The End of the Road is at Pūrākaunui

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The roads curve like the dark body of a freshwater eel, first called “tuna” by Maori. Once over the hill everything is left behind. The busy streets of Dunedin fade away to rolling fields and native forest. Kaka fly from Orokonui ecosanctuary, two hills over. The end of the road is a beautiful place, lined with rugged cliffs and windswept ti kouka trees. Bellbirds sing, and the sound of a handmade guitar being strummed comes from one of the houses resting in the bayside of Pūrākaunui.

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For nearly two hundred years, artists, musicians, and those seeking a reprieve from the curse of the fold have come to this sheltered community. Colorful boat houses line the calm and silty inlet. Stored inside are kayaks and paddleboards waiting for holiday makers to arrive. Even in Summer it is easy to find yourself pleasantly alone, melding in with the surrounding trees and birdsong. 

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How do you find a Meteorite in the Ocean?

 

When you look up at the sky on a clear night what do you see? Stars, and a shooting star if you are lucky. What do you see if you look out to the ocean? Even though the stars are so far away from Earth, we can see them. The ocean, even though you can walk to its edge, is even more secretive. 

 

On July 2, 2018, a scientist named Dr. Nicole Raineault led the first expedition to seek out a meteorite that fell into the ocean. Off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, a 2.2 ton meteorite fell from outer space, hitting the ocean surface and sinking to the sea floor.