This was taken on a cold, drizzly summer afternoon. The light was lacklustre and the tides were not conducive to facilitate any Blowhole activities. Looking beyond the horizon is Tasman Sea.
The Pancake Rocks are a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts through several vertical blowholes during high tides. Together with the 'pancake'-layering of the limestone (created by immense pressure on alternating hard and soft layers of marine creatures and plant sediments), these form the main attraction of the area. The base of the limestone was laid down and formed between 25 million and 35 million years ago.
Stylobedding is the name given to the process which formed the pancake layering. The current theory on how this happens is that following the limestone being buried up to kilometre below the seabed, it comes under pressure dissolution and the thinner layers of mud between the limestone are dissolved more quickly than the limestone, when exposed. This leaves the effect of the Pancake Rock layers.
Punakaiki is a small community on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, between Westport and Greymouth. The community lies on the edge of the Paparoa National Park. The Pancake Rocks are a very popular tourist destination at Dolomite Point south of the main village.
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