Residents of Muriwai Beach in New Zealand are left bewildered by the discovery of a colossal object resembling an alien creature, adorned with barnacles. Melissa Doubleday stumbled upon this enigmatic sight five kilometers from Muriwai Beach in the Auckland region, prompting her to share a photograph of it on the Muriwai & Waimauku Area Community Group. Inquisitive about the nature of the object, Doubleday sought the insights of fellow community members, asking, “Can anyone shed light on the identity of this peculiar find that washed ashore on Muriwai Beach?”

Different concepts were proposed, such as a traditional Maori vessel, a fearsome creature reminiscent of the 1980s show “Under the Mountain,” a sunken ship, visually appealing artwork, an unexpected walrus in the Caribbean, a laid-back whale with a Rastafarian twist, or even a mysterious extraterrestrial time capsule.

As she approached the object, Ms. Doubleday initially mistook it for a stranded whale due to its peculiar appearance. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a considerably sized chunk of driftwood adorned with what seemed to be gooseneck barnacles.

The bizarre object triggered a wave of nostalgia, reminiscent of the beautiful shores of New Zealand. It instantly transported me back to the mesmerizing sight when a mammoth earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted the ocean floor, propelling it upwards by two meters and dramatically bursting through the powdery sand.

After being submerged, the rocks, adorned with barnacles, limpets, and seaweed, experienced a remarkable upsurge. This unexpected elevation caused a predicament for various marine creatures, such as lobsters and abalones, as they found themselves marooned outside their aquatic habitat.