Pancake Rocks. Punakaiki. West Coast. New Zealand.
S 42° 06.910 E 171° 19.770
59G E 527239 N 5337384
The famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes are just a 20 minute loop walk from where you park your vehicle on the main highway at Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island.
Waymark Code: WM48H3
Location: New Zealand
Date Posted: 07/21/2008
Views: 70
The Pancake Rocks that Punakaiki is famous for, are limestone formations that began forming 30 million years ago, when lime-rich fragments of dead marine creatures were deposited on the seabed, then overlaid by weaker layers of soft mud and clay.
The seabed was raised above sealevel by earthquakes to form the coastal cliffs and coastline. The sea, wind and rain have since etched out the soft layers to form the unusual rock formations. This layering of bands of limestone with regularly spaced thin seams of mudstone is responsible for the formation of the Pancake Rocks, and is called stylobedding. The softer mudstone has weathered, leaving the bands between the harder limestone clearly visible.
When conditions are right, heavy ocean swells thunder into the caverns beneath the rocks and huge water spouts blast skywards through the blowholes in a truly spectacular sight.
Waymark is confirmed to be publicly accessible: yes
Access fee (In local currency): .00
Requires a high clearance vehicle to visit.: no
Requires 4x4 vehicle to visit.: no
Website reference: [Web Link]
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
Public Transport available: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
No specific requirements, just have fun visiting the waymark.