Other strange things in Taranaki

Last week, I told you about some strange anomalies that I learned about called concretions that we saw on our trip to the Patea River Dam.  (Click here for that post.)  This post is, to me, a definite head-scratcher, too.

Notice that the green areas in the map below are hills and mountains covered in trees--so much so that you can't actually see the rest of the Patea River flowing to the town of Patea until you click in quite closely.

The drive is dirt road the last 10 or 12 kilometers with some not-too-shabby scenery.  Below are wild goats grazing while pukekos play in the water. And this view of the river that I posted earlier.

When you finally arrive at the dam, you find a tranquil, beautiful place where you can launch boats, swim, and picnic. Farther from the water and behind some trees is a place to camp, complete with showers.

While we were there, Hubby found some new friends! I have no idea who the calves and sheep belong to. Many of the places we go have signs posted that we are crossing farmlands, so watch out for live stock. *insert shocked smiley here*

The stranger thing is this: Seashells embedded in the ground all along the riverside at the dam. They are honestly and truly fossilized shells or what I imagine fossils should look like.

According to the map at the top, this place is about 30k--through heavy forest--from the ocean. If there is a rational explanation, I can't find it on the internet. Personally, I think that God has an awesome sense of humor.

Reconnect with Nature (come on over and share your nature shots!)

Nature Notes