West Coast Fungi Forage – Take 2. (20-22 May)
Headed to the Coast on Friday morning, weather not looking very promising, but cleared enough to walk at Mitchells and Moana, before becoming torrential as we drove into Greymouth. By next morning the sky had cleared, there was a beautiful sunrise, with the beach looking very interesting with the foam patterns. Only three of us, Sue, Maureen and Geoff waited for our guide Murry. Turned out to be two guides as Steve Reekie was with Murry. Off to Arnold Loop. Wet underfoot, but gumboots dealt with that and the weather was perfect, sunny at first and then bright overcast. Lots of fungi on the top terrace, pink, red, blue, orange, green, all sorts of brown, grey and black and white. Since the storm made it pointless to go and see the starfish we had longer to wander and we needed it. After a late lunch we headed off to Coal Creek, and many more fungi. Steve and Murry were great finding all manner of interesting things to photograph, and Steve really knows his fungi and the area so well. Beautiful sunset, then later dinner at Ali’s, where we met up with Bevan Tullett and his wife. Sunday was overcast as we headed off to Nelson Creek. It’s a short walk, but lots of fungi! We headed back to the cars as the rain started and ate lunch under a shelter at the start of the walk. Headed back to town through the back road past Lady Lake, where the rain had cleared and the lake looked very attractive, and then great views of the snowy peaks in Arthurs Pass. Thank you to Murry and Steve for a great weekend, and to Bob for the plan!
Link to West Coast Gallery on Flickr
