Kaitorete Spit (Canterbury) EarthCache
Trigger_Fish: Am archiving this one as teh sign that it was based on has been destroyed by vandals.
Kaitorete Spit (Canterbury)
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The Kaitorete Spit is a natural gravel / sand feature that is of special significance to Maori.
The 30km long spit (or beach barrier) separates Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) from the Pacific Ocean. In just 5000 - 6000 years, the formation of the spit has transformed Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) from a large ocean bay to an inlet and now to a lake. Over time the shallow lake will fill up with shingle and silt and become part of the Canterbury Plains.
The area was mined for sand over several years and is now protected (vehicles aren't allowed on it) in order to allow it to recover from this process. Native sand and gravel binding plants have been planted here and exotic ones sprayed, in order to allow natural processes to take their course, as the spit recovers from the mining.
The spit is of considerable ecological significance and is home to the majority of the surviving speimens of Shrubby tororaro (Muehlenbeckia astonii) - a nationally endangered endemic plant.
To clam this cache you need to email the cache owner with the following details from the two information signs near the listed waypoint.
1. How old is the spit (according to the sign at the site - other sources including this cache page give different ages)?
2. Where does the gravel come from?
3. In what year was the sand mining photo was taken
4. Referring to your answer for question 1. The Spit is currently about 2km wide. What has its average growth rate been (in cm per year) over its life thus far? (You'll need to calculate this).
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Zbarlqbex ng tznvy qbg pbz