When the tide withdrew, time left something round behind

Koutu Boulders is not simply a point to find on a map. The tide decides the journey. After low water we followed the beach, and the mudflats, stones and great round boulders gradually appeared.

These giant concretions have been revealed slowly by coastal erosion; some reach several metres across. They are not arranged inside an attraction, but remain on the harbour edge, living through each returning tide. The land around them is still where people live—not a backdrop cleared for tourism.

Reaching them means respecting both the coast’s rhythm and local boundaries. Use the beach at low tide. When the water rises, private land does not become an automatic alternative route.

Before leaving, the children stacked a few small stones on one of the boulders and made wishes. No one asked what anyone had wished for.