New Zealand: Golden Coast – Farewell Spit

Farewell Spit is a beautiful narrow sand spit at the very top of the South Island – it’s a very windy area of fantastic grey sand dunes, towering seastacks just offshore, imposing coastal cliffs, and wind-battered stunted trees. Abel Tasman was the first European to spot the narrow finger of the Farewell Spit in 1642, while Captain Cook was the next European explorer to step his foot here in 1770. Fast forward to 2009, and it was my turn.