Muriwai Beach and Gannet Colony

The Gannet colony and Motutara Island.

Muriwai beach and Gannet Colony

These images were taken over three separate visits. Muriwai is fast becoming one of my favourite places to take photo's, and as it's only down the road I can see many more visits there in the future. 

Muriwai is a rather wild 50km long, black sand surf beach on Auckland's west coast. At the south end, where these images were taken,  is Otakamito point which is home to a large gannet colony.

There's plenty to photograph here and being on the west coast it is often home to some epic sunsets. If you're ever in Auckland you should visit, it's equally as great on a horrid winters day as it is in the middle of a hot summers day.

Maori Bay, on the other side of Otakamiro Point.

The Gannet colony and fisherman on Otakamiro Point.

Gannets in flight

Fishermen risking life and limb.

More limb risking on a later day.

Flax Plants, they're all over the show on the cliff top.

The place has loads of kite surfers, it appears kite surfing is now more popular than regular surfing.

I'm not sure if this is a picture of my friend looking out to sea (she's probably watching kite surfers) or the kite surfers behind her.