Road Trip!

Monday: Today marks a new chapter in our travels around New Zealand, today we were setting out on our own in our car to explore the North and South Island on our own!

After spending the morning getting a few essentials i.e. a stove! we set off to the north of Auckland to a place called Pakiri, here we had heard about a breeding pair of Fairy Terns, the rarest tern in New Zealand. Once on the beach we headed over to an area sealed off and sat for over an hour enjoying the sun, sand and Fairy Tern! We watched as the chick waddled around the beach occasionally flapping its wings and lifting itself a little off the beach, then the parent would come swooping in with food, which it presented to the chick and then sat on the beach for a while resting before flying off over the river or surf to fish again.

When finished we jumped back into the boiling hot car and drove back south again heading for the renowned birding site of Miranda, located on the Firth of Thames near the Coromandel Peninsula. It took quite a while to reach the area and when we did it was almost dark, we set up camp in a small place called Rays Rest and ate dinner for the first time under a sky filled with stars.

Tuesday: We awoke to a gloriously, still morning and once we had breakfast headed straight for the Miranda Shorebird Centre. From here we followed the trail to the shore and pools where thousands of waders come to roost at high tide.

We were stunned by the multitudes of birds covering the pools, thousands of Bar Tailed Godwits, Lesser Knots, Pied Oystercatchers and very groovey Wrybills. Amongst these were smaller numbers of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Pied Stilt and Red-necked Stints. It was a birdwatchers paradise.

After a couple of hours, tired, hot and hungry we made our way to the Miranda Holiday Park where we spent the afternoon relaxing before returning to the Miranda reserve after dinner, for an evening viewing.

This time the pools were empty and all the birds we feeding on the exposed mud flats. As the tide came in the birds started moving closer and congregating into larger numbers and amongst the regulars we spotted one rare vagrant, a Grey-tailed Tattler!

As the sun dropped lighting the horizon and clouds bright red huge flocks of birds started lifting up all at once, circling round our heads and over to the pools behind. The giant mass of birds seemed to move all as one, a swirling black mass against a greyish sky, an awesome spectacular sight.

Wednesday: Another morning at the reserve, the birds were coming onto the pools after an night of feeding. This time we sat a short distance from the edge of the pools watching the Wrybills, Lesser Knot and Bar-tailed Godwits return, thousands of birds would come in at once, swirling close to our heads before landing on the water before us.

As the sun broke through the layer of clouds we lay flat on our stomachs and inched our way towards the edge of the pool and the group of Wrybill that were roosting at its edge. My goodness we got close, they didn't seemed bothered at all even moving closer to us! We spent nearly 3/4 of an hour taking photos and even saw a Curlew Sandpiper wander through.

Once we'd finished we spent another short while just watching the birds, a few other birders had turned up and one pointed out a Large Sand Dotterel, another rare visitor to New Zealand.

We left Miranda and headed over towards the Coromandel Peninsula, through the Karangahake Gorge with its sheer cliffs and heavily forested slopes. We followed the twisting roads as we snaked our way up the east coast, the rugged coastline on one side and mountains and valleys covered with native bush on the other. Tonight's camp was deep in the Coromandel Forest Park in the Wentworth Valley close to Whangamata. A wonderful camp in the middle of the forest we felt miles from anywhere, the cacophony of cicadas was deafening and the occasional call of a Tui rang out.

As it got dark the chorus of Cicadas was joined by a round of Morepork, New Zealands Owl, calling through the darkness of the forest. Wandering through the trees we both tried out our best Morepork calls in an attempt to draw one close, soon it worked against the shadow of branches we spotted a shape fly and land on a tree in front of us. Shining our torches up the bright eyes and shadowy shape of a Morepork came into view. Satisfied we headed for our comfy tent.

Thursday: A clear morning as we took a walk through the forest to a nearby waterfall. The valley was filled with ferns palms, pines and other trees, all varying shades of green, as we followed the river strewn with boulders upwards once again the forest was alive with the sounds of cicadas but was noticeably quite on the bird front. Compared to Tiritir Matangi and how New Zealand used to be it felt like the forest was deserted, which saddened us both.

Still as we continued up, crossing the river a number of times (and yes Rachael did fall in once, only her shoe got wet though!) we did see some small birds, fantails, grey warblers and silvereye. It was hot and hard work climbing but the waterfall was worth it. An impressive cascade of water rushing over sheer drops with green ferns draping themselves across the falls.

Within an hour we were back at the car and leaving the Wentworth Valley for the coast and Hahei. Once more the road twisted and turned, up and down valleys and mountains cloaked in green forests. As we turned off and approached Hahei a beautiful deep blue ocean, clear greeny blue surf and wonderful golden sandy beach spread out before us. Overheating in the car we jumped into our swimming costumes and splashed into the cool water. The water was some of the clearest we have seen and swimming amongst the surf were shoals of silvery fish with yellow eyes.

Once cooled off we went in search of Catherdral Cove, again it was hot work, walking along the undulating, rugged coastline. But Catherdral Cove had to be one of the best beaches we have seen! Once more golden sand met clear greeny blue water which deepened to dark blue further offshore. Surrounding us were high cliff of white stone, topped with verdant green trees, standing in the surf were huge pillars of rock, smoothed and sculptured into intriguing shapes by wind and ocean. Most impressive was the huge hole through the cliff, creating a cavernous tunnel that gives the cove its name and linking into another small bay.

Climbing back up to the trail we made our way back towards the car park, but veered off at one of the other bays along this coast, Gemstone Bay. This one also had steep high cliffs on either side but was a rocky shore, creating perfect habitats for all manner of creatures and wonderful snorkeling opportunities.

It was a little tricky getting into the water over rocks covered with seaweed but once in it was magical to explore the underwater world. We took it in turns with Lee's snorkel and saw all kinds of wonderful, colourful fish. Best had to be the two Eagle Rays resting on the sandy bottom!

As we got cold we made our way out, dried off in the sun and then checked into the Hahei Holiday Park.

Friday: Once more we headed for Gemstone Bay this time armed with two sets of snorkels and fins. It was a gloriously beautiful, sunny day but somehow the water felt colder than yesterday. Despite this we swam for almost an hour, exploring the nooks and crevasses under the water. A whole variety of fish, all shapes, colours and sizes, glided over the sandy areas or darted amongst kelp and rocks covered with sea urchins, and anemones. Under a ledge we found a huge crayfish! But the best moment was swimming just behind a large Eagle Ray, watching it glide effortlessly through the water.

After warming up in the sun and having some lunch we returned to the clear waters of Hahei beach for another swim =)

In the evening we went to check out Hot Water Beach just up the coast from Hahei. Here hot water bubbles close to the sand and at low tide you can dig your very own hot pool in the sand. Many people were doing this when we arrived, we tested out one of the pools towards the top of the beach, testing it with our toes....the water was boiling hot! As the cool ocean was coming in, steam was rising off the lower pools and made the water bearable to sit in. We then returned to Hahei to camp.

Saturday: Diving Day! This morning we both went for a dive with Catherdral Cove Dive Centre off Mahurangi Island just off Hahei Beach. Rachael was admittedly a little nervous but once in the clear waters of Seal Bay all the excitement she had felt when diving in Teneriefe came flooding back! Lee was diving with Rachael and her instructor Hamish.

Down we went into a wonderful, serene, calm world where various varieties of fish darted around us, crayfish hid under kelp covered overhangs. Sea urchins, nudibranchs and sponges clung to rocks in splashes of vibrant colour. Anemones covered the rocks like meadows of flowers, petals waving in a summer breeze, except down here the petals were cream coloured tentacles waving in the tide.
It was brilliant to watch them without the constant need to return to the surface for air, thus disturbing them. It was an awesome dive and spurred Rachael on to try and complete her PADI Open Water training while in New Zealand.

Back on the boat we waited while Hamish took another couple down, as we waited Lee borrowed a snorkel and went for another swim around the bay. Then just as the divers were making their way back over to the boat Lee let out a yelp! An absolutely massive Stingray had just swam infront and underneath him! At least 6ft wide with a 4ft long tail it was bigger than him! When he returned to the boat he was grinning from ear to ear, it had been an amazing morning what with the dive and the stingray!

That afternoon we drove up the coast towards Whitianga, then turned off to camp near Opito. A beautiful, wild camp with a compost toilet whose smell left a lot to be desired, it was perfect! It was quiet and peaceful - we loved it....