How were the Pancake Rocks in New Zealand formed?
The foundations of the Pancake Rocks were formed 30 million years ago when minute fragments of dead marine creatures and plants landed on the seabed about 2 km below the surface. Immense water pressure caused them to solidify into layers of more resistant limestone and softer, thin, mud-rich layers.
Why is it called Pancake Rocks?
Thousands of years of rain, wind and sea spray have etched the softer siltstone into nearly-horizontal grooves, and rounded the edges of the limestone layers, which together look like giant layers of pancakes.
What type of rock are the Pancake Rocks?
limestone
The Pancake Rocks are a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts through a number of vertical blowholes during high tides, creating a kind of geyser effect.
What is Punakaiki known for?
Punakaiki is best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. It is also the centre for Paparoa National Park, which features 30,000 hectares of varied landscape from mountain tops, rainforest and rugged beaches at sea level.
Why are Pancake Rocks special?
The Pancake Rocks are most spectacular in the Putai area. They were formed 30 million years ago from minute fragments of dead marine creatures and plants landed on the seabed about 2 km below the surface. Immense water pressure caused the fragments to solidify in hard and soft layers.
Is it worth staying in Hokitika?
The Hokitika Gorge is one of those places. The vivid turquoise water surrounded by lush native bush looks too good to be true but trust us, it is well worth a visit. The easy West Coast Wilderness Trail and more challenging Blue Spur single tracks near town mean Hokitika is a great place to bring your bike.
What does Punakaiki mean in Maori?
Punakaiki, is named from the Maori words ‘puna’ for a spring (blowholes) and ‘Kaika’ meaning ‘to be in a heap’ (pancake rocks).
What does Punakaiki mean in English?
Tama Mokau Te Rangihaeata stated that Punakaiki was a Ngäi Tahu word which describes the neck and throat of a human being. Another interpretation is that Puna is “a spring” and Kaike or Kaika means “lie in a heap.”
What does punakaiki mean in Maori?
What is Hokitika known for?
Founded as a gold mining town back in the gold-rush days, Hokitika is famous for its pounamu (greenstone), whitebait, it’s mining history, and it’s sparsely populated wild scenery.
What is the population of Hokitika?
2,910
Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand’s South Island, 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town’s estimated population is 2,910 as of June 2021.
What is Stylobedding?
Pancake Rocks has irregular chasms and ridges, typical of limestone country. The layers of resistant bands of limestone are separated by softer, thin, mud-rich layers. This type of layering, found in limestones worldwide, is called stylobedding.