Tunnel Beach                                                                                   

The track to Tunnel Beach had been closed for more than a year following storms in October 2024, but reopened on 14 November.  I took the 33 bus to Corstorphine, walked a kilometre or so through a bit of newly developing area and then through a more rural area to the trailhead.  The walk to the beach is 2.6 kilometres round trip and winds down the hill.  The sandstone landforms and views naturally draw one's attention, but, as the DOC website points out, the area also notable for its rare, fragile native coastal turf, a mix of six to eight low growing plants.  Eventually one reaches the tunnel and, going down the steps in the dark, one emerges almost miraculously on a flat brightly lit beach.  There, against the backdrop of the brown, weathered sandstone, blue-green water roiled by foam-capped waves created a dynamic scene.  Waves seemed to be going every which way, coming up against the rocks, pushing the dark strands of bull kelp around, and trailing halos of white spray.  More static were a couple of pakake / New Zealand sea lions lying on the beach.  Occasionally they half opened an eye to make sure people were not getting to close or flipped up some sand to keep the flies away, but they did not move much.
The trail down seems to go mainly through grass.  I did not see the coastal turf.
View back with cloud creating an interesting halo effect behind the trees.
Sandstone.
View south toward Blackhead Quarry and Green Island.
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Bull kelp strands moving around in the swirling water.
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