Is it possible to find gemstones on Gemstone Beach? |New Zealand.

After Invercargill we stop by Gemstone Beach. It got it's name simply because you can find semi-precious gems here. Such as jasper, quartz, garnet and nephrite. I was thrilled, I love souvenirs on a budget!

When I was a kid, I used to love dig sand on the beach or even on the side of the road and look for all kinds of stones. I loved interesting shapes and colors and I was fascinated by the ones that shine in the sun. I could spend hours just by digging in the sand and look at every stone to find the most beautiful ones. Some things never change, so I still like to do that. :D You can found proof in my blog post about panning gold in the river. Read it HERE. So looking for stones in a beach sand was my gem... :D

You can find all kinds of pebbles and stones around here, you just have to know where to look.

I came prepared - I got a jar to store them. I also read about the stones you can find here, just to be sure what to look for.

This time my technique was simple. I dug a hole close to the wave line and quickly searched for nicest stones, before the wave came and washed away my hole. I noticed that the most interesting stones are closer to the line where waves hit the beach. I also learned that if you don’t be careful the wave will grab you and pull you into the sea. When I was finished I noticed that I am wet up to my waist.

But at least I had a chance to return in my childhood days when I loved to dig and play in the sand.

I didn’t really found much of gemstones. For some reason I felt like this beach was like everyone else in New Zealand. And I have found much more interesting stones elsewhere. But maybe it was just a bad day for collecting stones. I would suggest to try after big storms, when there is a chance that waves would wash out something much more interesting.