Coromandel Camping Trip
26th Dec 2006
We are at Kuaotunu on the Coromandel Peninsula. We left Auckland at 5am this morning and drove straight to Whitianga (Fit-ee-ang-a) where we had breakfast – bacon and eggs on white toast with too much butter and bad coffee! Perfect for the rambly old sleepy town it felt like despite its mild pretense of new fronted buildings. It reminded me of Colac 15 years ago. But that could just be because it was a public holiday…
We set up the tent at Kuaotunu motor camp with not too much hassle. It was a sleepy camp ground with big sites and lots of trees. After a bite to eat we strolled across the road and down some wooden steps to the beach. It was windy but still hot enough to lie there for a bit. We ended up deciding it was too windy so we jumped in the car and headed to the next little place, 5kms away, called Matarangi.
It’s a newly developed place built on a sand bank with holiday homes and freshly planted (well, in the last few years) Pohutakawas and palms. It was a little slice of paradise. White sand beaches and clear blue water with little waves. And there was my first swim of the summer. There were hills covered in bush and rocks coming right down to the ocean in the distance and islands out to sea. The Pohutakawas were Slightly bigger than me (tiny for a Pohutakawa) yet still in full flower (red as my favourite colour) as if trying to say “I may be little but I can still do this!!” There was something strangely comforting about them. After lying in the sun to dry off, we drove further to the next place, Whangapoa (Fong-a-poe-a) – another 15kms.
And found ourselves in another level of paradise – small waves, river flowing into the ocean, bush right to the beach, an island swimming distance from shore. A walk on the beach, a couple of dips, sunbaking, chips and icecream ended up leading us to a shady tree to prevent sunburn.
Eventually we went back to camp and made dinner and went for a walk on the beach near the camp ground – looking rockpools with the joy of a 6 year old…
27th Dec 2006
We woke up and went for a walk on the beach. We walked the other direction from last night. We walked over lots of rocks and found a tunnel through a hillside with water rushing through. We walked through that and then climbed around the rock face to the left – encouraged by my Croc (rubber clog) falling into the water…and then walked back again. We each had a swim and then went back to camp and made French toast with honey, strawberries and banana for brekky – YUM!
We went for a drive to matarangi to check the surf. Nothing was happening so we drove into Kuaotunu town (a general store, burger aravan, café/art gallery) and had a coffee at the little art gallery café there. Most of the artwork was unimpressive but there was some amazing silver cutlery art. The spoons and forks had been turned into insects and birds and quirky cutlery – like a fork on wheels or a spoon magnifying glass or a fork with one handle and 2 forks. They were brilliant and made me giggle.
We then drove about 20kms the opposite direction from Matarangi, to Opito bay. It was stunning. We had a picnic on the grass by the beach. We then drove to Twin Oaks riding ranch and went on a 2 hour ride with just us, the leader and 2 other tourists. Their property was gorgeous. It was 900 acres with goats, sheep, cows and horses. There were the sheep that had black faces too. The ride took us across farmland, through bush and streams and up hills to breath-taking views of the Coromandel and islands and even looking back towards Auckland and Great Barrier Island. I went for a bit of a canter up a hill. The hills were quite steep. We also stopped and walked into a little waterfall – very picturesque. And a sore butt at the end of it all!!
We stopped in Whitianga for a chicken burger than back to the camp ground for a shower and into the tent to shelter from the rain. Dave read and I Sudoku-ed. We had some dinner and played Chinese Checkers until bed-time. (I lost).
28th Dec 2006
What an amazing day we’ve had. It began with Dave waking me at 5am with the offer of coffee. I declined and went back to sleep. He ended up going for a walk and found a secret little bay. When I woke up I made us some porridge with bananas and then we had to move our tent to a new site (it was the only way we could get a week or more stay here) and we headed to Matarangi to check the surf. There were 1-2ft waves peeling and it was on with the wetsuit and in the water for me. Before Dave even made it in, I’d paddled out and caught my first wave of the summer AND got both feet flat on the board (not quite standing up) on that first wave. I caught wave after wave and stood up at least three times!! Now I just need to practice getting my feet in the right spot when I stand up – not to mention getting better at paddling, sitting on the board waiting for waves, turning in to ctach a wave, steering and duck-diving! It’s awesome. After our surf we sunbaked then went and had a picnic lunch.
Next we drove to Coromandel town, had a coffee and a snack and a quick look around. Coromandel was a goldmining and Kauri logging town back in the day. Next we went to Waterworks.
It was a wonderland of sculptures (clay) and crazy and amazing hand-built water contraptions and rides. At the start there was a water wheel with old saucepans and kettles turning it and it was attached to a metal man (made from scrap metal). The wheel made the man move. There were swings and flying foxes, a spinning see-saw, a giant wooden drum open on both sides and mounted like a mouse-wheel but for humans. We got in together and ran and ran and tried to go upside down like Cirque du Soleil (well Dave tried the upside down thing) and we collapsed together in a heap of laughter. There was a light powered by a waterpump, a music box bigger than me also powered by water. All kinds of pumps and water contraptions scattered through a beautiful garden and winding paths. The was a stream and a swimming hole. A pedal powered hose so you could sit beside each other on bikes and pedal and squirt each other. Not to mention the pedal powered air bicycles and pump-action ride-on water cannons – I got soaked!! I couldn’t see far enough to really be able to aim so as a result, Dave hardly got wet!! The whole place was an eccentric wonderland – we had a blast!! That was the first stop on the 309 road from Coromandel to Whitianga.
Stop 2 was Castle rock. A steep climb up rocks, muddy slopes and roots to hold onto. 45 minutes through the bush. When we burst out the top, the view was spectacular – 360 degree panorama of native bush, pine plantations, islands, oceans, Auckland, everywhere. The climb down was a bit tricky!!
Next stop was a small waterfall – nothing special.
Then to a Kauri grove with 600 year old huge Kauris – about 3 all next to each other – a rare sight due to the logging history in the area.
We stopped at the “309 Honey Shop” on the way home – shack on private property with enough room only for a bench or 2 filled with Manuka Honey and hand creams. There was a basket to pay for the goods and no shop assistant. Very cute. We got a jar of honey and had eaten half before we were even back at camp it was so good!
We realized it was 7pm and we were still a way from camp so we stopped into Whitianga for a steak dinner at the pub.
Oh yeah – and I forgot to mention the totally old school air pump at the Coromoandel petrol station – very retro and very authentic. Loved it.
29th Dec 2006
We woke up and went for an early morning walk along the rocks…and around the point…and along more rocks!! We saw heaps of crabs – bright purple and green with white chompy pincers. They were as big as my hand! Actually, when I realized they were in all the cracks along the rock wall (as well as under the rocks I was walking on) I was trying to hold onto, I got kinda freaked out and had a moment where I couldn’t make my legs move!! After that mission we had eggs for brekky and then packed the car and headed to Stony Bay to visit Dave’s bro, Reece who was camping there with his ex and their son, Finn and some mates of theirs.
We stopped for petrol in Coromandel town and then stopped at Waikawau (Why-ka-wow) for a swim – gorgeous beach but we got muched all over by tiny sandflies (we were itchy for days).
We drove through Port Charles and Dave showed me Parakete – his old block of land.
Eventually after a winding gravel road and about 40kms of car sickness, we wound our way down to a Pohutakawa lined (flowering red red) bay with clear blue water and stones.
We had coffee with Reece and Genevieve and their friends and had some lunch then went over to the beach with Finn to practice skimming rocks. We had a lie under a tree together for a couple of hours.
Eventually we drove back to Kuaotunu and had snapper for dinner that Reece had caught that morning.
Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention the cute little café in Colville (a town on the way to Stony Bay) – last town until there really. The café had great food and the general store was hippy with some good stuff too. We saw Allen in the store – a guy that’s crazy and lives on Mahana commune and carries around big stones and hitches around – apparently building his stone house. Dave remembered him from 10 years ago. There are about 3 communes on the Coromandel. Mahana is the wildest – it has a policy of not turning anyone away who want to stay…
30th Dec 2006
We made brekky then slept and read all day. We drove to Coroglen Tavern to get tix for Shihad and the Datsuns. Back to camp for dinner then went to see the gig. It was a rock show out the back of Coroglen Tavern and it went off!! I didn’t really like the Datsuns but Shihad were really good. There were about 2000 people there. We stayed at the back so we could see better and I wouldn’t get claustrophobic. And, apart from coffee in Kuaotunu earlier in the day…that was it!! We went to bed but our neighbours were so noisy that we hardly got any sleep.
Also – we went to Wilderland, an organic commune with a little shop, and bought honeycomb and organic fruit - $6 for 2kgs of the best plums ever – well, as good as the ones off the tree as a kid.
31st Dec 2006
We didn’t do much in the morning ‘cos we were so tired from lack of sleep thanks to our neighbours. At about 2pm we went to our local café and had coffe then drove up Waitaia (Why-tie-a) Rd until we hit a pretty rough 4 wheel drive track. We parked and set out on a mission to follow the track to the beach. It went through rainforest and pine forest, past pig skins hanging off trees from the local pig hunters…and then we popped out on a secluded bay with Pohutakawas, a few campers and beautiful ocean and island views. After a swim, we walked the 1.5 hour walk back then ate chips and chocolate, had toasted cheese for dinner and tucked up in the tent, taking shelter from the rain storm. We had an early night and fell asleep listening to the rain on the tent and woke up just after midnight to wish each other Happy New Year.
1st Jan 2007
We started the day with a swim at Kuaotunu then drove to Hot Water Beach where Dave went surfing and I took a shovel to dig myself a bath and tap into the volcanic hot water bubbling up near the surface at low tide. The springs were so packed with people that I turned around and just chilled out on the beach…doing Sudoku and went for a swim.
On the way back from Hot Water Beach, there was a man in white gloves in the middle of the intersection, directing traffic. He would have been about 75 and probably lived in the brick house on the corner. He didn’t appear to have a set method but the intention was there and he had the right gloves for the job!!
Before we saw the man, we drove to Hahei (Ha-hay), got something to eat at the Ponga Café caravan and checked out Kayak hire – which there was none – just a rip off kayak tour. It started raining again so we headed back to camp.
We stopped in Whitianga on the way back and completely by chance arrived just as the Miss Whitianga contest was starting. It was hilarious. It included Little Miss (under 17), Mrs (wives) and Mr (dads) and finally Miss.
2nd Jan 2007
We woke up and moved our tent again (so we could stay a few extra days). We set off to the Keltic Fair in Coromondel township. I was expecting house busses, hippies, hairy dreadlocks and hand-made wares but it was really tacky, plasticky and commercial. We got some imported hippy bracelets and some cute coins with little sayings on them. Then we dropped in on our mates, Bede and Linda, who were staying at their friends’ bach in Whangapoa.
We ended up going to the Whangapoa fishing competition weigh in with them and then they made steaks and salad for dinner and we finished off the night playing Polka (I finally learnt to play!!).
At the Coromondel Keltic Fair, Dave bought a book that was by Frank Warren – called PostSecret. It came about from a community art project where he handed out postcards to strangers and invited them to write something they had never told anyone before and send it to him. Herecieved thousands and there is now a website too. The postcards were surprisingly artistic and PostSecret is a book of some of them. It’s funny, sad, quirky and cute – not too many sicko ones.
3rd Jan 2007
Today we hired a 2 person kayak in Whitianga and set off at 9am. We kayaked for almost an hour and found a little bay and sunbaked and swam. It was beautiful. It felt like we were in Fiji. We kayaked past cliffs and rocks and it was gorgeous. The weather was perfect too. We arrived back in Whitianga at 12:30 and found a cute little café – Café Nina’s – to have lunch in before checking out the local market. I bought a black plastic square ring with a spiral shell set into it for $10. We checked out some op-shops in Whitianga and did some successful bargain-hunting. I got a hoody – big and comfy – for $1. And in another op-shop I got a pair of pants for work, a poair of pants for the gym and a Lonsdale sleeveless hoody – all for $10!
We went back to the tent for dinner and then went for a walk on the beach and saw a gorgeous sunset.
Just before it got dark, we walked up a hill along the road and back down an embankment to the beach. It was a little stony beach, a little bay all to ourself. It was lined with Pohutakawa trees, flax and manuka. We made a fire and saw a big pink and red full moon rise – it was breathtaking. We toasted marshmallows and hung out for a couple of hours. I took a branch from the fire and threw it into the ocean where it hit a rock and exploded like natural fire-works.
4th Jan 2007
We decided to drive to Cathedral Cove to go snorkeling as there is a marine reserve there. We stopped at Hot Water Beach on the way there and had a surf. The waves were small but they’d break then lose speed as there was a ditch halfway between the break and the shore. I didn’t stand up but I got good paddling and duck-diving practice. I couldn’t get up enough speed to stay on the wave. There were lots of long boarder beginners out too and they kept nearly running into us. We had a picnic in the car park then continued on to Cathedral Cove.
When we got there, the road was closed as there had been a bushfire the night before – 15 houses were evacuated and the walking track in was damaged. It had been started by some kids with fireworks. So, we grabbed some milkshakes in Hahei and headed back to the tent to relax. We got fish and chips for dinner then went for a big walk on the beach.
5th Jan 2007
We pretty ,much just woke up and packed the car and left. We stopped for lunch at a funky old country kitchen called “Piriroa Country Kitchen – Purveyors of Wickedly Good Country Fare”. And it was!! We had a fetta and spinach pie with salad and plum sauce.
Next thing we knew we were back in Auckland and making a decision to make the most of summer and keep up the camping and surfing and outdoor action!!
We are at Kuaotunu on the Coromandel Peninsula. We left Auckland at 5am this morning and drove straight to Whitianga (Fit-ee-ang-a) where we had breakfast – bacon and eggs on white toast with too much butter and bad coffee! Perfect for the rambly old sleepy town it felt like despite its mild pretense of new fronted buildings. It reminded me of Colac 15 years ago. But that could just be because it was a public holiday…
We set up the tent at Kuaotunu motor camp with not too much hassle. It was a sleepy camp ground with big sites and lots of trees. After a bite to eat we strolled across the road and down some wooden steps to the beach. It was windy but still hot enough to lie there for a bit. We ended up deciding it was too windy so we jumped in the car and headed to the next little place, 5kms away, called Matarangi.
It’s a newly developed place built on a sand bank with holiday homes and freshly planted (well, in the last few years) Pohutakawas and palms. It was a little slice of paradise. White sand beaches and clear blue water with little waves. And there was my first swim of the summer. There were hills covered in bush and rocks coming right down to the ocean in the distance and islands out to sea. The Pohutakawas were Slightly bigger than me (tiny for a Pohutakawa) yet still in full flower (red as my favourite colour) as if trying to say “I may be little but I can still do this!!” There was something strangely comforting about them. After lying in the sun to dry off, we drove further to the next place, Whangapoa (Fong-a-poe-a) – another 15kms.
And found ourselves in another level of paradise – small waves, river flowing into the ocean, bush right to the beach, an island swimming distance from shore. A walk on the beach, a couple of dips, sunbaking, chips and icecream ended up leading us to a shady tree to prevent sunburn.
Eventually we went back to camp and made dinner and went for a walk on the beach near the camp ground – looking rockpools with the joy of a 6 year old…
27th Dec 2006
We woke up and went for a walk on the beach. We walked the other direction from last night. We walked over lots of rocks and found a tunnel through a hillside with water rushing through. We walked through that and then climbed around the rock face to the left – encouraged by my Croc (rubber clog) falling into the water…and then walked back again. We each had a swim and then went back to camp and made French toast with honey, strawberries and banana for brekky – YUM!
We went for a drive to matarangi to check the surf. Nothing was happening so we drove into Kuaotunu town (a general store, burger aravan, café/art gallery) and had a coffee at the little art gallery café there. Most of the artwork was unimpressive but there was some amazing silver cutlery art. The spoons and forks had been turned into insects and birds and quirky cutlery – like a fork on wheels or a spoon magnifying glass or a fork with one handle and 2 forks. They were brilliant and made me giggle.
We then drove about 20kms the opposite direction from Matarangi, to Opito bay. It was stunning. We had a picnic on the grass by the beach. We then drove to Twin Oaks riding ranch and went on a 2 hour ride with just us, the leader and 2 other tourists. Their property was gorgeous. It was 900 acres with goats, sheep, cows and horses. There were the sheep that had black faces too. The ride took us across farmland, through bush and streams and up hills to breath-taking views of the Coromandel and islands and even looking back towards Auckland and Great Barrier Island. I went for a bit of a canter up a hill. The hills were quite steep. We also stopped and walked into a little waterfall – very picturesque. And a sore butt at the end of it all!!
We stopped in Whitianga for a chicken burger than back to the camp ground for a shower and into the tent to shelter from the rain. Dave read and I Sudoku-ed. We had some dinner and played Chinese Checkers until bed-time. (I lost).
28th Dec 2006
What an amazing day we’ve had. It began with Dave waking me at 5am with the offer of coffee. I declined and went back to sleep. He ended up going for a walk and found a secret little bay. When I woke up I made us some porridge with bananas and then we had to move our tent to a new site (it was the only way we could get a week or more stay here) and we headed to Matarangi to check the surf. There were 1-2ft waves peeling and it was on with the wetsuit and in the water for me. Before Dave even made it in, I’d paddled out and caught my first wave of the summer AND got both feet flat on the board (not quite standing up) on that first wave. I caught wave after wave and stood up at least three times!! Now I just need to practice getting my feet in the right spot when I stand up – not to mention getting better at paddling, sitting on the board waiting for waves, turning in to ctach a wave, steering and duck-diving! It’s awesome. After our surf we sunbaked then went and had a picnic lunch.
Next we drove to Coromandel town, had a coffee and a snack and a quick look around. Coromandel was a goldmining and Kauri logging town back in the day. Next we went to Waterworks.
It was a wonderland of sculptures (clay) and crazy and amazing hand-built water contraptions and rides. At the start there was a water wheel with old saucepans and kettles turning it and it was attached to a metal man (made from scrap metal). The wheel made the man move. There were swings and flying foxes, a spinning see-saw, a giant wooden drum open on both sides and mounted like a mouse-wheel but for humans. We got in together and ran and ran and tried to go upside down like Cirque du Soleil (well Dave tried the upside down thing) and we collapsed together in a heap of laughter. There was a light powered by a waterpump, a music box bigger than me also powered by water. All kinds of pumps and water contraptions scattered through a beautiful garden and winding paths. The was a stream and a swimming hole. A pedal powered hose so you could sit beside each other on bikes and pedal and squirt each other. Not to mention the pedal powered air bicycles and pump-action ride-on water cannons – I got soaked!! I couldn’t see far enough to really be able to aim so as a result, Dave hardly got wet!! The whole place was an eccentric wonderland – we had a blast!! That was the first stop on the 309 road from Coromandel to Whitianga.
Stop 2 was Castle rock. A steep climb up rocks, muddy slopes and roots to hold onto. 45 minutes through the bush. When we burst out the top, the view was spectacular – 360 degree panorama of native bush, pine plantations, islands, oceans, Auckland, everywhere. The climb down was a bit tricky!!
Next stop was a small waterfall – nothing special.
Then to a Kauri grove with 600 year old huge Kauris – about 3 all next to each other – a rare sight due to the logging history in the area.
We stopped at the “309 Honey Shop” on the way home – shack on private property with enough room only for a bench or 2 filled with Manuka Honey and hand creams. There was a basket to pay for the goods and no shop assistant. Very cute. We got a jar of honey and had eaten half before we were even back at camp it was so good!
We realized it was 7pm and we were still a way from camp so we stopped into Whitianga for a steak dinner at the pub.
Oh yeah – and I forgot to mention the totally old school air pump at the Coromoandel petrol station – very retro and very authentic. Loved it.
29th Dec 2006
We woke up and went for an early morning walk along the rocks…and around the point…and along more rocks!! We saw heaps of crabs – bright purple and green with white chompy pincers. They were as big as my hand! Actually, when I realized they were in all the cracks along the rock wall (as well as under the rocks I was walking on) I was trying to hold onto, I got kinda freaked out and had a moment where I couldn’t make my legs move!! After that mission we had eggs for brekky and then packed the car and headed to Stony Bay to visit Dave’s bro, Reece who was camping there with his ex and their son, Finn and some mates of theirs.
We stopped for petrol in Coromandel town and then stopped at Waikawau (Why-ka-wow) for a swim – gorgeous beach but we got muched all over by tiny sandflies (we were itchy for days).
We drove through Port Charles and Dave showed me Parakete – his old block of land.
Eventually after a winding gravel road and about 40kms of car sickness, we wound our way down to a Pohutakawa lined (flowering red red) bay with clear blue water and stones.
We had coffee with Reece and Genevieve and their friends and had some lunch then went over to the beach with Finn to practice skimming rocks. We had a lie under a tree together for a couple of hours.
Eventually we drove back to Kuaotunu and had snapper for dinner that Reece had caught that morning.
Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention the cute little café in Colville (a town on the way to Stony Bay) – last town until there really. The café had great food and the general store was hippy with some good stuff too. We saw Allen in the store – a guy that’s crazy and lives on Mahana commune and carries around big stones and hitches around – apparently building his stone house. Dave remembered him from 10 years ago. There are about 3 communes on the Coromandel. Mahana is the wildest – it has a policy of not turning anyone away who want to stay…
30th Dec 2006
We made brekky then slept and read all day. We drove to Coroglen Tavern to get tix for Shihad and the Datsuns. Back to camp for dinner then went to see the gig. It was a rock show out the back of Coroglen Tavern and it went off!! I didn’t really like the Datsuns but Shihad were really good. There were about 2000 people there. We stayed at the back so we could see better and I wouldn’t get claustrophobic. And, apart from coffee in Kuaotunu earlier in the day…that was it!! We went to bed but our neighbours were so noisy that we hardly got any sleep.
Also – we went to Wilderland, an organic commune with a little shop, and bought honeycomb and organic fruit - $6 for 2kgs of the best plums ever – well, as good as the ones off the tree as a kid.
31st Dec 2006
We didn’t do much in the morning ‘cos we were so tired from lack of sleep thanks to our neighbours. At about 2pm we went to our local café and had coffe then drove up Waitaia (Why-tie-a) Rd until we hit a pretty rough 4 wheel drive track. We parked and set out on a mission to follow the track to the beach. It went through rainforest and pine forest, past pig skins hanging off trees from the local pig hunters…and then we popped out on a secluded bay with Pohutakawas, a few campers and beautiful ocean and island views. After a swim, we walked the 1.5 hour walk back then ate chips and chocolate, had toasted cheese for dinner and tucked up in the tent, taking shelter from the rain storm. We had an early night and fell asleep listening to the rain on the tent and woke up just after midnight to wish each other Happy New Year.
1st Jan 2007
We started the day with a swim at Kuaotunu then drove to Hot Water Beach where Dave went surfing and I took a shovel to dig myself a bath and tap into the volcanic hot water bubbling up near the surface at low tide. The springs were so packed with people that I turned around and just chilled out on the beach…doing Sudoku and went for a swim.
On the way back from Hot Water Beach, there was a man in white gloves in the middle of the intersection, directing traffic. He would have been about 75 and probably lived in the brick house on the corner. He didn’t appear to have a set method but the intention was there and he had the right gloves for the job!!
Before we saw the man, we drove to Hahei (Ha-hay), got something to eat at the Ponga Café caravan and checked out Kayak hire – which there was none – just a rip off kayak tour. It started raining again so we headed back to camp.
We stopped in Whitianga on the way back and completely by chance arrived just as the Miss Whitianga contest was starting. It was hilarious. It included Little Miss (under 17), Mrs (wives) and Mr (dads) and finally Miss.
2nd Jan 2007
We woke up and moved our tent again (so we could stay a few extra days). We set off to the Keltic Fair in Coromondel township. I was expecting house busses, hippies, hairy dreadlocks and hand-made wares but it was really tacky, plasticky and commercial. We got some imported hippy bracelets and some cute coins with little sayings on them. Then we dropped in on our mates, Bede and Linda, who were staying at their friends’ bach in Whangapoa.
We ended up going to the Whangapoa fishing competition weigh in with them and then they made steaks and salad for dinner and we finished off the night playing Polka (I finally learnt to play!!).
At the Coromondel Keltic Fair, Dave bought a book that was by Frank Warren – called PostSecret. It came about from a community art project where he handed out postcards to strangers and invited them to write something they had never told anyone before and send it to him. Herecieved thousands and there is now a website too. The postcards were surprisingly artistic and PostSecret is a book of some of them. It’s funny, sad, quirky and cute – not too many sicko ones.
3rd Jan 2007
Today we hired a 2 person kayak in Whitianga and set off at 9am. We kayaked for almost an hour and found a little bay and sunbaked and swam. It was beautiful. It felt like we were in Fiji. We kayaked past cliffs and rocks and it was gorgeous. The weather was perfect too. We arrived back in Whitianga at 12:30 and found a cute little café – Café Nina’s – to have lunch in before checking out the local market. I bought a black plastic square ring with a spiral shell set into it for $10. We checked out some op-shops in Whitianga and did some successful bargain-hunting. I got a hoody – big and comfy – for $1. And in another op-shop I got a pair of pants for work, a poair of pants for the gym and a Lonsdale sleeveless hoody – all for $10!
We went back to the tent for dinner and then went for a walk on the beach and saw a gorgeous sunset.
Just before it got dark, we walked up a hill along the road and back down an embankment to the beach. It was a little stony beach, a little bay all to ourself. It was lined with Pohutakawa trees, flax and manuka. We made a fire and saw a big pink and red full moon rise – it was breathtaking. We toasted marshmallows and hung out for a couple of hours. I took a branch from the fire and threw it into the ocean where it hit a rock and exploded like natural fire-works.
4th Jan 2007
We decided to drive to Cathedral Cove to go snorkeling as there is a marine reserve there. We stopped at Hot Water Beach on the way there and had a surf. The waves were small but they’d break then lose speed as there was a ditch halfway between the break and the shore. I didn’t stand up but I got good paddling and duck-diving practice. I couldn’t get up enough speed to stay on the wave. There were lots of long boarder beginners out too and they kept nearly running into us. We had a picnic in the car park then continued on to Cathedral Cove.
When we got there, the road was closed as there had been a bushfire the night before – 15 houses were evacuated and the walking track in was damaged. It had been started by some kids with fireworks. So, we grabbed some milkshakes in Hahei and headed back to the tent to relax. We got fish and chips for dinner then went for a big walk on the beach.
5th Jan 2007
We pretty ,much just woke up and packed the car and left. We stopped for lunch at a funky old country kitchen called “Piriroa Country Kitchen – Purveyors of Wickedly Good Country Fare”. And it was!! We had a fetta and spinach pie with salad and plum sauce.
Next thing we knew we were back in Auckland and making a decision to make the most of summer and keep up the camping and surfing and outdoor action!!
posted by Chinese Gooseberry @ 3:36 pm
