Tunnel Beach

[I've been really bogged down with studying for exams, downloading massive amounts of music off the university network via MyTunes (gives download capability to iTunes for crazyfast downloading of shared music on a windows network), and trying to make sure I have everything in order for leaving in 10 days. And that is why I have less time to devote to regular blog updates. I'll try and be better when I'm back in Asia in 2 weeks.]

Today Vania and I went to Tunnel Beach. Tunnel Beach is public land, cuz it's a beach. However, the only access is by boat or through a tunnel on private land. The tunnel was carved through the sandstone cliffs way back in the 1870s so that the landowner could have his own private beach for his family. The guy who owns the land these days has set up a fenced path from the road, 750m down to the tunnel entrance, and the Dept of Conservation is responsible for maintaining it. Since the owner is a farmer, there are sheep everywhere, which also means his land is off limits for lambing season, August 1 to October 31. The beach was opened again yesterday.

Righto, enough background. Here's what you really want - photos!




I think animals in Alberta might be a wee bit jealous of animals in New Zealand, what with the flat scenery in Alberta, and the sweeping ocean views with green pastures, carpets of yellow flax blooming on the hillsides, and cream-coloured cliffs dropping magnificently to the sea.






This next pic is taken from the tip of the outcropping in the pic above. I was on the tip at the top left of the pic above, looking back toward Tunnel Beach. And yes, it is a tiny beach, roughly 50-100 metres wide depending on the tide (at high tide there is no dry sand at all).




Looking down through the tunnel. The tunnel is approximately 20 metres long, give or take a couple, and the incline is about 30 degrees.




Guess what this is? You (probably) guessed correctly - it's the beach end of the tunnel.




Looking up from the beach, we were surrounded by cliff faces. I may be crazy, but I see a face at the top of the left of this photo, in the cliff (a 'cliff face,' get it?). Then again, no one else could see the lady in the smoke except me, so maybe I AM going crazy.




We also saw this shark in the water. Cool, yes? Anyone who can correctly identify the type of shark this is gets a free beer from me (or suitable non-alcoholic beverage for those not of age).




After three and a half hours on the beach, almost all of which I spent just lying in the sun doing nothing but swat flies, we headed back to the car. On such a sunny day, I HAD to take a car photo. This is Vania and her Toyota MR2. It's a nice car.




On our drive back into the city, I noticed a statue of Queen Victoria in a park. I had seen the war memorial in the park before, but never noticed this statue, and so I took a photo while we were stopped at a red light. This photo interested me for two reasons: 1) Queen Victoria was very manly in appearance according to this statue; 2) She is holding the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch in her hand.




I wasn't sure if it was definitely a Holy Hand Grenade, so I Google Image'd it, and sure enough here's proof that good ol' Queen Vic was a fan of Monty Python...