Sunsets and Cut Aways

The beaches and the waters have quieted down, but we continue to film. We set out to get different perspectives of the Spit so we are able to best explain what makes this location an exceptional whale trap.

Farewell Spit Eco Tours
    Late January, we headed to the spit for our sand dune safari. Loaded with information our guide Tim kept us entertained with facts and stories on the way to the lighthouse, which is apart from the Gannett colony, pretty much the end of the spit. Our first stop was close to a place where many fossils had been found, hence the name Fossil Point nearby.

The wind that day brought with it a chill that forced everyone to wear jackets along with their sunglasses. When the bus stopped to let the vacationers step off to take pictures, we slipped out with our fancy camera to get shots of the sweeping sand, seals, and perching birds.

We got some long sweeping shots looking up the spit from a distance. You could see the aqua sea breaking on what felt like the west coast, which it nearly was, but that officially started behind us at Wharariki Beach. 


There were sand sculptures forever it seems, in all different shades from white to grey to black. It reminded me of when I was last here with my family many moons ago. I was a child and we found this huge white, stinky, hairy blob on the beach, I can still smell it. Apparently this was something called “Ambergris” a large something whales vomit up, with a surprisingly high value attached to it. The locals make jokes about it now. Who would have thought I would be back here making a film about whales...

The spit itself is a very dynamic and ever changing landscape, not just for the different inhabitants such as seals and numerous bird species but for the drivers of these 4WD buses as well. That is to say quicksand moves daily, experience is crucial. Not to worry we made it to the lighthouse and were given the exclusive opportunity as film crew to walk towards the Gannett's colony to get as close to the tip as the tide would allow.

And as the vacationers went to grab coffee and biscuits, we continued out to get more shots of the lighthouse and the end of the Spit. About 45 minutes later the bus came to collect us. 

We got several different shots. It was late in the afternoon so the light was getting better by the second. We were told to wander back and they would pick us up. It was mostly very quiet out there except for the wind which is what moulds and shapes this place. Amazingly 3 families used to man the lighthouse back in the day, it would have been and still is a very isolated place to live. We saw the big red bus in the distance so we set off hastily, attempting to quickly maneuver through quicksand. This proved to be rather a slow and amusing workout even though it was just past ankle deep.

We walked across an area that would fill up with water during high tide. The sand was soft and I would sink down to mid-calf, which made rushing to the bus nearly impossible. We graciously made it without fully sinking to the bottom and continued on the bus tour.

My favourite shots were of the wind blowing the sand, as it danced along the beach.

Whales Swimming February 10th
A few days ago it was full moon. Once again whales were spotted, this time between Pakawau and Collingwood.  Upon investigation they seemed very active and happy to be swimming in the bay. We waited and watched through binoculars moving up and down the coast to see if we could get a better look. The best spot was on the rocks of Pakawau beach, the whales were easily spotted when they slapped the water with their tails. A possible sign of birthing and also communication behaviours. As the tide dropped the weather seemed ominous too, low clouds and constant drizzle. Just as the tide was looking at its lowest point they swam effortlessly off toward the horizon. Happy healthy whales swimming free.

Time Lapse
    We parked up at the Farewell Spit Cafe, which was unfortunately not to be open until 11am. We set up the camera attached to the Mac and it did the work. Time lapsing away for over an hour when we met the cafe folk and had our fix. We watched and recorded the tide going from high to low, with some great clouds moving through our shot.
    The following day we repeated the process and also did an in the water time lapse. This was rather amusing as all sorts of creatures mostly crabs and other crustaceans started to accumulate around the camera as a place to hide from the sun, humans too.

Pillar Point
We received word that Pillar Point would give us a great shot of the whole Spit so we gathered our gear and headed out, certainly not to be disappointed. As we started our laborious trek up the path, we passed four people coming back down on horseback. Horses would have made it much easier, however, acknowledging my lack of experience with them, I envisioned a horse running away and tossing our gear down the cliff. Walking was just fine. We reached the top that supplied a spectacular sight with maybe a little huff and puff.

A mere 30 min hike and what a view! We could see all the way down Farewell Spit, a glorious aerial perspective.

At first the trail provided an open view, but soon we reached a section that was lined with trees. We decided to continue past the trees to see what the views from the other side would offer. This may seem like an easy enough task, but the trees were swarming with cicadas that were delirious from their need to eat and mate. They crashed into me as they bounced from one side of the path to the other. Apparently, there is no time for them to look out for where they are going. The sounds were atrocious. It was the headbanger's version of "Tranquil Sounds of the Outdoors," an album you would put on when you want to fall asleep. I persevered though, and the view was even better on the other side. We stayed up there for the rest of the day, getting different shots as the tide went out.

Good shots of the wind spiraling sand into the air and nice shadows as the afternoon progressed.

I felt unusually relaxed, and at home as I sat at the top of this cliff, looking out among ocean and trees, drinking tea and reading a book. Eventually, the sun went down behind the hills, and we last shot a beautiful sunset.

A spectacular amber glowing sunset was captured and time lapsed. We ventured down the hill at twilight, dodging the many, many, many cicadas as they face planted, with a whirl and a click into our faces. Overall a great day.