The beach may be known for the world’s fastest Indian, but the gentle sand slopes of Oreti Beach are more traditionally a gathering place of Kai Moana – sea food.

Dragging a flounder net across the beach on the incoming tide and digging for pipis is a popular past time.

For those with permission from the local iwi, digging for their oversize cousins, the Toheroa, takes place.  Only two of them are enough to make a filling soup.

Original, shown here, is available.