Do you know the incredible history of Koekohe Beach?

Nature or the world in general never ceases to amaze us. Today, being special also for earth day I came across a place that we should definitely know, as it is mysterious, but has a great history.

New Zealand has some very impressive places, but the most mysterious has been Koekohe beach which has some unusual stone spheres. They are known as the Moeraki spheres that can measure up to three meters in diameter, these date back 60 million years, and are the result of the processes of erosion and concretion over time. However, they are protected within a nature reserve, but are sacred to the locals.

How were they formed?

They began to form by calcium concentrations accumulated millions of years ago around a central core. However, their cracked and rounded shapes are due to the erosion of wind, water and rain, which sculpted their forms one by one. These spheres are composed of mud, fine silt and clay, cemented by calcite.

Notably, the rocks are riddled with extremely large cracks, which are called septaria, radiating outward from a hollow core lined with scalenohedral calcite crystals.

However, they originated in the Poleocene, but the soft sedimentary rock that inhabits the boulders emerged from the seafloor about 15 million years ago. Incredible, isn't it?

This is a place that can be visited today and you can learn about the legend that the inhabitants used to use regarding this beach. Which mentions that according to the Mori tradition, the spheres as I mentioned before are sacred stones. According to the legend or well in this case the stories, is that they were formed from the gourds dragged by the tide in the shipwreck of the Araiteuru canoe, which lost its basket of food on the beach of Moeraki, yes, it is the same town where this mysterious beach we talked about is located. It is very interesting this legend, don't you think?

Personally it was a place that quickly caught my attention, but its history caused an impact of interest on my part, which makes me want to go to that place and live the experience of observing those spheres that have a great history. Not to mention that it is a beach you can visit today in New Zealand.

I hope you liked this article and the history of this great place!

Tell me, what did you think and what is your opinion about it?