Northland
Saturday, after finishing last weeks Blog we headed up the coast to Mangawhai to meet some of Alans friends.
Sunday NEW YEARS EVE - Despite a very noisy campsite we woke feeling refreshed, a big cooked breakfast also helped. Once we'd packed camp we headed for the beach at Mangawhai Heads, where we relaxed for a while and played rugby in the sun. We then started off further north again. When we reached a town called Waipu we took a detour off the main road to find some nearby caves. A short distance into the cave and natural light had all but gone, it was dark, very very dark. However as our eyes adjusted the caves roof and walls gradually revealed their secrets....glow worms, hundreds upon thousands of worms glowing an eerie green glow. It was beautiful, like the night sky with the milky way stretching overhead.
A couple of hours later we arrived at our destination, HiHi (pronounced He He) in Doubtless Bay. Here we met up with some more of Alan's friends and the New Year festivities began....Just after 11pm we headed down to the beach where there was a large bonfire and fireworks to bring in the New Year. In the end there was three seperate countdowns which was really funny, as one group of people counted down by their watch and then another two minutes later with theirs and then third! It was pretty cool being on the beach with the fire and fireworks for New Year but it was wierd to think that while we were celebrating 2007 back home it was still New Year's Eve 2006!
Monday NEW YEAR'S DAY - A very quiet campsite today, we definately were not going to be driving anywhere so we contented ourselves with exploring the Bay at HiHi. It was sunny and warm, with quite a strong breeze and the Bay was very pretty as we scrambled round the shore over rocks. The rest of the afternoon was very chilled and relaxed, that evening we headed a short way up the coast to Mangonui to taste their famous fish and chips. Back at the campsite we headed to the beach to watch the sunset and the bay looked even better in the golden glow of the sinking sun, we then wandered around the shore a little more looking for Kiwi's (thought this could have been good habitat for them) but we didn't see any. Still it was a clear night and the stars were stunning. And so ended the first day of 2007...
Tuesday - Woke to a beautiful morning, the were singing, the sky was blue and even the wind had dropped a little. After packing up we continued with our journey up north. First stop 90 mile beach! Although not actually 90 miles long this beach is actually a state highway, you can drive along it although they recommend you have 4 wheel drive and avoid it 3 hours before and after high tide! Fortunately we arrived two and a half hours after and so only had a short wait before we ventured on in Al's truck.
What a drive! The golden beach spread out for miles in front and behind us and the turquoise ocean seemed to merge with the deep blue sky. Most of the time there was not another soul in sight, then a truck would emerge from the hazy horizon, zoom past and then disappear again.At the end of the beach the road off follows and cuts through the Te Paki Stream, and this is why they don't recommend cars driving this route...sinking sand! We were fine in Al's truck as long as we kept going and it was great fun splashing through the water.The 'road' led away from the sea and into the Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes. Giant mounds of golden sand rose up either side to meet the endless blue sky, it was like something from The Mummy! There were hundreds of people on the dunes sand boarding and we all decided we really wanted to give this a go!
First we had to get some cash, so we headed to the main State Highway 1 and to the last gas station in the north to rent some boards and get some food. Driving back to the sand dunes was a strange sensation as the main state highway turned into a gravel road!We climbed up onto the dunes and headed first to a shorted slope to try out our boards, we even tried standing up on them, a little more tricky but good fun. Then we headed for the massive slope! Walking up was a nightmare! It was extremely steep and the sand was constantly moving under your feet, Lee raced up the slope effortlessly with Rachael struggling on behind! Once at the top we stopped to take in the view, and let Rachael get her breath back! then we got on our boards (on our tummies, was not goin to attempt this slope standing up!) and zoomed down the slope in a whoosh of sand! It was brilliant fun, sand got everywhere but we didn't care! We walked up that slope a couple more times before it got the better of us and we could climb no more.
Once we had returned our boards we drove on up the gravel state highway 1 to the most northerly point of mainland New Zealand, Cape Reinga. We were greeted with a blast of wind that could have knocked your socks off if we were wearing any! But the scenery was stunning, rocky cliffs and beaches of golden sand met the Pacific Ocean that was deep blue and the Tasman Sea that was more truquoise, where these two water masses met the sea bubbled and sprayed despite the relatively calm conditions.
It was time to head for a campsite and we chose the one that was in the next bay, Tapotupotu, which the guidebook described as 'beautiful and sheltered'. As we set up camp we realised that although the site was very pretty it was by no means sheltered as the wind whistled down the valley.
Wednesday - Despite the ton of sand we desposited in our tent and the windy conditions it was a comfortable night sleep. Before heading directly south we visited the next bay along the coast, Spirits Bay, and what a beautiful bay it is.
Down a winding gravel track which lead to the valley floor, here a meandering river wound its way between the forested hills towards a bank of sand dunes before dropping down to a wide, sandy beach and deep blue ocean.
Spirits Bay has to one of the most beautiful bays we have seen and the bird watching here was great too! We saw 4 new species of bird including two different types of dotterel. Best of all, though, was the small group of White-fronted Terns that allowed us to get really close and take photos.
We now started our main journey back south towards the Bay of Islands which will be our last stop before heading back to Auckland. On the way we passed the 'purest silica deposits in the worlds' brilliant white mounds that were in stark contrast to the brilliant blue sky. Late afternoon we arrived in Paihia and the beautiful Bay of Islands stretched out before us. We were staying in a Backpackers tonight as tomorrow we were going to be getting up early in order to go....Dolphin Swimming! Rachael was a nervous ball of energy that evening with the anticipation of fufilling a life long ambition of swimming with dolphins, its amazing she got any sleep at all!
Thursday - Rachael was awake early, unsure what had woken her so early, perhaps the excitment, but she had been unable to get back to sleep due to the fifth person that had arrived late last night and was now snoring like a freight train! Still it was only an hour later that the alarm went off and we all had to get up!
By 7.30am we were at the offices of Dolphin Discoveries and by 7.32am at the pontoon waiting to board and by now Rachael was bouncing around like a flea with a nervous twitch. 8am and we were off into the Bay.
It was an absolutely gorgeous morning, not a cloud in the sky and a calm sea, perfect conditions despite the glare. There are 144 islands scattered around the Bay of Islands, hence the name, and as the boat cruised around them we all searched the sea for any sign of a dolphin or a whale. There were numerous seabirds around including the very cute Blue Penguins that would pop up beside the boat.
An hour and a half into the trip and the boat slowed near the mouth of the Bay, one of the guides came out and said they'd had a report of a whale in this area and for us all to keep our eyes peeled! Five minutes later and guess who shouts out 'Blow!'....
Rachael! who was extremely chuffed to have beenthe first to spot the whale out of the 55 people onboard. Slowly we headed over to where the whale had surfaced and sure enough it surfaced again close to the boat. A Bryde's Whale, similar to a Minke Whale but bigger and has three ridges by its blow hole. We were then allowed to go onto the bow and got some excellent views as the whale surfaced 3 or 4 times before diving down deeper.
We only spent a short time with the whale before heading off to the other side of the Bay where there had been reports of a group of dolphins. We searched and searched, but still no signs of any dolphins. Time was catching up with us and soon we had to head back towards Paihia. A little disappointed not to have seen dolphins but very glad to have seen a Bryde's Whale, the crew were very generous to offer us a complimentary pass for a free trip! We'll definately be back up to take advantage of this offer but before that....Bring on Kaikoura and the Dusky Dolphins!
Back on solid land it was time to head back to Auckland. We stopped for lunch at Hururu Falls just outside of Paihia and then continued south. We broke the journey up by stopping at the A H Reed Memorial Kauri Park near Whangarei. The Kauri trees are New Zealands oldest trees, and this ancient woodland was well preserved with a canopy walkway to prevent erosion to the roots of these magnificent, giant trees.
It was still a beautiful day as we headed over the harbour bridge and the city of Auckland spread out before us. The two week camping adventure around North Island with Alan and Cath was over.
Friday - Alan's 24th birthday, Happy Birthday Al! He was heading off for a helicopter flying lesson at 12 midday and so Lee and Rachael decided to head for Auckland Museum.We spent 4 hours exploring the museum and only saw one out of the three floors! It's huge and jam packed with information.
We stuck to the natural history floor, full of information about New Zealands unique flora and fauna. There were sections on the land, coast and ocean as well as a gallery looking at dinosaurs in New Zealand and extinct ancient creatures such as the Moa (a huge flightless bird). There was also a really interesting section on volcanoes and their activity in New Zealand, including a simulation of what it would be like if a volcano erupted in Auckland harbour.
Before we left we also watched a traditional Maori performance of songs and games, including the famous Huka, which was really interesting and an excellent introduction to the Maori culture. We left with our brains almost popping with the amount of information we had put in!
Back at Alan's house we celebrated his birthday with a house party with a lot of the friends we had met in the last week.
Saturday, after finishing last weeks Blog we headed up the coast to Mangawhai to meet some of Alans friends.
Sunday NEW YEARS EVE - Despite a very noisy campsite we woke feeling refreshed, a big cooked breakfast also helped. Once we'd packed camp we headed for the beach at Mangawhai Heads, where we relaxed for a while and played rugby in the sun. We then started off further north again. When we reached a town called Waipu we took a detour off the main road to find some nearby caves. A short distance into the cave and natural light had all but gone, it was dark, very very dark. However as our eyes adjusted the caves roof and walls gradually revealed their secrets....glow worms, hundreds upon thousands of worms glowing an eerie green glow. It was beautiful, like the night sky with the milky way stretching overhead.
A couple of hours later we arrived at our destination, HiHi (pronounced He He) in Doubtless Bay. Here we met up with some more of Alan's friends and the New Year festivities began....Just after 11pm we headed down to the beach where there was a large bonfire and fireworks to bring in the New Year. In the end there was three seperate countdowns which was really funny, as one group of people counted down by their watch and then another two minutes later with theirs and then third! It was pretty cool being on the beach with the fire and fireworks for New Year but it was wierd to think that while we were celebrating 2007 back home it was still New Year's Eve 2006!
Monday NEW YEAR'S DAY - A very quiet campsite today, we definately were not going to be driving anywhere so we contented ourselves with exploring the Bay at HiHi. It was sunny and warm, with quite a strong breeze and the Bay was very pretty as we scrambled round the shore over rocks. The rest of the afternoon was very chilled and relaxed, that evening we headed a short way up the coast to Mangonui to taste their famous fish and chips. Back at the campsite we headed to the beach to watch the sunset and the bay looked even better in the golden glow of the sinking sun, we then wandered around the shore a little more looking for Kiwi's (thought this could have been good habitat for them) but we didn't see any. Still it was a clear night and the stars were stunning. And so ended the first day of 2007...
Tuesday - Woke to a beautiful morning, the were singing, the sky was blue and even the wind had dropped a little. After packing up we continued with our journey up north. First stop 90 mile beach! Although not actually 90 miles long this beach is actually a state highway, you can drive along it although they recommend you have 4 wheel drive and avoid it 3 hours before and after high tide! Fortunately we arrived two and a half hours after and so only had a short wait before we ventured on in Al's truck.
What a drive! The golden beach spread out for miles in front and behind us and the turquoise ocean seemed to merge with the deep blue sky. Most of the time there was not another soul in sight, then a truck would emerge from the hazy horizon, zoom past and then disappear again.At the end of the beach the road off follows and cuts through the Te Paki Stream, and this is why they don't recommend cars driving this route...sinking sand! We were fine in Al's truck as long as we kept going and it was great fun splashing through the water.The 'road' led away from the sea and into the Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes. Giant mounds of golden sand rose up either side to meet the endless blue sky, it was like something from The Mummy! There were hundreds of people on the dunes sand boarding and we all decided we really wanted to give this a go!
First we had to get some cash, so we headed to the main State Highway 1 and to the last gas station in the north to rent some boards and get some food. Driving back to the sand dunes was a strange sensation as the main state highway turned into a gravel road!We climbed up onto the dunes and headed first to a shorted slope to try out our boards, we even tried standing up on them, a little more tricky but good fun. Then we headed for the massive slope! Walking up was a nightmare! It was extremely steep and the sand was constantly moving under your feet, Lee raced up the slope effortlessly with Rachael struggling on behind! Once at the top we stopped to take in the view, and let Rachael get her breath back! then we got on our boards (on our tummies, was not goin to attempt this slope standing up!) and zoomed down the slope in a whoosh of sand! It was brilliant fun, sand got everywhere but we didn't care! We walked up that slope a couple more times before it got the better of us and we could climb no more.
Once we had returned our boards we drove on up the gravel state highway 1 to the most northerly point of mainland New Zealand, Cape Reinga. We were greeted with a blast of wind that could have knocked your socks off if we were wearing any! But the scenery was stunning, rocky cliffs and beaches of golden sand met the Pacific Ocean that was deep blue and the Tasman Sea that was more truquoise, where these two water masses met the sea bubbled and sprayed despite the relatively calm conditions.
It was time to head for a campsite and we chose the one that was in the next bay, Tapotupotu, which the guidebook described as 'beautiful and sheltered'. As we set up camp we realised that although the site was very pretty it was by no means sheltered as the wind whistled down the valley.
Wednesday - Despite the ton of sand we desposited in our tent and the windy conditions it was a comfortable night sleep. Before heading directly south we visited the next bay along the coast, Spirits Bay, and what a beautiful bay it is.
Down a winding gravel track which lead to the valley floor, here a meandering river wound its way between the forested hills towards a bank of sand dunes before dropping down to a wide, sandy beach and deep blue ocean.
Spirits Bay has to one of the most beautiful bays we have seen and the bird watching here was great too! We saw 4 new species of bird including two different types of dotterel. Best of all, though, was the small group of White-fronted Terns that allowed us to get really close and take photos.
We now started our main journey back south towards the Bay of Islands which will be our last stop before heading back to Auckland. On the way we passed the 'purest silica deposits in the worlds' brilliant white mounds that were in stark contrast to the brilliant blue sky. Late afternoon we arrived in Paihia and the beautiful Bay of Islands stretched out before us. We were staying in a Backpackers tonight as tomorrow we were going to be getting up early in order to go....Dolphin Swimming! Rachael was a nervous ball of energy that evening with the anticipation of fufilling a life long ambition of swimming with dolphins, its amazing she got any sleep at all!
Thursday - Rachael was awake early, unsure what had woken her so early, perhaps the excitment, but she had been unable to get back to sleep due to the fifth person that had arrived late last night and was now snoring like a freight train! Still it was only an hour later that the alarm went off and we all had to get up!
By 7.30am we were at the offices of Dolphin Discoveries and by 7.32am at the pontoon waiting to board and by now Rachael was bouncing around like a flea with a nervous twitch. 8am and we were off into the Bay.
It was an absolutely gorgeous morning, not a cloud in the sky and a calm sea, perfect conditions despite the glare. There are 144 islands scattered around the Bay of Islands, hence the name, and as the boat cruised around them we all searched the sea for any sign of a dolphin or a whale. There were numerous seabirds around including the very cute Blue Penguins that would pop up beside the boat.
An hour and a half into the trip and the boat slowed near the mouth of the Bay, one of the guides came out and said they'd had a report of a whale in this area and for us all to keep our eyes peeled! Five minutes later and guess who shouts out 'Blow!'....
Rachael! who was extremely chuffed to have beenthe first to spot the whale out of the 55 people onboard. Slowly we headed over to where the whale had surfaced and sure enough it surfaced again close to the boat. A Bryde's Whale, similar to a Minke Whale but bigger and has three ridges by its blow hole. We were then allowed to go onto the bow and got some excellent views as the whale surfaced 3 or 4 times before diving down deeper.
We only spent a short time with the whale before heading off to the other side of the Bay where there had been reports of a group of dolphins. We searched and searched, but still no signs of any dolphins. Time was catching up with us and soon we had to head back towards Paihia. A little disappointed not to have seen dolphins but very glad to have seen a Bryde's Whale, the crew were very generous to offer us a complimentary pass for a free trip! We'll definately be back up to take advantage of this offer but before that....Bring on Kaikoura and the Dusky Dolphins!
Back on solid land it was time to head back to Auckland. We stopped for lunch at Hururu Falls just outside of Paihia and then continued south. We broke the journey up by stopping at the A H Reed Memorial Kauri Park near Whangarei. The Kauri trees are New Zealands oldest trees, and this ancient woodland was well preserved with a canopy walkway to prevent erosion to the roots of these magnificent, giant trees.
It was still a beautiful day as we headed over the harbour bridge and the city of Auckland spread out before us. The two week camping adventure around North Island with Alan and Cath was over.
Friday - Alan's 24th birthday, Happy Birthday Al! He was heading off for a helicopter flying lesson at 12 midday and so Lee and Rachael decided to head for Auckland Museum.We spent 4 hours exploring the museum and only saw one out of the three floors! It's huge and jam packed with information.
We stuck to the natural history floor, full of information about New Zealands unique flora and fauna. There were sections on the land, coast and ocean as well as a gallery looking at dinosaurs in New Zealand and extinct ancient creatures such as the Moa (a huge flightless bird). There was also a really interesting section on volcanoes and their activity in New Zealand, including a simulation of what it would be like if a volcano erupted in Auckland harbour.
Before we left we also watched a traditional Maori performance of songs and games, including the famous Huka, which was really interesting and an excellent introduction to the Maori culture. We left with our brains almost popping with the amount of information we had put in!
Back at Alan's house we celebrated his birthday with a house party with a lot of the friends we had met in the last week.
posted by Lee Barber at
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