Cream with your Coffee – What Causes Beach Foam

Now that is a strange title I hear you say. Cream with your Coffee is a wee joke we have for whenever we see the beach foam – seriously looks like you could scoop some up and add it to your cuppa. All jokes aside though it is really interesting to know what actually causes that “cream”. In this blog I’m going to explain to you the science behind the beach foam you see washed up on the beach during a stormy sea.

When we see the beach foam many of us automatically think of it as pollution – the rough seas grabbing all the scum in the ocean and then dumping it on the beach. Previously that is what I’d always thought, and walking through it, well that was a definite “oohh yuk! moment” . If you thought that too well we were wrong (*) – it is far from pollution and in fact generally only occurs on clean beaches. I know, clean beaches and New Zealand is renowned as having some of the cleanest beaches in the world – hence why we see all this “sea scum”.

Turns out beach foam in NZ generally has nothing to do with pollution. It is actually a natural phenomenon, a natural product of one of the world’s purest and most natural landscapes, drawn from both land and sea and associated with many of the NZ surf beaches and the tiny organisms that live there.

David Bellamy’s “Moa’s Ark the Voyage of New Zealand” sums it up best.

“From the land comes a solution of history, natural chemicals dissolved from the forest soil and made of the remains of mosses, tree ferns, podocarps and flowering plants.  This gold-tinted tincture of natural history then mixes and mingles with the abundant slippums that protect the kelp and other seaweeds from abrasion, to produce this natural detergent-like complex which is then beaten into foam and what we see on our beaches.”

Like all detergents, it picks up and holds all manner of things including not only plants and animal plankton – all of which are far too small to see with the naked eye, but also tiny bits of debris and fine silt.  National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research marine ecologist and plankton specialist Janet Bradford describes the foam being made up of smashed up cells of phytoplankton, single-celled algae and the nutrients they release when pounded by waves on these surf beaches.  Janet says high energy surf beaches have their own special ecosystem dominated by diatoms, some of which live only in this environment.  Diatoms can look brown or even like black oil – hence the colour of the foam, making it look like a form of pollution.

The major driving force behind the whole process is wave action.  Waves pump water through the sand thus releasing nitrates and other nutrients.  Waves also set up certain circulation patterns in the water that trap these nutrients in the surf zone.  Wave action not only smashes up the diatoms and other phytoplankton that make up the bloom, but also pulls in air bubbles to produce foam.  This foam is typical of exposed sandy beaches, particularly West Coast beaches of New Zealand.

The wonderment of nature – rather than being inhospitable places to live, NZ beaches that are constantly pounded by waves are actually full of life and beach foam is not a sign of pollution but in fact the outward sign of their enormous productivity.

Another reason the West Coast has to be one of the best places in the world to visit – it is just a bonus that we live here!

Jan  and Stephen run Breakers Boutique Accommodation on the Punakaiki Coastline – north of Greymouth and is based overlooking the Nine Mile Beach – one of the great surf beaches on the West Coast and a great location for beach foam.

*Disclaimer Not all beach foam is harmless, unfortunately in some parts of the world due to human activities there is an element of toxic pollution included.

International Dog Day

So apparently 26 August is International Dog Day so seemed a fitting time to introduce our Breakers “boys”. We actually have a male and a female but having always had boys in the past our Emma is constantly getting called one of the “boys”. She doesn’t mind – any love is good love.

First up Ansel our German Short-haired Pointer. Ansel is now 7 years old going on 7 months. We think he will retain his puppy-like characteristics forever. Most of the time this is a good thing but sometimes….. He is a bit of an introvert when it comes to other dogs, he isn’t a dominate dog but what we call his own man. Not interested in being the alpha male but does like things his own way. He pretends to be aloof but loves a good cuddle and plenty of attention. Running fast would have to be his all time favourite pass-time.

Emma is an English Pointer. Have to admit didn’t really think was any difference between an English Pointer and a German Short-haired Pointer until we got one for ourselves. More of a boxy face but still oh so cute. Emma is a sweet heart. Bit of a hard start to life but once she came to live with us at 11 months old, well let’s just say she landed on her feet. She loves her little brother. She is what we’d call, or definitely Ansel would call, a typical little sister – ANNOYING!!! Anything Ansel has she has to have too, any cuddles, she buts in as if to say don’t forget about me, any toy, stick on the beach, you name it if Ansel has it she has to try and take it off him. Despite her little sister tendencies, Emmy has a very gentle nature. She is super submissive with other dogs but loves nothing more than to be everyone’s friend. She is great with younger or insecure dogs, playing Mother Hen and taking them under her wing so to speak and putting them at ease.

Our kids – the fur kids as we like to call them aka Spud and Pumpkin, love getting out for runs on the beach or bush walks. Lucky to have a beachfront abode they generally get a run down to “our” beach most days even just for a quick meander and sniff around.

One of their favourite things to do is to visit a sandy beach – be it seaside or banks of a river, if it is sandy then it is all go as it must feel so lovely for their paws.

Going bush is also a favourite (really any outing is but for the sake of this blog….). We love to getting out and exploring and nothing better than the kids being able to come too. The freedom, the smells – it really is a dog’s delight.

We like to call Ansel and Emma Breaker’s Ambassadors as they feature in all of our marketing, most often on our social media posts. They are often a highlight with our guests – many guests arriving asking for the dogs before they even say hello to us sometimes.

They take their roles very seriously as far as head of entertainment and general health & mental well-being and ensure all visitors are made welcome.

If you’d like to visit with Ansel and Emma then check out our website and make a booking – we would all love to welcome you.

Happy International Dog Day to all dogs worldwide but especially to these two.

Jan and Stephen run Breakers Boutique Accommodation on the Coast Road north of Greymouth. They, along with their faithful friends Ansel and Emma, enjoy getting out and about exploring the many wonders of the West Coast and sharing their discoveries.

Changing it Up - Room Names Get a Revamp

We’re changing things up a bit at Breakers Boutique Accommodation. We’ve been doing heaps of maintenance and renovations/redecorating over the last couple of years and thought it was also time to give our guest room names a makeover too. We’ve decided to make them more in theme with our beautiful nature that we are lucky enough to be surrounded by.

Breakthrough room – this is our smaller room upstairs in the main house and it has been changed to Koromiko.

Koromiko is a native shrub found in the South Island with pretty little white or lilac flowers. It is an important plant in Māori medicine and a favourite for the bees and bumblebees in our garden.

Breakwater room – this is our larger room upstairs in the main house and it’s new name is Kowhai. The Kowhai tree is arguably one of the most well known native trees in NZ and with its brilliant bright yellow flower it is our unofficial national flower.

The Kowhai tree is a delightful tree to have in the garden and popular with the native birdlife, in particular the Kereru (native wood pigeon), Bellbird and Tui who love to feast on the flowers. Māori hold the Kowahi Tree in high esteem, as they value the durability of its hard wood and many medicinal properties.

Sunset suite – one of two rooms in our garden annex building and Sunset is now known as Nikau. The Nikau is NZ’s only native palm tree and the most southern member of the palm family. They are generally only found in tropical or sub-tropical climates, and we are lucky enough to have them growing in our garden and they are prolific all along the Coast Road.

The Nikau sprouts large clusters of mauve flowers with bright red “fruit” which take about one year to ripen. They are a favourite with the native birds, particularly the Kereru (wood pigeon). Through the ages they have always been important to Maori life where the leaves were used to thatch houses, to wrap food before cooking, to weave into hats, mats, baskets and leggings for traveling through rough undergrowth. The hard berries were made into necklaces or eaten when green. The immature flower can also be cooked and eaten – tasting a bit like cauliflower.

Driftwood suite – the second of our two rooms in our garden annex building. This is also our disabled friendly room with sliding shower in the bathroom and railings by the toilet and in the shower (wet walk-in shower). Driftwood is now renamed Koru.

The Koru is known as the symbol of life. It features in many Māori artworks based on the shape of the unfurling of the fern frond. The Koru symbolizes the way in which life both changes and stays the same – symbolizing new beginnings, new life, growth, strength and peace.

It took us a while to choose new names. We wanted them to be fitting with our surroundings and relevant to where we live. Set on 2 acres of native bush and landscaped gardens we have Koromiko, Kowhai and Nikau plants in our gardens and heaps of ferns so have the joy of often seeing the Koru. Native plants are important to the eco-system of Breakers as we love to encourage bird live and bees so we figure if they like visiting us hopefully you will all like visiting us too and enjoy staying in our rooms named after some of our favourite native plants.

Jan and Stephen run Breakers Boutique Accommodation on the Coast Road, West Coast, New Zealand. They are a beachfront b&b, overlooking the Tasman Sea. They enjoy getting out and about and exploring the West Coast and sharing their discoveries and their backyard with their guests. Don’t delay, book to stay today. You will be made most welcome.

Sluice Box Lake Daniels Walk Lewis Pass

Whenever we drive across the Lewis Pass a favourite stop is at Marble Hill Picnic Area where the hike for Lake Daniels starts.

With a backdrop of the towering Southern Alps and a sea of windswept tussock, it is a gorgeous stop in its own right just to soak up the atmosphere and beauty of the surrounding nature.

After an easy 5-10 minute walk in the beech forest you eventually come to a small bridge crossing aptly named The Sluice Box.

Shaped like a sluicing box from the gold mining days, it is like a little mini gorge and the waters here are often the amazing turquoise blue/green.

For our guests coming from or heading to Kaikoura, this stop is included on our suggested sightseeing stops we give them. Helps break up the drive, giving an opportunity for a wee leg stretch and some fresh air and to just be immersed in some stunning nature and scenery.

Blue Pools on Haast Pass and Hokitika Gorge are more famous for their colouring but the drive to the Hokitika Gorge is quite the detour and the walk into the Blue Pools is around 40 minutes, so for us we think this is a great compromise. Getting the added bonus of the beautiful beech forest too.

Coming from the East Coast over Lewis Pass, at the bottom of the Pass you have Maruia Springs Thermal Resort, and then at the end of the straight after about 5 minutes of driving on your left is the sign for Marble Hill Picnic Area/Lake Daniels Walk.

Coming from the West Coast after Springs Junction you have a short valley drive, straight road and then an S bend and the signage for the Picnic Area and walk is on your left as you come out of the S bend.

Follow the gravel road right to the end for the carparking for Lake Daniels Walk. There is a covered Kiosk Information Centre and you’ll see the track head off into the bush to the right of the Kiosk with the Sluice Box signposted.

Remember take only photos and leave only footprints – enjoy 

Jan and Stephen run Breakers Boutique Accommodation, beachfront bed and breakfast accommodation on the Coast Road north of Greymouth. They love getting out and exploring and love to share their explorations, especially with their guests, ensuring they make the most of the holiday to NZ and their time on the West Coast.

Planting Day for Paparoa Wildlife Trust at Atarau Kiwi Sanctuary

At Breakers we have a few community groups we support – usually through a monetary donation but also through Stephen’s photography and our time when we can. One of those groups is The Paparoa Wildlife Trust and the work they do with the Great Spotted Kiwi found here in the mountains behind us.

Recently they called for volunteers to help with their native tree planting day at the Atarau Kiwi Sanctuary – Kiwi creche inland from Greymouth. It is a completely predator proof sanctuary where juvenile Kiwi spend the first year of their life in a safe environment where their growth and health is monitored until they are around 1kg in weight and fit enough to be released back into the wild of the Paparoa mountains where the original egg was taken from.

Armed with our trusty shovels we rocked up to join an enthusiastic group of volunteers. After a short introduction at the entrance of the sanctuary we were led through the native bush to the base for a safety briefing. We then split into two groups – easier ground for digging or the hardcore rocky terrain. The family groups mainly chose the easier terrain while a smaller group of us chose the rocky terrain and we all headed off to our allocated planting site.

It was an overcast day so perfect conditions for digging holes. Jackets were soon thrown to the side as the hard labour took its toll. No need to go to the gym when you can do this for your workout.

Soon enough it was lunchtime and both groups reassembled at the main base for some good chats over our sausage sizzle and home brought lunch treats. Great way to meet new people and make new friends.

Enough sitting around though – there was work to be done with the job not yet finished and more trees still to plant. The initial aim was 500 trees – or so we thought but that number had managed to morph into 700…. mmmm crafty organisers lol.

The sun made an appearance and our small group were soon back hard at work on our shovels. Good team effort and it didn’t take long before the final tree for the day was planted. We managed to get the planting done in good timing, finishing two hours ahead of schedule.

Fabulous day out with a wonderful group of enthusiastic volunteers and great organisers in Kirsty and George. Look forward to coming back out for another working bee soon and checking the progress on the growth of our new “babies”.

Celebrating Matariki

Today we celebrate Matariki for the first time in Aotearoa (NZ) as a public holiday. Matariki marks the start of the Māori New Year. It is the most significant celebration in the traditional Māori calendar – a time for renewal and celebration.

Matariki is the Māori name that describes the entire star cluster also known as Pleiades. You can spot it before sunrise during New Zealand’s winter, the cluster is visible as a faint sparkle of tiny dots when you look towards the northeast horizon, down to the left of Orion.

This weekend across Aotearoa there are numerous celebrations in play, communities coming together to share food, music, dance, tell stories and remember their ancestors and loved ones. Matariki is a time to spend with friends and family. It is a reminder of the cycle of life, to remember the year that has passed, celebrate the present and to plan for the next year.

2022 is the perfect year for Matariki to be officially celebrated in Aotearoa – with all we have endured post covid, borders now reopening and international travel once again an option for both visitors to NZ and for us to go further afield – reconnecting with friends and family around the world.

Wherever you are in NZ this weekend we trust you have a safe and enjoyable weekend. Happy Matariki.

Jan and Stephen

Breakers Boutique Accommodation

Walks in the bush take on a whole new meaning come Autumn.

Instead of constantly looking up at the canopy (as gorgeous as the canopy is!), our eyes are glued to the forest floor in search of fungi.

Recently we had a lovely guest from the North Island staying with us - Lyn.  One of her lifetime wishes was to find and photograph the blue fungi - found on the New Zealand $50 note (yes go take a look).

We knew the perfect place to recommend and with some free time took the opportunity to go out with her to ensure she found what she was looking for.  Well Lyn was not disappointed.  It was awesome to see the smile break out on her face when she spotted the first blue baby hiding in the undergrowth.  Warning was given - you're about to see them in abundance.  Once you start looking you find them everywhere.  She was spoilt for choice when to came to photographing them.

The Blue fungi are usually the first of the fungi to come out but we did also find the little red, yellow and some beautiful white fungi also

So remember if you’re out and about on a bush walk look down, you never know what is hidden in amongst the ferns and moss and allow more time than you would normally – fungi fishing is addictive……

Jan and Stephen have a passion for the West Coast and enjoy getting out and about exploring.  Check out more of their blog posts for inspiration for your next visit to the West Coast.

The Grey District is known as the Heart of the West Coast.  An easy 2 hour drive south to the glacier region and to the north we have Buller with The Great Coast Road, numerous beaches and gorgeous bush walks.

Possibly the best thing about getting out and doing a bush walk is they are free, all you need is time.  Remember the golden rule though – take only photographs, leave only footprints.

This little blog is to showcase some of our bush walks and we’ve put together a little piece of five of our favourite.  Now these are in no particular order.  Each time we visit these areas we say “this is our favourite walk” – until we visit the next spot again and then  it is our favourite walk. They all have something different to offer be it just beautiful scenery, peace and tranquility, birdlife or history.

So first up:

Brunner Mine Site

Located on the banks of the Grey River accessible from either side – Dobson or Taylorville. Brunner Mine site is a most fascinating piece of not just West Coast history but New Zealand history.  It is the site of NZ’s worst industrial disaster, back in 1886 when 65 men/boys tragically lost their lives in a coal mine explosion.

Learn more about Grey District, Heart of the West Coast - 5 short walks

On the road again, I can’t wait to get on the road again.  Seriously cannot wait to get on the road again, but until we can go further afield ourselves we’ll head out on another virtual tour.  This time a gorgeous loop we did last Winter.

First up to Reefton – probably our favourite little West Coast town.  If you’re a long time follower of our blog you’ll know I’ve sung Reefton’s praises on many an occasion.  This time we were just passing through, then through the gorgeous Rahau Saddle, one of my favourite drives as it is cut through Victoria forest and is always so lush and green – I digress, on to Springs Junction to head north through the Maruia Valley in search of Maruia Falls.

Continue reading our Virtual Mystery Tour West Coast - Murchison Reefton Loop

I know I haven’t been around much in the blogging world of late – for some time actually.  Thought given the turmoils of the world lately it was a good time to pop back in and say hi.  Going to share our love of the West Coast of New Zealand and take you all on a virtual tour from the top to the bottom – West Coast, Best Coast of New Zealand.  Hope you enjoy the ride.

Oparara Basin is at the top end of the West Coast – end of the road so to speak or better said the beginning……  It is full of natural wonderment and great world class caving systems including Honeycomb Caves – only accessible to the general public with a registered guide.

Continue to read our Virtual Mystery Tour West Coast - Oparara Basin, West Coast