After visiting the glacier area, we moved on further up the west coast, initially to Hokitika, which is famous for its jade factories and shops, and the on northto a small B&B called "The Breakers" in an idyllic setting some miles north of Greymouth overlooking the sea and an isolated beach. From our bed we could look out onto the Tasman Sea and see waves crashing onto
the shore in the moonlight. Places visited included the Pancake Rocks and blow holes at Punakaiki (impressive in high winds and with an incoming tide) and a short but delightful walk in the rain forest down to the beach called the Truman Track. The blow holes are a result of wave action on soft eroded rocks which have formed into an unusual layered "pancake"
structure. The waves at times reached 10m above the cliff tops through the blow holes when we were there. We then went on to Cape Foulwind, so named by Captain Cook, where there was a large fur seal colony. This part of the west coast appears to have a fair share of wekas or woodhens. These birds look like a cross between a kiwi - some people think they have seen a kiwi when they see these birds - and a partridge. They can be quite tame and approachable.
