Strange, mysterious boulders rise from a New Zealand beach

THE Traveler: Erik Skon of Stillwater.

The scene: Moeraki boulders, some as large as 5 feet in diameter, rise from the Otago Coast of New Zealand's South Island, near the small fishing village of Moeraki. "Folklore is storied with mystical explanations, but it is believed the coast has been eroded to expose these large boulders," Skon wrote in an e-mail, explaining that the rocks are made of compressed sediment, or concretions.

Destination details: Skon and his wife, Kathy, visited this beach in March during a three-week trip to New Zealand. The South Island offers superb hiking and diverse terrain, including glaciers, alps, beaches and fjords, he wrote. It is a favorite destination for the pair. On this beach, Skon wrote, "Tide movement is extreme, which makes this setting an ever-changing photo opportunity."

Getting the shot: Skon used an Olympus OM-D camera outfitted with a polarizing filter to make this photograph. "I was struck by the mid-afternoon lighting and designs on the large boulder in the foreground," he wrote. He set up his shot to align the near and distant boulders, which serves to draw a viewer's eyes to the surrounding beauty.

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