Overview
Wed. Feb. 4.
Fine morning but rather hazy, sea quite calm. Left at 6 am + walked through Plimmerton (which has been built on the low dunes of blown sand which lie above the beach) + up Pahautanui Road to saddle at head of small stream leading down to Porirua Harb[our] (East arm of). Walked along ridge running west to top of old sea-cliff above rly. [railway] Photos (14) ¼ pl[ate] Plimmerton, The Extension + Te Rewarewa H[ea]d. from hill to SSE [south south-east] of Plimmerton (high tide); (15) + (16) ¼ pan. from hill SSE of Plimmerton of junction of the two arms of Porirua Harbour, the Narrows, the low sandy area, Paramata + rly. bridge +c. [etc.] In Porirua Harbour mud flats are exposed even at high tide. Descended old sea-cliff to rocks at south end of Tapu Beach. Photo (17) ¼ pl. of party with elephant fish caught in P[orirua] Harbour. Home to breakfast at 8 am. Photos (18) ¼ pl. Gertie in hammock + Nancy standing alongside; (19) ¼ pl. from on verandah, Maud sitting, Gertie standing + Nancy holding Clyde from behind. Spent morning shrimping in pools on rock shore-platform + caught a considerable number. Took it easy in pm.
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Photos (20) ¼ pl. Nancy sitting on Rock by sea in front of house; (21) ½ pl. part of shore platform in front of house (with two boys for scale) showing some of the large fresh greywacke boulders which are washed up during storms. The boulder on the right is one of the largest hereabouts, measuring 2 f[ee]t 9 in[che]s in length + 13 ins lesser diameter. South Head of Porirua Harb[our]. in distance; (22) ½ pl. The shore-platform showing a greywacke boulder in a pot-hole, 2 ft x 18 ins in diameter, which it has excavated at high tide. These pot-holes + also grooves formed in a somewhat similar manner are fairly numerous. View looking seawards. These pot-holes excavated by the action of the waves are the first I've ever heard of. The power of the waves is shown by the fact that some of the boulders are immovably wedged into crevices. The largest pot-hole noted was 3½ ft x 2 ft in diameter. The strata in the shore-platform stand at, or nearly at, vertical, the dip if any, being NW [north-west] by N; some beds however appear to dip SE by East so the strata must be slightly overturned confirming the observations at the road cutting. The rocks are much jointed + there are a few master-joints made conspicuous by the erosive action of the sea. There are also several faults – the movement being
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in a lateral direction, as the shift has been recorded on the horizontal plane, + the ends of the strata bent at the break. Identification of the corresponding beds is made with difficulty owing to the similarity of the strata which consists of thin alternations of slate + greywacke much weathered. In some places honeycomb weathering is well developed. Photo (23) ¼ pl. Gertie shrimping in pool on shore-platform (24) ½ pl. "The Extension" looking towards Te Rewarewa H[ea]d. from summit of old sea-cliff behind McK[enzie]’s house showing shore-platform at ½ tide (rising). Maud + I walked to town for fish + then Gertie + I bathed. Very brilliant moonlit evening + Maud + I went for a short walk along "The Extension" road.