A monster from the deep has shocked beach-goers after it washed up at Muriwai Beach.
Melissa Doubleday posted a photo of the mysterious object to the Muriwai and Waimauku Area Community Group Facebook page, asking "if anyone knows what this is??!".
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Facebook commenters then dug deep into their collective knowledge to speculate on what the object could be, with suggestions including a shipwreck, a piece of art, a Carribean walrus and a Rastafarian whale.
The object is actually a huge bit of driftwood, and is covered in what appear to be gooseneck barnacles.