Or: What has a Paua to do with wet trousers?
Paua: Maoriname for abalone/haliotis iris, a sort of snail [even when they look like and are called as mussels]. The "pauashell" is protected in NZ, fishermen are only allowed to get a certain
quantity under certain conditions; you may find some empty shells at some beaches, these shells are treasured as well, collected and used in jewellery and several sorts of souvernirs.
If I have understood correctly, you must not export more than one untreated pauahalf as a tourist.
In the morning we awake at daybreak [about 07.00], enjoy our breakfast and get up very slowly, it is cold outside. As soon as it gets warmer we climb out of the van and once again take pictures.
Motives sooooo beautiful here at the beach, you can't drive on now?! At some time the battery is empty and I walk along the beach just looking. The pauas from yesterday's evening are all gone,
perhaps by flood, perhaps by collection, who knows. But I discover a little paua, only 5 cm long. THAT one I will take with me. It is a little sandy, that doesn't matter, I have enough water
around to wash it. So I stand on the beach, waiting for the next shallow wave to flush the paua. Well, what to say? It WAS a flush, much bigger than expected, the water swashes atop my ankles,
the boots are wet, the trousers too and the paua is gone, probably I let loose out of fright... And I swear, I hear the Pacific giggle ;)
So what does Master Pacific teaches me in his impressive way? "Take only pictures - leave only footprints". Yes sir, I'll do so. Even if these will be hard times not collecting stones, mussels,
shells etc....
18.03.15/ paua & Co.
17.03.15/ Kaka Point - Colac Bay
18.03.15/ Colac Bay - Te Anau