rush that sent New Zealanders literally running for the hills. They traveled on horseback and by covered wagon to the 'wild west', settling the land and setting up shop, all in search of a better life. When the gold was gone, so were the settlers. They left little behind in these shanty towns. If not for a couple ancient hotels and saloons scattered in deserted valleys, you would never know they existed. Hmmm... sound familiar???

TransAlpine Train from Christchurch to Greymouth

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Two of Geoff’s fantastic cycle guiding staff, Ayuka & Alison, were kind enough to let us hitch a ride on the guest bus from Greymouth  to Punakaiki. After a scenic drive up the bluffs of the west coast, we arrived at the Te Nikau Retreat. (This accomodation was another great find, recommended to us by a local Couchsurfer as well as Geoff and Shelley.) Te Nikau consisted of several huts, cabins and cottages, set off the main road in a secluded bush reserve. The accommodations were built from local wood from floors to rafters and the décor suited the natural, woodsy vibe of Punakaiki. The first night, we stayed in a cabin with 1 single room, 2 doubles, and 6-bed room that was also equipped with a full kitchen, 2 baths, a living room and a terrace. To reach the other cabins, you had to walk through the woods on a path lit by small solar lights.

www.tenikauretreat.co.nz

Te Nikau Retreat

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The Pancake Rocks are the main attraction in Punakaiki. (In fact, the ‘town’ is a few simple buildings situated near the entrance to The Rocks that house 2 cafes, an information centre, a gift shop and a tavern.) A short walk from the main road toward leads to a maze of cliffs and pillars jutting out of the sea. However, a closer look reveals that these pillars are unique because they are created by hundreds of layers of sediment, each only 3-4 inches thick, resembling a stack of pancakes reaching high out of the ocean. Watching the surf pound against these massive structures, it was easy to imagine how they had been eroded and shaped, how the perpetual force of the waves had created the bridges, caves and blow holes below. To this day, scientists have not been able to determine how the thin layers of rock were formed.

www.punakaiki.co.nz

Pancake Rocks

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While in Punakaiki, Josh and I took a leisurely stroll down the Pororari River Track in Paparoa National Park. It was a beautiful trek through the bush and we saw tons of the native Nikau Palm trees that the area is known for (the namesake of Te Nikau Retreat). When the fronds of the Nikau Palm fall from the tree, they turn into dry, hollow cones with spiky tips and resemble the helmets of giant Roman warriors.  We also visited of Punakaiki Cavern, a pitch black crevasse where the ceilings and walls are embedded with thousands of ancient fossils.

Pororari River Track

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A 10-minute walk from Te Nikau Retreat through dense jungle led us to the beach. Half way there, we could already hear the steady rush of the waves crashing against the shore and we arrived on the bluff just as the sun was beginning to set over the ocean. 

On the beach, Josh came across a dead squid and we were continually swarmed by sand flies – more proof of NZ wildlife. There is a Maori legend that tells the story of a goddess plaguing the west coast of the South Island with these tiny, biting bugs so that travelers would only stay long enough to witness the breathtaking beauty, then move on. It worked for us and we were back up to the cabin by the time the sun had set!

Beach at Te Nikau Retreat

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