Pictured are Kaleb Poulton, Richard Meek and Mary Trayes on Rapahoe Beach.

Margaret Atwood wrote “Water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing, in the end, can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone.”

Our Year 12 & 13 geography students discovered this on Thursday, July 7th while on their coastal geography field trip to beaches on the West Coast. Students were kindly supported in their learning by Mary Trayes, who has extensive experience on coastal erosion having worked for the regional council for 10 years. We spent time initially at Rapahoe Beach in the world famous katabatic wind known locally as the ‘Barber’, which was challenging in shorts (why do boys like wearing shorts so much?). Here we looked at the longshore drift north, collapses and erosion on the Point Elizabeth cliffs, stacks (rock formations in the ocean) and the type of rocks that can be found on the beach. From here we journeyed to Barrytown to view the erosion of the dunes which form part of the farmland and then further north to the beach at the end of McMillan Road, Punakaiki. To finish our trip we viewed the ‘Great Wall of Punakaiki’ where the sea does not like to be restrained! Extensive work has been done to protect State Highway 6 at Punakaiki following the destruction to the road caused by Cyclone Fehi and continual wave action.

Our thanks goes to Mary Trayes for being willing to share her knowledge and time and for the students who attended the trip and demonstrated our ARCH values admirably.

Mr Bernard Adams

Geography Teacher