"Boulders are continuously being swept out from the mouths of streams, or drop as volcanic fragments from the eroding cliffs to be stacked by the sea in long, horizontal terraces. The smallest boulders are carried to the top of beaches by storm waves; the largest are dropped progressively lower, according to size."
"At the top of the shore, below the long lines of muehlenbeckia-covered boulders, are hiding places for earwigs, centipedes, millipedes, spiders and lizards. The boulders here are loosely stacked by the sea in long defined terraces and are bare apart from patches of grey lichens (Physcia and Parmelia) and splashes of bright orange lichen (Xanthoria)." From Ronald Cometti, 1986: Little Barrier Island: New Zealand's Foremost Wildlife Sanctuary. Hodder & Staughton. Pages 12 (top) and 30.

Boulders and pohutukawa trees at Te Titoki Point.
Photo Geoff Moon

Looking east from the landing. Photo courtesy of Department of Conservation

On this view Great Barrier Island is visible. Photo Geoff Moon

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