Split Apple Rock is a granite rock formation that resembles it’s namesake. The Maori name for the rock is Toko Ngawha meaning “burst open rock”.
Split Apple Rock sits in shallow water just 50 metres off the beach and can be waded out to at low tide (in the summer!). If not visiting the rock by boat or kayak there is a short 30 minute downhill walk to the beach from a track that can be accessed from the road between Kaiteriteri & Marahau.
It’s not only people who like to visit Split Apple Rock, there are a number of Spotted Shag (Parakareka) colonies along this coastline and a small group have taken up roosting on the surrounding rocks. They are obviously used to people passing close by as they stayed put as we manoeuvred around the rock.
We were not the only ones that were visiting the rock on this fine sunny winter's day. One of the tour boats called by, it is their first point of interest as they head into the Abel Tasman National Park. Many kayakers also visit the rock, we could see a dozen or so kayaks resting on the beach nearby as we approached.
After a slow cruise past they were off to explore further up the coast.
Leaving us to move around & in closer so I could get the right angle of the apple. I love the little tuft of a plant that looks much like the apple’s calyx (blossom end)
The only problem with the photos above is that it’s low tide and all the surrounding rocks are showing too….
….so the next time we passed my ever patient skipper detoured so I could grab some more shots!
Now the only problem is that the sun is shining and I have a shadow.
Watch this space.......
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