General Discussions

A week after the colossal inundation that pounded Auckland, I ventured out to my favourite Manukau beach to survey the damage and of course, try to soak up some much missed sunshine.

There were quite a few cars parked at the track start, so I expected to see sightseers as well as regulars. The track down was clear with very little sign of damage, apart from a few steps partially scoured out but easily traversed. A tribute to those that rebuilt the track during the kauri dieback closure.

At the last steps, it was striking to see the stream had scoured out the sand to bedrock, depositing the cover further down the beach and smoothing out the shore between the huge boulder and the cliff to the west. No doubt the sea will reverse the process in time.

One guy in shorts was sitting on the boulder when I arrived and he remained there for a couple more hours, until I suppose his rear couldn’t take more. Turns out he had kayaked from Kaitarakihi beach a bit further up the harbour.

There was a handful of clothed people, some swimming in the muddy water in spite of the contamination warnings from council. Other people were in the correct ‘costume’ for this beach, and the differences between them and the covered was a non issue to both.

The rest of the beach and surroundings were surprisingly unchanged, until I looked to the far end, past the point where the sea reaches above half tide. There was a pohutukawa lying there in the little cove beyond, having crashed down from the cliff above and bringing with it a considerable amount of soil, clay, rock and other vegetation to largely fill the cove. No doubt the sea will wash away the loose material in time but the tree will likely remain.

The afternoon was spent in warm calm conditions, most enjoyable after a helluva week.