Coconuts hit local beaches

28 Mar, 2022

Due to the ongoing La Nina weather pattern which has been swirling around the country since last year, Northeasterly winds and a heightened risk of Pacific tropical cyclones tend to become more common, bringing not only moist, rainy conditions and humidity to the North Islands northeastern shores, but also coconuts it seems, possibly floating down from the Pacific Islands.

Taking a morning stroll along Mangawhai Heads surf beach recently, local couple Mac and Gwenda Hungerford came across an unusual object not often seen lying on the sand along Aotearoa’s coastlines, and took this picture.

“Gwenda and I frequently stroll along the surf beach and found the coconut with some interesting shells attached to it, just past the first set of rocks, about half tide line,” Mac says. “First one I’ve ever seen in New Zealand, evidence of the warm Northerly currents we are experiencing I expect.”

Bunches of coconuts have also been spotted scattered along Te Arai beach, the first ones ever seen there by a long-time regular runner of the beach.

– JULIA WADE