Tumble and Polish

Gemstone Beach in August is the second to last post in this series documenting fossicking on Gemstone Beach for a year. Many fossicks were had this month even with a required two week trip up to family in Hawkes Bay. My dear friend JP (TumbleStoneBlog author) was here for almost the whole month on one of his several trips a year down south to hunt and gather stones. It’s always more motivating (and fun) to fossick with likeminded company!

Fossick #1 – Friday 1 August, 2025

JP’s arrival in Southland so why not meet at the beach first up!?! We both pulled into Gemstone Beach from opposite ways at the same time – how’s that for timing? There was only one other car in the carpark (unusual). After a quick hug and catch up we were off down the beach.

Beach Conditions

The sky was blue with a few clouds and although the sun was out, it was only 8 degrees. Not freezing but not warm either. Low tide at 11:47am and our arrival at 1:18pm meant that the tide was already on it’s way back in. We knew that we probably wouldn’t make it all the way down to the Waimeamea River and back so we decided to head towards the crevice in the cliff before turning around.

The Taunoa Stream

Now I know that the last time I was down on Gemstone Beach was July 7, but I just could not believe the change in the Taunoa Stream. Below, Image A is the Taunoa Stream today, and Image B is the Taunoa Stream back in July!

There was a significant bank of stones and sand built up on either side of the Taunoa Stream with the water rushing swiftly out to sea. As the tide was on it’s way in, you had to be careful when crossing it too.

No Waimeamea River Today

As we didn’t get all the way down to the Waimeamea River (not unexpected due to the weather conditions) we are unsure if the river was open and flowing or closed off today.

Part way down the beach we both stopped to chat to Tui locals Carmen and William. We shared and admired each other’s finds of the day! As there were lots of stones around the Taunoa Stream, JP and I were looking and chatting and not paying attention to the incoming tide up the stream. We both got caught out by a rogue wave with our trousers getting soaked! JP got water down his gumboots, luckily I didn’t due to how far up mine come (almost to my knee).

We left the beach at 2:44pm having spend almost an hour and a half looking for stones to tumble. There was one other car in the carpark and the temperature was still a cool 8 degrees.

Favourite Finds of the Day – Fossick #1

Fossick #2 – Saturday 2 August, 2025

JP and I arrived at the Gemstone Beach carpark around 10am. A bus, a couple of cars and a surfer van full of people were already in the carpark. Low tide wasn’t scheduled for another two and a bit hours at 12:41pm so we weren’t sure if we’d be able to cross the Taunoa Stream or not. It was only 8 degrees (celcius) and rather windy.

Beach Conditions

It was bitterly cold with the blustery wind making it feel much colder than 8 degrees. The Taunoa Stream was quite swift with a deep groove in the middle making it difficult to safely cross. We decided to fossick just in the front of the carpark. I hadn’t done any fossicking there for quite some time, preferring to head across the Taunoa Stream and down to the Waimeamea River instead. The group from the surfer van crossed over the Taunoa, probably to check out the surfing conditions. Gemstone Beach, although well known for its “gem” stones is also a popular surfing spot especially when it’s a northerly. Unfortunately it was a sou’wester wind today!

Fossick #3 – Sunday 3 August, 2025

Yes, that’s three days in a row down at Gemstone Beach for JP and I. Unfortunately I have to fly up to Hawkes Bay to be with family, leaving on Thursday (and working Tuesday, Wednesday before I go). That means we’ve been getting as much time on the beach as possible before I leave.

We arrived at the carpark at 12:16pm. There were eight cars already there with quite a few people on the beach. As we got down on the beach a four wheel motorbike towing a trailer with a huge fishing boat tender on the back passed us. Must be locals, but I’d not seen them on the beach before. There were lots of people across the Taunoa Stream. From across the Taunoa and out of the sea fog came a man on a big white horse – such an awesome sight .

Beach Conditions & The Waimeamea River

Low tide was scheduled for 1:41pm. We’ve been having to keep an eye on the waves the last few days due to big swells and after-surges from the earthquake in Russia that sparked a Tsunami alert here in New Zealand.

The Waimeamea River was closed off so we were able to fossick down to the cliffs past where the river normally comes out. We stopped and had a long chat/catch up with fellow Southland Geology & Lapidary Club member Jason as he fossicked his way back to the carpark.

There were lots more people on the beach as we got closer to the carpark – about eight or so over the Taunoa Stream and about 12 in front of the carpark. As we were returning to the car a light plane circled above and then landed on the beach down by Monkey Island! It was 3:48pm and we’d spent just over four and half hours on the beach.

Favourite Finds of the Day – Fossick #3

Fossick #4 – Thursday, 21 August, 2025

It’s my first time back on the beach since returning from Hawkes Bay. JP is still here and we decided on an afternoon fossick. We arrived at the carpark just after 3pm and it was surprisingly busy. There were six cars on this overcast afternoon.

Beach Conditions

Low tide is scheduled around 5pm-ish so we knew we’d be fossicking down at least as far as the Waimeamea River with the tide going out. It was 11 degrees so not cold but not hot either. No rain about so there was no need for any wet weather gear, just a scarf for warmth around the neck area!

Waimeamea River

We made it down to the Waimeamea River at 4:47pm. It was open wide and flowing fast out to sea so we did not attempt to cross it although Ohla dog did. There wasn’t much in the way of interesting stones on the side of the river this time so we turned around and made our way back to the carpark.

I think between the lateness of the day, the fading light and my tiredness, I stopped seeing for looking! All the stones started looking grey and bland! That’s when you know (along with a heavy backpack) that’s it’s time to go.

Favourite Finds of the Day – Fossick #4

Bonus: Night Fossick – Friday, 22 August, 2025

As low tide happened to coincide with an after sunset look at Gemstone Beach with our torches we whipped down to Gemstone to see what stones might look like under UV light. We got to the carpark at 6:55pm and stayed on the beach until 7:42pm – almost an hour!

It was rather off-putting, if I’m honest, to be on the beach in the dark! I know the area rather well, spending a lot of time down there but that did not stop me from feeling quite disorientated! When you’re using UV light, you can’t have any other light and the UV light is not strong enough to “show the way”! It’s. a super weird feeling. It’s also very hard to take a photo too. But I will say white hydrogrossular garnets shine hot pink under UV light – they look awesome! I just couldn’t get the camera in my iPhone to show the hot pink though!

We both stayed on the carpark side of the Taunoa Stream. It was fun and I’d like to do it again sometime but over the other side of the Taunoa Stream. I think you should always have someone else with you and use your normal torch to go to a spot, swap to your UV light and explore then switch back to your normal torch to show you the way to walk!

Fossick #5 – Saturday, 23 August, 2025

Today’s fossick was the last one with JP. He’s starting his long journey back home to Whanganui tomorrow morning. We arrived at the carpark just after 3pm – three hours after high tide. There were 10 or so cars in the carpark – busy busy! Low tide wasn’t scheduled until 6:31pm so we hoped we’d be able to safely ford the Taunoa Stream.

Beach Conditions

It was 14 degrees when we arrived with a light breeze. Perfect conditions for an afternoon fossick. There was a bit of a haze but rather warmer than it has been thanks to no chilly wind! We enjoyed the sun and the blue sky!

Although it looks rather sandy, there were still good pockets of stones to look over as we made our way down to the Wairmeamea River, hoping it was open and flowing today.

Waimeamea River

We arrived at the open and flowing Waimeamea River at 5:15pm. As the tide was still on it’s way out and the mouth looked quite shallow we decided to cross it and fossick for a bit on the other side. It was a bit swifter than it looked so we took our time and carefully made our way over. We gave ourselves 20 minutes to have fossick around before crossing back over.

On our way back to the carpark we stopped to talk with two people making their way down towards to Waimeamea River. Turns out they (Blair & Catherine) were down from Cromwell and were here for the SGLC Field trip to Takitimu Coal Mine tomorrow. Both JP and I weren’t going on the field trip as it would be his leaving-to-begin-the-journey-home day!

We arrived back at the carpark at 6:10pm having spent just over three hours on the beach. It wasn’t 14 degrees anymore – the temperature had dropped to 9!

Favourite Finds of the Day – Fossick #5

If I’m naming the stones in the captions, please note that I am by no means an expert and they are my “best guess” with some being more confident guesses than others. That being said, I am really keen for any thoughts, corrections, suggestions on my favourite finds from Gemstone Beach so please leave a comment – it’s greatly appreciated!

Next in the Series:

Gemstone Beach in September: Stones, Waves & Whispers Part 12 – the final part. (not published yet)

Just stumbled across this post and want to read the series from the beginning? Click here.