This is Google's satellite view showing our camp above Twilight Beach. The Department of Conservation (DOC) rep knew that the camp site was no longer maintained and that we might have trouble finding it. "You can always camp on the beach," she told us. That didn't really reassure us. We knew the tide times for our trip and we knew that Twilight Beach would reach high tide at we slept.
This image shows the beach at high tide--there is little dry beach left at this end. We could tell that when we arrived. If we didn't find the camp site, we'd have to camp over the dunes so that we could stay dry.
The blue arrow shows the stream and its flow to the beach. We refilled our water bottles--using our filter--the next morning before we moved onto the desert trek.
The red circle shows our campsite.
Infrequently during the night, we heard a deep boom. Lucy and I compared notes the next morning; we both though "if we were near a military base, I'd think they were doing practise bombling." Yes, we met while working in aerospace!
On a morning walk for solitary reflection on our life on earth and our place in the universe, Terry crossed the low ridge between the yellow and red circles. While studying the northern view he heard the boom again. Seconds passed and then the spray reached the ridge! It rose high above the ridge and crashed down to the ground. Occasionally, the sea would send a great wave to the wall at the lower left. The wave hits the wall and sends the water over our heads. Incredible. Good thing we didn't put the tents up there.
We packed the gear, climbed down to the beach, and took the trail (brown arrow) toward the desert.
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