Sunday, 2 November 2025
This morning we drove to the Boulder Bank Scenic Reserve at Glenduan Beach. The Boulder Bank is an internationally significant coastal landform created by a combination of sea currents and rocks from MacKay Bluff in a process known as long shore drift. Despite its robust appearance (i.e. rocky!) it has a delicately balanced ecology supporting rare plants and animals.
This is the landward end of the formation and the source of the rocks, these are then carried south by the sea and deposited first along the coast (where we were this morning) and then in an increasingly narrow ridge of rock the further south you go. We were overlooking the other end of this 13.5 kilometre spit when we were at Paddy’s Nob a couple of days ago. At that other end an artificial channel known as The Cut was blasted and dredged through the Boulder Bank in 1906 to create a a safe harbour at Port Nelson protected naturally by rocks deposited by the currents just off shore.
If nature could have her way she would close The Cut back up again. To prevent this from happening and allow shipping to have access to Port Nelson, The Cut is dredged regularly to clear boulders that continue to be carried southwards by tidal currents. Formation of The Cut isolated the southern tip of the Boulder Bank and it is now known as Haulashore Island.
The beach is far too rocky and uneven to walk along (unless you like a challenge … or a sprained ankle?) but there is a path just behind the beach that runs for about a kilometre. The path has several memorial seats that invite you to rest for a moment and enjoy the views. One known as Megan’s Bench had a collection of heart-shaped rocks placed underneath it, so we kept our eyes open for suitably shaped rocks to add to the memorial. I’m not one for cairn building but we did find two heart-shaped rocks to add beneath the seat as we walked back to the car park.
From Glenduan Beach we drove back towards Nelson where we parked at the Tahunanui Recreation Reserve. We walked out to the beach from the car park near the café, then south along the beach at low tide on lovely, firmly packed sand. Much easier to walk on than the boulders at Glenduan Beach! I made sure that we all walked far enough (and quickly enough) to register 30 minutes of exercise. Our amble at Glenduan Beach had resulted in only one minute of exercise being recognized by my Apple Watch.
After a quick stop at the new Chemist Warehouse at Nelson Junction, we headed back to the house for lunch. Robin spent some time tinkering with his boat preparing it to head out fishing with his brother tomorrow. A keen (very keen) fisherman, Robin has been kept from taking his boat out by the appalling weather, but the forecast is excellent for tomorrow. That makes it a good day for our drive ‘through the middle’ to Hamner Springs too.
The Gaffneys enjoyed better luck this afternoon playing games, but not THE game. We started with some Rummikub, with me the winner of two games, followed by Sandra add Robin on one game each and poor Bernie without a score. Next up we had another go at Sequence, making it Australia vs New Zealand this afternoon, rather than ladies vs the men. The students have become the masters at this game with Bernie and I managing to win both games. We finished up with a game of Quiddler, which Bernie won by just four points over me, with Sandra and Robin filling third and fourth positions.
Even though Robin is not going fishing until tomorrow, we were treated to some delicious fish from the freezer for dinner tonight. We had a mixture of snapper and gurnard with chips and salad for our final meal with Robin and Sandra for this visit.
This evening I was outvoted on playing THE game. I thought with the tournament decided that we should play something else, but everyone else thought it would be fun to play Bolivia with nothing riding on the outcome. I think Bernie saw it as a chance to possibly redeem ourselves with a win?? Yet again, we started well, only to have Robin and Sandra come from behind to beat us AGAIN. Although this win isn’t being officially counted, it took the tally to 10-4 in New Zealand’s favour. Groan!
It’s not that I mind losing BUT it would have been nice to be a bit more competitive. It’s the largest winning margin since the The Ashes went Trans Tasman in 2015 … possibly ever?!! The annual trophy was instituted in 2013 and was won in its inaugural year by Robin and Sandra. It passed to us in 2014 and we had a draw in 2015. The Ashes have now been won four times by NZ to Australia’s three. Ah well, all we can do is hope for better luck next time.
With Robin planning an early morning tomorrow to head out with his boat, we just managed to fit in a final game of Jo before he had an early-ish night. The luck has been all NZ’s way for that game too or, more specifically, all Sandra’s way with her taking her tally to four games (Robin-2, Tracey-1 and Bernie-0)
We’ve had a great time with Robin and Sandra. It has been nice to be able to play Jo (even with no Jo mojo) because no-one will play that with us at home. They are very hospitable hosts, opening their home to us, taking us sightseeing and feeding us very well. As always, we look forward to spending time with them again when the opportunity arises.
Steps: 10,512 (6.52kms)
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