Posted by As the big green bus made its way down the windy long roads, we were in need of fresh air and made a pit stop at Dolomite Point. We wandered along a nearby walkway and found these oddly shaped limestone rock pillars with pancake-like patterns indented in the rocks. These rock formations were the jewels of the Paparoa National Park fittingly named the “Pancake Rocks”.
Fairly recently in the geological timeline, a portion New Zealand’s mainland was uplifted. So was this National Park that used to be offshore rock formations and a collection of small islands. The rivers that came from the Paparoa Ranges run through and underneath the limestone creating subterranean waterways, and with the help of erosion, surge pools, and blowholes.
My first impression of this place is that it was probably visited by extraterrestrials. The vivid indentations on the rocks remind me of the hieroglyphics used on ancient Egyptian monuments. As an example, I would predict that the “pancakes” are a visual form of morse code, sending out complex messages to the galaxy, while the human race merely gazes at its beauty none the wiser. Of course, I have no facts to back up this up, it was my honest initial thought when I marveled at the uniqueness of these “pancakes” for the first time.
Priscilla's Adventures 