Fossil Forest Dried Beach Kelp Curio Bay Catlins NZ
Photo & Vacation Spot

A mass of dried kelp has been left to rest on the beach at the Fossil Forest at Curio Bay in the Catlins on the East Coast of the South Island of NZ.

What appears as a bunch of snakes weaved around each other is actually the dried kelp which has been left on the beach at the Fossil Forest at Curio Bay in the Catlins, NZ. At low tide, the beach at the Fossil Forest is beautiful as dried kelp, fossils, sea creatures, tidal pools and rocks span across the beach making this an interesting place to visit while in the Catlins in Southland, NZ.

The fossil forest where this dried kelp has come to rest includes pieces of trees, leaves and forest debris which scientists have spent many years studying and learning of their past. People exploring the beach at Curio Bay should be leery of where they step as the fossil forest has been part of this landscape for close to 160 million years.

Low tide is the best time to visit Curio Bay in the Catlins, NZ but when the rugged coastline shows its fury at high tide, it is quite an amazing place to be. As the tide makes its way back in, most of the kelp will be swept back under the surface of the water until low tide returns, but some pieces of kelp may have been pushed up too far and dried along the beach.

Dried Kelp at the Fossil Forest at Curio Bay, Southern Scenic Route, Catlins, Southland, East Coast, South Island, New Zealand.