Smugglers beach as it was. Compare this with the photo below. |
Dear Friends,
Bream Head Scenic Reserve, like any other part of Northland, got clobbered by the recent storm. The seedlings planted in early June at Urquhart Bay fared well enough, probably too small and supple for the wind to notice; but in the blocks planted in 2006 and 2005 where considerable growth had taken place many of the young trees look as though they’ve been gyrated to all points of the compass. A number of cabbage trees, both young and mature have lost their crowns, and the big old pohutukawa trees near Home point have broken branches. I walked round there when the storm had lost its sting. Trees looked shredded and the place smelled of crushed leaves. But most will survive, albeit somewhat lopsidedly.
Along the ridge from above Home Bay to the Frenchman Island about a dozen large manuka had fallen across the track. I went back there yesterday with Colin Edwards and a chain saw to clear them away but DoC staff had beaten us too it.
The biggest surprise was the change to the beach in Smugglers Cove - what used to be an idyllic stretch of white sand is now a boulder beach. The sand has been stripped away from 80% of the beach. I guess it will return, some day. The boulders have been there for some time; they are smooth and wave worn. But it is the first time in 43 years that I’ve seen them exposed like this.
A lot of plastic flotsam has been washed up. I’m going to go back there on Sunday 12 August with several rubbish bags to pick it up. Anyone who would like to join me is more than welcome. We’ll meet in the Urquhart Bay car park at 9.00 am. Bring your morning tea. We’ll see how much we can get done before midday. I’d really appreciate a hand.
Nigel Miller of DoC sent me this comment after he had done a simmilar walk: "I went over to Peach Cove the day after the big blow (still blowing tho') and very little damage to the track on the way in...just branches and leaves everywhere...the bush looked thrashed. Once at the hut I began to see more windfalls...even big Pohutukawa just down from the hut and along the coast. The snail colony has had a lot of small and some large trees come down in it. Ironically I think this is probably a good thing for the snails as it provides ground cover and keeps the vegetation in a serial state with lots of regenerating shrub hardwoods...which is the sort of food they prefer.
So, could have been worse as the rain brought very little additional silt down this time...unlike March when a lot came down and probably buried some snails".
Best wishes
David Monro
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