Accessible by a windy metal road, around a corner the vista of Tapotupotu opens before you, enticing you and drawing you down.
One of two beaches situated on the very northern coast of the north island that has road access, Tapotupotu as been shaped by the forces of nature and is is nestled between two prominent headlands with a stream and DOC / Ngati Kuri campground at the eastern end (right hand side of the above photo). Rocky outcrops with sheer drops and very dangerous currents swirl around. In fact this is one place that I have seen a DOC sign warning that lives have been lost and the only place where I have nearly been swept out to sea.
Knowing that there are rock pools on the western end that are large as well as others that are deep, plunging down 4+ metres with straight sides, exploring here was something I meant to do all last year after I joined NatureWatch, but never got around to it.
This year I was there waiting for @pjd1 and whanau who were walking from Rerenga Wairua and the tide was out so I thought I should do a reconnaissance around the rocks while waiting. I had left my wetsuit and underwater camera at home which was a good idea, else I could have been gone for hours with the car keys. The place had not changed since the last time I was there over 10 years ago so I knew I had to return with proper gear and see what I could find.
A week later @rongoa and I did a day trip up there and oh what paradise! I had the bright idea that we would start at the large rockpool the furtherest around before the gut that can not be crossed and four hours later we got out, not becasue we had finished there, but because the tide was on it's way in.
This rock pool cuts off from the ocean approx 1 1/2 hours after the high and it is at least 10m x 10m. In the main area the depth ranges from shallow to about 2m but in one corner there is a round straight drop, going about 4m down. A very different habitat from Otaipango, Henderson Bay as this one has large boulders strewn around, probably having been broken off the cliffs towering above.
Below are a few finds showcasing the diversity in this one pool that has not been fully explored. Needless to say, I will be doing more explorations there as I can fit it into my busy schedule :)
Just started to explore a large rockpool and spotted this polychaete making its way through carpophyllum.
In shallow water (about 100mm) in the mid intertidal zone.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
Totally amazed to see a bed of hormosira banksii as I usually see this as beds on exposed rocks or one or two plants in deeper pools.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
I think either A.juliana or A.keraudreni although this one is not feeding on browns.
This one was approx 70mm when not stretched out.
Found in the shallow part (under 400mm depth) of a very large rock pool (min 100 square metres) exposed from approx 1 1/2 hours after the high tide which is completely cut off from the ocean then so still, clear waters.
Another interesting find @pjd1
The location name is not accurate - Reason
I am guessing that this aplysia is A.keraudreni because of http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11405.
These 2 where in about 2m of water in a rock pool and the white one was about 200mm.
Another interesting find @pjd1 :)
The location name is not accurate - Reason
Lots of these in this rock pook.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
I have always knownt hat things in Tapotupotu are big and this is the biggest NZ hermit crab that I have seen.
In a rock pool, western end
The location name is not accurate - Reason
Not sure if this is Asterocarpa coerulea because of the green colour.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
The large rockpool that I was in had this area that was round and plunged about 4m down. I was fascinated to see the carpophyllum growing down instead of up from the seabed or waving around if on the sides. This is probably hanging down because there is no movement from about 1 1/2 hours after the high. an interesting place @pjd1 :)
The location name is not accurate - Reason
Cruising around in the large rook pool and was surprised to find this as this part of the rock pool is intertidal zone and I have only seen these in the shallow subtidal zone until now.
@pjd1 - This was what I was trying to find for you when we were in the G2 out in the subtidal zone.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
A type of sea squirt.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
One of the aplysia whanau grazing around on carpophyllum
The location name is not accurate - Reason
This maybe a sea anemone or possible a sea squirt.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
I think this is the Aplysia parvula. Small, no more than 40mm long.
The location name is not accurate - Reason
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