With a beach as huge as Motukiekie, it may seem impossible that the tides would completely swallow this beach. Think again. It is not possible to visit the beach during high tide, as the beach completely disappears underwater. You should also know that the tides change very quickly. Thus, you’ll definitely have to think ahead when planning your visit.
The first step is to check with the Greymouth newspaper for the tide schedule that day. The tides change everyday, so again, make sure you check the specific date. The beach has low and high tide twice a day, usually in the early morning before sunrise, and then again around sunset.
However, this isn’t always the case. If you want to visit at sunset, you’ll need to visit when the tide is low. Depending on the day and what time of year for the sun set, it may not be possible to be here exactly at sun set.
Lastly, and more importantly, you’ll want to make sure that you start your walk on a FALLING tide. This means you should visit about 1.5 hours before low tide. If you visit on a rising tide, you might run into the risk of being stuck on the other end of the beach while the shore is swept away!
The only other safety note would be to watch for quickly changing weather, which often happens along the West Coast. Strong winds along the shore are also common. It may not be a bad idea to let someone else know you’re going before you head down there, especially if visiting alone.
But depending on the day, you’ll definitely see other tourists and locals here. As long as you’re smart and think ahead for your visit, you’ll be able to completely enjoy once you actually reach Motukiekie’s shores!
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Cheers
Tom
Thanks Tom, I’m just putting the info I wished I had known before! :)
Lovely and informative writing. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks a lot Howard. Happy to hear it was usefull to you.