<p>Where the Waikawa river meets the sea is a fascinating area, constantly changing. Sometimes the lagoon fills up, at other times it's cut off and even dries up. Then a high tide and lots of rain will fill it again. </p><p>Local Steve Betts kindly shared a series of gorgeous photos he took of the area. Thanks Steve. </p><p>Click a photo to see it larger. </p> [caption id=“attachment_212” align=“aligncenter” width=“600”] Waikawa Beach lagoon : 2016-09-10.
<p>When conditions are right, usually in the winter, you can see Ruapehu, to the north along the beach. It's actually about 160 Km away, sometimes covered in snow. </p> [caption id=“attachment_200” align=“aligncenter” width=“600”] Ruapehu on 30 June 2017. A telephoto lens is a very handy thing. [/caption]
It's also quite common to see the top of the South Island, over to the right of and a small distance from Kapiti, though sometimes you can also see a chunk of it right next to Kapiti on the right.
<p>The beach used to be a road — so says anyone around here. In my mind, that meant that occasionally a coach would manoeuvre its way along the sand. </p><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 599px;"><img style="display:block; margin:auto;width:599px;height:453px;" src="http://lovewaikawabeach.micro.blog/uploads/2019/94d673c57b.jpg" alt="Cobb and Co. coach, Palmerston, Otago. " title="Cobb and Co. coach, Palmerston, Otago. " /><p class="wp-caption-text">Cobb and Co. coach, Palmerston, Otago. </p></div><p>But apparently Waikawa Beach used to be fair thronging with travellers, as the following excerpt from a very interesting book makes clear: </p><blockquote><p>From Foxton to Wellington in Cobb and Company's coach was a long day's journey, in winter a journey of infinite difficulties and delays, but in summer one of the pleasantest trips which could be undertaken.
<p>We're coming close to the winter solstice — from 4.24 pm Wednesday 21 June 2017 the days will start getting longer, and the sun moves more southward again. It's now we celebrate the mid-point of the European year and the start of the Māori new year with <a href="http://www.tetakere.org.nz/Events-Activities/Puanga-Matariki">Puanga Matariki</a>: </p><blockquote><p>This year the Horowhenua District Council in partnership with Muaupoko Tribal Authority are coordinating a series of events across the district for Puanga Matariki.
<p>On 23 January 1855 at about a quarter past nine in the evening a massive earthquake around magnitude 8.2 on the Richter scale struck the Wellington region. It wrecked many buildings, raised the seabed by about 1.5 metres, and lifted up a huge area of land. </p><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 450px;"><a href="https://lovewaikawabeach.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/colonist-large.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:auto;width:450px;height:360px;" src="http://lovewaikawabeach.micro.blog/uploads/2019/27343eb75e.jpg" alt="Thomas Bevan talks about the 1855 earthquake. " title="Thomas Bevan talks about the 1855 earthquake.
<p>This last summer has been characterised by rain, and warmth. My personal weather station shows we've had 528.1 mm rain in the last complete 6 months: </p> November 2016: 101.6 mm December 2016: 56.9 mm January 2017: 64.9 mm February 2017: 69.8 mm March 2017: 72.9 mm April 2017: 162.0 mm By comparison, the historic rainfall data on the long-standing Waikawa Beach Weather site shows a total of 235.
<p>Step outside on any dark clear night then look up and south. You should be able to see the Clouds of Magellan, two galaxies that orbit our Milky Way galaxy. </p> Magellanic Clouds. Photo by European Southern Observatory (ESO). These and all the other stars we can see from Waikawa Beach are a treasure not available to many people on this planet. For a start, the Clouds of Magellan are only visible from the southern hemisphere.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 600px;"><img style="display:block; margin:auto;width:600px;height:600px;" src="http://lovewaikawabeach.micro.blog/uploads/2019/035efc69d2.jpg" alt="Let's get out of here. " title="Let's get out of here. " /><p class="wp-caption-text">Let's get out of here. </p></div><p>You've probably noticed all the lakes around here: Huritini, Waiorongomai and others. </p> The game bird hunting season gets underway on Saturday, 06 May 2017 at dawn. You may hear shots from around dawn, as shooting is permitted between 6.30 am and 6.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 600px;"><img style="display:block; margin:auto;width:600px;height:450px;" src="http://lovewaikawabeach.micro.blog/uploads/2019/2156c548bc.jpg" alt="Hmmm, do you think this shark ate the shellfish? " title="Hmmm, do you think this shark ate the shellfish? " /><p class="wp-caption-text">Hmmm, do you think this shark ate the shellfish? </p></div><p><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/90565422/Thousands-of-dead-shellfish-wash-up-at-Horowhenua-beaches">Thousands of dead shellfish wash up at Horowhenua beaches</a> [17 March 2017], an article on Stuff, says: </p><blockquote><p>Thousands of potentially poisonous shellfish have washed up at two Horowhenua beaches. </p><p>The MidCentral District Health Board has warned people not to collect or eat shellfish from the west coast's Waitarere and Hokio beaches, near Levin, after thousands of dead and dying shellfish washed up there.
<p>Waikawa Beach is a quiet gem in the Horowhenua. </p><p>This site celebrates the place and explores ideas and ways to make it even better. </p><p>Residents and visitors: let's create and enjoy a safe and serene community. Have your say here. Send in photos, news, comments. </p><p>Waikawa Beach is our place in the sun and we love it. </p>
