The community of Punakaiki lies on the coast road between the towns of Westport and Greymouth. It has become a must to stop here, not just for refreshments and a toilet break but for the amazing natural phenomenon known as pancake rocks. There is roadside parking and car park then across the road a walkway will take you on a circuit to see both the rock and the blowholes. It takes around 20 minutes to complete but there is no rush and you can take all the time you need. There is no charge for either parking or the walkway.
Geologists know that the rocks are made of limestone and were formed from the remains of sea creatures around 35 million years ago. What they can’t fully explain is why they are in layers. The current idea put forward is that there harder limestone layers with are separated by softer layers made from mud. These softer layers erode more easily to create the pancake layering we can see today. This is phenomenon is called stylobedding.
The action of the sea has created rock formations that look very precarious and blowholes that, depending on the state of the tide, suddenly erupt with crashing waves.
The rocks are in a state of constant erosion by the sea and no doubt some will come crashing down and other new formations will appear. Pancake rocks are an amazing sight and well worth half an hour or so on the journey south.
