Michael Hallows
60-684: Whatipu is a remote beach on the west coast of the Auckland Region in the North Island of New Zealand . The Whatipu area has been managed as a scientific reserve by the Auckland Regional Council since 2002. The road to it is unsealed. To the south of Whatipu is Manukau Harbour . To the north is Karekare . Whatipu is located at the southern end of the Waitākere Ranges. Shifting sands have substantially changed
120-423: A beach depends on whether the waves are constructive or destructive, and whether the material is sand or shingle. Waves are constructive if the period between their wave crests is long enough for the breaking water to recede and the sediment to settle before the succeeding wave arrives and breaks. Fine sediment transported from lower down the beach profile will compact if the receding water percolates or soaks into
180-409: A beach tends to indicate the energy of the waves and wind in the locality. Constructive waves move material up the beach while destructive waves move the material down the beach. During seasons when destructive waves are prevalent, the shallows will carry an increased load of sediment and organic matter in suspension. On sandy beaches, the turbulent backwash of destructive waves removes material forming
240-463: A filter for runoff from the coastal plain. If the runoff is naturally dispersed along the beach, water borne silt and organic matter will be retained on the land and will feed the flora in the coastal area. Runoff that is dispersed along the beach will tend to percolate through the beach and may emerge from the beach at low tide. The retention of the freshwater may also help to maintain underground water reserves and will resist salt water incursion. If
300-401: A gently sloping beach. On pebble and shingle beaches the swash is dissipated more quickly because the large particle size allows greater percolation , thereby reducing the power of the backwash, and the beach remains steep. Compacted fine sediments will form a smooth beach surface that resists wind and water erosion. During hot calm seasons, a crust may form on the surface of ocean beaches as
360-492: A lesser root ball. Erosion of beaches can expose less resilient soils and rocks to wind and wave action leading to undermining of coastal headlands eventually resulting in catastrophic collapse of large quantities of overburden into the shallows. This material may be distributed along the beach front leading to a change in the habitat as sea grasses and corals in the shallows may be buried or deprived of light and nutrients. Coastal areas settled by man inevitably become subject to
420-465: A necessary and permanent feature of beach maintenance. During beach nourishment activities, care must be taken to place new sediments so that the new sediments compact and stabilize before aggressive wave or wind action can erode them. Material that is concentrated too far down the beach may form a temporary groyne that will encourage scouring behind it. Sediments that are too fine or too light may be eroded before they have compacted or been integrated into
480-468: A rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s. The growth was intensified by the practice among the Lancashire cotton mill owners of closing the factories for a week every year to service and repair machinery. These became known as wakes weeks . Each town's mills would close for a different week, allowing Blackpool to manage a steady and reliable stream of visitors over a prolonged period in
540-435: A shoreline subject to constant erosion and loss of foreshore. This is often required where the flow of new sediment caused by the longshore current has been disrupted by construction of harbors, breakwaters, causeways or boat ramps, creating new current flows that scour the sand from behind these structures and deprive the beach of restorative sediments. If the causes of the erosion are not addressed, beach nourishment can become
600-523: A six-hour return walking track. It leads up the hill to the right of the carpark and is clearly marked. It follows the top of the cliffs to the Pararaha Valley where it descends to the beach at Pararaha point. It then follows the beach back to Whatipu. Paratutae Rock at the harbour entrance is difficult and particularly dangerous to climb down. The Kura-Omanawanui Tracks are the other notable walk out of Whatipu. Follows Kura Track eastwards alongside
660-422: A tidal surge or tsunami which causes significant coastal flooding , substantial quantities of material may be eroded from the coastal plain or dunes behind the berm by receding water. This flow may alter the shape of the coastline, enlarge the mouths of rivers and create new deltas at the mouths of streams that had not been powerful enough to overcome longshore movement of sediment. The line between beach and dune
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#1732782706896720-501: Is a lighthouse of the area. Whatipu has four category II Auckland Council heritage listings. These are: Whatipu Lodge , an unnamed dwelling, Whatipu Wharf, and a commemorative plaque at Paratutai. The Whatipu beach does not have a surf patrol. Swimming may not be safe due to rips , in common with all beaches west of Auckland. Whatipu is the starting point for the Whatipu-Gibbons Track & Kura-Omanawanui Tracks,
780-438: Is a significant source of sand particles. Some species of fish that feed on algae attached to coral outcrops and rocks can create substantial quantities of sand particles over their lifetime as they nibble during feeding, digesting the organic matter , and discarding the rock and coral particles which pass through their digestive tracts. The composition of the beach depends upon the nature and quantity of sediments upstream of
840-634: Is currently aired in Europe on the channel Zone Reality . There were three main sections of every episode; first the team would look around the location during the daylight, then set up video cameras and temperature monitors just before dark for later use. The second section involved, at night, Michael and Carolyn entering the location again with only flashlights and photography equipment, their objective being to check temperatures that could indicate paranormal activity and take photographs in an attempt to capture images of ghosts and orbs . Before dawn, to start
900-452: Is difficult to define in the field. Over any significant period of time, sediment is always being exchanged between them. The drift line (the high point of material deposited by waves) is one potential demarcation. This would be the point at which significant wind movement of sand could occur, since the normal waves do not wet the sand beyond this area. However, the drift line is likely to move inland under assault by storm waves. Beaches are
960-455: Is the importing and deposition of sand or other sediments in an effort to restore a beach that has been damaged by erosion. Beach nourishment often involves excavation of sediments from riverbeds or sand quarries. This excavated sediment may be substantially different in size and appearance to the naturally occurring beach sand. In extreme cases, beach nourishment may involve placement of large pebbles or rocks in an effort to permanently restore
1020-537: The Evermore album Dreams . There were two series of a celebrity version of the show. The show is no longer in production, despite a large following in the United Kingdom, and the fact that the series team had already prepared locations intended to be investigated in a second series. Brad Hills stated in an interview that the producers of Ghost Hunt were planning on creating an Australian version of
1080-452: The seashore is most commonly associated with the word beach , beaches are also found by lakes and alongside large rivers. Beach may refer to: The former are described in detail below; the larger geological units are discussed elsewhere under bars . There are several conspicuous parts to a beach that relate to the processes that form and shape it. The part mostly above water (depending upon tide), and more or less actively influenced by
1140-487: The 1720s; it had been a fashionable spa town since a stream of acidic water was discovered running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town in the 17th century. The first rolling bathing machines were introduced by 1735. The opening of the resort in Brighton and its reception of royal patronage from King George IV , extended the seaside as a resort for health and pleasure to the much larger London market, and
1200-541: The 1930s to the 1960s, sandy material began accumulating at Whatipu, creating a 1.5 km strip of sand, where plants and fresh water swamps developed. Much of the sandy material was formed from Paorae , a former flat sand dune that eroded in the 18th century. The Whatipu area is predominantly an Exposed Coastal Ecosystem, dominated by sand dunes and pōhutukawa trees, as well as saltspray tolerant species such as Urostemon kirkii , taupata , Veronica obtusata and horokaka . The hilly Waitākere Ranges areas further from
1260-539: The Waitakeres and started a large timber milling operation in Whatipu and the wider area that would last until the 1870s. The timber mill was built at Whatipu in 1867 to service the kauri trade. The Whatipu Stream was dammed during the establishment of the mill. A tramline was built to a second timber mill three kilometers north in 1870, and eventually extended up to Piha and Anawhata . The mills closed in 1886 when
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#17327827068961320-513: The all-covering beachwear of the period was considered immodest. By the end of the century the English coastline had over 100 large resort towns, some with populations exceeding 50,000. Ghost Hunt (NZ TV series) Ghost Hunt is a reality TV show from New Zealand . It is an investigating series in which a team of three investigators, Carolyn Taylor , Michael Hallows and Brad Hills, visited alleged haunted hotspots around New Zealand. It
1380-435: The beach and into the sea. If the flow is constant, runoff from cleared land arriving at the beach head will tend to deposit this material into the sand changing its color, odor and fauna. The concentration of pedestrian and vehicular traffic accessing the beach for recreational purposes may cause increased erosion at the access points if measures are not taken to stabilize the beach surface above high-water mark. Recognition of
1440-457: The beach as a popular leisure resort from the mid-19th century was the first manifestation of what is now the global tourist industry. The first seaside resorts were opened in the 18th century for the aristocracy, who began to frequent the seaside as well as the then fashionable spa towns, for recreation and health. One of the earliest such seaside resorts, was Scarborough in Yorkshire during
1500-620: The beach became a centre for upper-class pleasure and frivolity. This trend was praised and artistically elevated by the new romantic ideal of the picturesque landscape; Jane Austen 's unfinished novel Sanditon is an example of that. Later, Queen Victoria 's long-standing patronage of the Isle of Wight and Ramsgate in Kent ensured that a seaside residence was considered as a highly fashionable possession for those wealthy enough to afford more than one home. The extension of this form of leisure to
1560-401: The beach head, they may erode the beach creating a lagoon or delta. Dense vegetation tends to absorb rainfall reducing the speed of runoff and releasing it over longer periods of time. Destruction by burning or clearance of the natural vegetation tends to increase the speed and erosive power of runoff from rainfall. This runoff will tend to carry more silt and organic matter from the land onto
1620-523: The beach profile is higher in summer. The gentle wave action during this season tends to transport sediment up the beach towards the berm where it is deposited and remains while the water recedes. Onshore winds carry it further inland forming and enhancing dunes. Conversely, the beach profile is lower in the storm season (winter in temperate areas) due to the increased wave energy, and the shorter periods between breaking wave crests. Higher energy waves breaking in quick succession tend to mobilise sediment from
1680-713: The beach since the 1940s. Over 6 square kilometres has been added to the beach since then. Between 3 and 5 million years ago, tectonic forces between the Pacific Plate and Australian Plate uplifted the Waitākere Ranges and subsided the Manukau Harbour . Major features of Whatipu include Te Toka-Tapu-a-Kupe / Ninepin Rock and Paratutae Island , which are remnants of the Miocene era Waitākere Volcano . From
1740-404: The beach, and the speed of flow and turbidity of water and wind. Sediments are moved by moving water and wind according to their particle size and state of compaction. Particles tend to settle and compact in still water. Once compacted, they are more resistant to erosion . Established vegetation (especially species with complex network root systems) will resist erosion by slowing the fluid flow at
1800-1686: The beach. However, these natural forces have become more extreme due to climate change , permanently altering beaches at very rapid rates. Some estimates describe as much as 50 percent of the earth's sandy beaches disappearing by 2100 due to climate-change driven sea level rise. Sandy beaches occupy about one third of global coastlines. These beaches are popular for recreation , playing important economic and cultural roles—often driving local tourism industries. To support these uses, some beaches have human-made infrastructure, such as lifeguard posts, changing rooms , showers, shacks and bars. They may also have hospitality venues (such as resorts, camps, hotels, and restaurants) nearby or housing, both for permanent and seasonal residents. Human forces have significantly changed beaches globally: direct impacts include bad construction practices on dunes and coastlines, while indirect human impacts include water pollution , plastic pollution and coastal erosion from sea level rise and climate change . Some coastal management practices are designed to preserve or restore natural beach processes, while some beaches are actively restored through practices like beach nourishment . Wild beaches, also known as undeveloped or undiscovered beaches, are not developed for tourism or recreation. Preserved beaches are important biomes with important roles in aquatic or marine biodiversity, such as for breeding grounds for sea turtles or nesting areas for seabirds or penguins . Preserved beaches and their associated dune are important for protection from extreme weather for inland ecosystems and human infrastructure. Although
1860-413: The beach. Compacted sediment is more resistant to movement by turbulent water from succeeding waves. Conversely, waves are destructive if the period between the wave crests is short. Sediment that remains in suspension when the following wave crest arrives will not be able to settle and compact and will be more susceptible to erosion by longshore currents and receding tides. The nature of sediments found on
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1920-401: The beaches are dominated by a warm lowlands pūriri forest, with a narrow band of mānuka -dominated band of Stormy Coastal Hill Ecosystem. The legendary voyager Kupe is said to have visited Whatipu when exploring New Zealand. Te Toka-Tapu-a-Kupe / Ninepin Rock at the southern end of Whatipu are named after his visit. In pre-European times the area was actively used by Māori , living along
1980-452: The character of underwater flora and fauna in the coastal shallows. Burning or clearance of vegetation on the land adjacent to the beach head, for farming and residential development, changes the surface wind patterns, and exposes the surface of the beach to wind erosion. Farming and residential development are also commonly associated with changes in local surface water flows. If these flows are concentrated in stormwater drains emptying onto
2040-438: The coastline and river valleys. There are caves about 20 minutes walk from the carpark, but there is no access from the caves to the beach. These caves and rock shelters were used as refuges during times of war between the 16th and 18th centuries. Textile remains such as fishing nets, baskets, cloak fragments were collected from four archeological sites in the area in the early 1900s: one at Whatipu and three on Paratutae Island to
2100-444: The dangers of loss of beach front flora has caused many local authorities responsible for managing coastal areas to restrict beach access points by physical structures or legal sanctions, and fence off foredunes in an effort to protect the flora. These measures are often associated with the construction of structures at these access points to allow traffic to pass over or through the dunes without causing further damage. Beaches provide
2160-504: The effects of human-made structures and processes. Over long periods of time, these influences may substantially alter the shape of the coastline, and the character of the beach. Beachfront flora plays a major role in stabilizing the foredunes and preventing beach head erosion and inland movement of dunes. If flora with network root systems (creepers, grasses, and palms) are able to become established, they provide an effective coastal defense as they trap sand particles and rainwater and enrich
2220-434: The established vegetation. Foreign unwashed sediments may introduce flora or fauna that are not usually found in that locality. Brighton Beach, on the south coast of England, is a shingle beach that has been nourished with very large pebbles in an effort to withstand the erosion of the upper area of the beach. These large pebbles made the beach unwelcoming for pedestrians for a period of time until natural processes integrated
2280-417: The feature. Where wind is the force distributing the grains inland, the deposit behind the beach becomes a dune . These geomorphic features compose what is called the beach profile . The beach profile changes seasonally due to the change in wave energy experienced during summer and winter months. In temperate areas where summer is characterised by calmer seas and longer periods between breaking wave crests,
2340-450: The heat of the sun evaporates the water leaving the salt which crystallises around the sand particles. This crust forms an additional protective layer that resists wind erosion unless disturbed by animals or dissolved by the advancing tide. Cusps and horns form where incoming waves divide, depositing sand as horns and scouring out sand to form cusps. This forms the uneven face on some sand shorelines . White sand beaches look white because
2400-449: The height of the water table. Some flora naturally occurring on the beach head requires freshwater runoff from the land. Diversion of freshwater runoff into drains may deprive these plants of their water supplies and allow sea water incursion, increasing the saltiness of the groundwater. Species that are not able to survive in salt water may die and be replaced by mangroves or other species adapted to salty environments. Beach nourishment
2460-476: The kauri ran out. While the timbermill was open, mill workers used the larger caves in the area were as a popular venue for meetings, and in the early 20th century the largest cave was used for dances, but sand has since drifted into the cave and the dance floor is now covered by five metres of sand. In the latter 19th century, Whatipu was used as black market port, where perfume, spirits and tobacco were smuggled into New Zealand. A road connecting Whatipu to Auckland
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2520-547: The local wave action and weather , creating different textures, colors and gradients or layers of material. Though some beaches form on inland freshwater locations such as lakes and rivers , most beaches are in coastal areas where wave or current action deposits and reworks sediments. Erosion and changing of beach geologies happens through natural processes, like wave action and extreme weather events . Where wind conditions are correct, beaches can be backed by coastal dunes which offer protection and regeneration for
2580-445: The middle and working classes began with the development of the railways in the 1840s, which offered cheap fares to fast-growing resort towns. In particular, the completion of a branch line to the small seaside town of Blackpool from Poulton led to a sustained economic and demographic boom. A sudden influx of visitors, arriving by rail, led entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and
2640-632: The naturally occurring shingle into the pebble base. Even in Roman times, wealthy people spent their free time on the coast. They also built large villa complexes with bathing facilities (so-called maritime villas) in particularly beautiful locations. Excavations of Roman architecture can still be found today, for example on the Amalfi Coast near Naples and in Barcola in Trieste. The development of
2700-621: The permanent water forming offshore bars, lagoons or increasing the area of the beach exposed at low tide. Large and rapid movements of exposed sand can bury and smother flora in adjacent areas, aggravating the loss of habitat for fauna, and enlarging the area of instability. If there is an adequate supply of sand, and weather conditions do not allow vegetation to recover and stabilize the sediment, wind-blown sand can continue to advance, engulfing and permanently altering downwind landscapes. Sediment moved by waves or receding floodwaters can be deposited in coastal shallows, engulfing reed beds and changing
2760-564: The quartz or eroded limestone in the sand reflects or scatters sunlight without absorbing other colors. The composition of the sand varies depending on the local minerals and geology. Some of the types of sand found in beaches around the world are: Beaches are changed in shape chiefly by the movement of water and wind. Any weather event that is associated with turbid or fast-flowing water or high winds will erode exposed beaches. Longshore currents will tend to replenish beach sediments and repair storm damage. Tidal waterways generally change
2820-415: The result of wave action by which waves or currents move sand or other loose sediments of which the beach is made as these particles are held in suspension . Alternatively, sand may be moved by saltation (a bouncing movement of large particles). Beach materials come from erosion of rocks offshore, as well as from headland erosion and slumping producing deposits of scree . A coral reef offshore
2880-412: The shallows, keeping it in suspension where it is prone to be carried along the beach by longshore currents, or carried out to sea to form longshore bars, especially if the longshore current meets an outflow from a river or flooding stream. The removal of sediment from the beach berm and dune thus decreases the beach profile. If storms coincide with unusually high tides, or with a freak wave event such as
2940-487: The shape of their adjacent beaches by small degrees with every tidal cycle. Over time these changes can become substantial leading to significant changes in the size and location of the beach. Changes in the shape of the beach may undermine the roots of large trees and other flora. Many beach adapted species (such as coconut palms) have a fine root system and large root ball which tends to withstand wave and wind action and tends to stabilize beaches better than other trees with
3000-562: The shape, profile and location of a beach within hours. Destruction of flora on the berm by the use of herbicides, excessive pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or disruption to freshwater flows may lead to erosion of the berm and dunes. While the destruction of flora may be a gradual process that is imperceptible to regular beach users, it often becomes immediately apparent after storms associated with high winds and freak wave events that can rapidly move large volumes of exposed and unstable sand, depositing them further inland, or carrying them out into
3060-768: The south east. Whatipu was part of the Hikurangi purchase by the Crown in 1853. The Te Kawerau tribe had reserves set aside at Bethells Beach and Piha . HMS Orpheus ran aground just inside the Manukau Harbour entrance south of Whatipu in 1863 with the loss of 189 lives. It was the biggest shipping disaster in New Zealand history. Nicholas Gibbons, a sawmill operator in St Johns, Newfoundland , came to New Zealand in 1853. In March 1854 they purchased land in
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#17327827068963120-666: The stream through bush, then climbs steeply to Puriri Ridge and the Whatipu Road. Back via Omanawanui Track, a switchback ridge in open bush with views across the Manukau Harbour and the Whatipu valley to the west coast. Time 4 hours. Beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock , such as sand , gravel , shingle , pebbles , etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shells or coralline algae . Sediments settle in different densities and structures, depending on
3180-577: The summer. A prominent feature of the resort was the promenade and the pleasure piers , where an eclectic variety of performances vied for the people's attention. In 1863, the North Pier in Blackpool was completed, rapidly becoming a centre of attraction for upper class visitors. Central Pier was completed in 1868, with a theatre and a large open-air dance floor. Many of the popular beach resorts were equipped with bathing machines , because even
3240-425: The surface flow of the runoff is diverted and concentrated by drains that create constant flows over the beach above the sea or river level, the beach will be eroded and ultimately form an inlet unless longshore flows deposit sediments to repair the breach. Once eroded, an inlet may allow tidal inflows of salt water to pollute areas inland from the beach and may also affect the quality of underground water supplies and
3300-519: The surface layer of the dunes, allowing other plant species to become established. They also protect the berm from erosion by high winds, freak waves and subsiding floodwaters. Over long periods of time, well-stabilized foreshore areas will tend to accrete, while unstabilized foreshores will tend to erode, leading to substantial changes in the shape of the coastline. These changes usually occur over periods of many years. Freak wave events such as tsunami, tidal waves, and storm surges may substantially alter
3360-657: The surface layer. When affected by moving water or wind, particles that are eroded and held in suspension will increase the erosive power of the fluid that holds them by increasing the average density, viscosity, and volume of the moving fluid. Coastlines facing very energetic wind and wave systems will tend to hold only large rocks as smaller particles will be held in suspension in the turbid water column and carried to calmer areas by longshore currents and tides. Coastlines that are protected from waves and winds will tend to allow finer sediments such as clay and mud to precipitate creating mud flats and mangrove forests. The shape of
3420-464: The third section, the pair would exit the location and meet with Brad in the Ghost Hunt vehicle, who would examine the evidence gathered by Michael and Carolyn, as well as discuss various findings that could be deemed evidence of haunting. It was left up to the viewer's own decision whether or not the evidence was trustworthy. The soundtrack theme for the show was "Into The Ocean (Calling You)" from
3480-408: The waves at some point in the tide, is termed the beach berm. The berm is the deposit of material comprising the active shoreline. The berm has a crest (top) and a face —the latter being the slope leading down towards the water from the crest. At the very bottom of the face, there may be a trough , and further seaward one or more long shore bars: slightly raised, underwater embankments formed where
3540-434: The waves first start to break. The sand deposit may extend well inland from the berm crest , where there may be evidence of one or more older crests (the storm beach ) resulting from very large storm waves and beyond the influence of the normal waves. At some point the influence of the waves (even storm waves) on the material comprising the beach stops, and if the particles are small enough (sand size or smaller), winds shape
3600-570: Was constructed in the 1920s. In 2005, the remains of a man who had been missing for four years were found by police at Whatipu's Destruction Gully. It was speculated that the man was the victim of an accident during fishing on the Manukau Harbour. In 2006, the location was featured on Ghost Hunt , a New Zealand paranormal television show. In the 21st century, Whatipu has been used for the Wild Turkey Off-Road Half Marathon/15 ;km. The Whatipu Beach Beacon
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