Walk 4 - Muriwai Gannet Colony

Not a long post today as this walk is quite a small one - about 45mins return if you don't stop to photograph baby Gannets.

Muriwai beach is about 40mins North of Auckland and famous for it's black sandy beach. We used to live there so I'm very familiar with the area and it's resident Gannets. The walk today was from the upper carpark where, if you go on a sunny Sunday morning when the waves are good, you will do battle with the surfers for a car park. In the first photo you can see the number of surfers that had already made a start.

 

 
It's an easy hike to the first viewing platform where you can look down and out over the lower beach and make your way to the first platform over the Gannet Colony where at this time of year babies can be spotted (insert excited squeal here).

 

 

 

 

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 There are three main areas where the birds have settled. High above the sea which they dive down into for their food. If you linger at the lookouts, the smell of fish becomes quite overwhelming.

 

The turnaround point for the walk was Flat Rock which lies at the bottom of the cliff and despite the danger of being swept into the sea with one wayward wave, is a popular spot for photos and fishing. Though the council do their best to deter you from venturing out.

 

 

 

Though it takes more than a sketchy set of stairs, danger sign and possible death to deter this adventurer ;) I stayed out on the rock for approximately 6.2 minutes before starting the journey back.

The track back is (of course) steeper, but it's not a long journey and the views are just lovely.  And it does give you another opportunity to go Baby Gannet spotting....they're SO fluffy!!

And just like that we're four walks down.