Day 28 - Awanui to Cape Reinga and return

Day twenty-eight was a tiring but lazy day. We caught the tourist bus and were driven to Cape Reinga and returned. It was a fabulous day, a day when the drivers could see everything. We left our park at Awanui at 9.00 o'clock and drove to the Kauri Shop just down the road and viewed the items made from swamp kauri. The prices were steep but the items great. The circular staircase in the kauri treet was fabulous.

We drove on throught the Far North towards Cape Reinga, stopping several times to view different scenes. We drove into Tapotupotu Bay for lunch. This bay is what dreams are made of. Lunch was great to. It would be a great place for fishing. We then drove onto Cape Reinga. The views from this place are fabulous. Walking down the walkway to the lighthouse, english was the uncommon language. The visitors to NZ just loved it. View the pics.

After this we drove back to the river where we drove through to get to the ninety mile beach. The long drive down through the recently flooded river in a bus was marvellous. We could not stop or the weight of the bus would have sunk us into the sand. On the way down the river we could see other groups sand surfing down the high sand dunes. We didn't get a chance as our bus couldn't stop.

The beach is a fabulous place to drive. There are plenty of interesting things to see and do on the 75 kilometre drive. We went back to the kauri shop while the bus was cleaned of all the salt spray before we were dropped off at our camp site. A fabulous day. While having a late happy hour Don and Val joined us. They will do the Cape tomorrow then join us as we begin the downward drive down the east coast.

                                          Waiting for the bus for our Cape Reinga trip

                                                        A kauri chair

                                                        Bob at bottom of kauri staircase

                                                        Top of staircase

                                                        Kauri hummingbirds

                                                        Kauri koru - beautiful

                                                       Maiden and loyus flower carved in kauri

                                          The start of a kauri carving

                                          Hohora Harbour

                                          Tapotupotu Bay

                                           Tapotupotu Bay

                                          Photos at the Cape

                                          Our bus and group

                                          Driving down the river

                                          A bus on the 90 Mile Beach

                                          Looking down 90 MIle Beach

                                           The Bluff on the 90 Mile beach

Day 27 - Dargaville to Baylys Beach, Kai Iwi Lake, Opononi, Hokianga Ferry, Awanui

Day twenty-seven was a long but rewarding day. We covered more kilometres than normal but we wanted to do the bus trip to Cape Reinga while the weather is settled. We left Dargaville Motor Camp and drove to Baylys Beach with the thought of fishing but the sea was muddy and large so we continued on towards Opononi. We came to a sign that said Kai Iwi Lake so we drove in to view the lake and have morning tea. The camping area by the lake was beautiful and a lot of campers were present. It would be a great place to spend several days.

After morning tea we travelled on to Opononi stopping in the Waipoua Forest to view Tane Mahuta the largest kauri tree in New Zealand. The tree is massive, the forest beautiful and the hills steep and windy. At Opononi we parked by the harbour for our lunch. The harbour was discoloured but beautiful. We then carried on towards Kaitaia and went into Rawene to see if the ferry could carry the vans. It could and this saved about 80 k of travel. The ferry had four motorhomes and about eight cars. The crossing took about fifteen minutes and was the highlight of the day.

We then drove on towards Kaitaia and I thought the roads in the Waipoua Forest were steep. Some of the hills went up and up and ..., and were really windy and steep. When we arrived in Kaitaia we shopped for groceries and then drove on to Awanui to a camping ground where we can leave the buses tomorrow while we have a bus drivers holiday.

                                          Kai Iwi Lake - great place to stop

                                           Kai Iwi Lake

                                                        Tane Mahuta

                                                        Gloria and Weldon at foot of Tane Mahuta

                                          Hokianga Harbour from hill top

                                          Hokianga Harbour from lunch level

                                          Aboard the ferry - Rawene to Rangiora

                                          View from bus window of the Hokianga Ferry

                                           Three motorhomes tucked up at Awanui

Day 26 - Tapora to Matakohe and Dargaville

Day twenty-six began with the sun rising after after a night of rain and some wind. We left Tapora and drove to the Kauri Museum at Matakohe. This a wonderful museum to visit. The displays are world class and the topics mainly local, the kauri industry. We spent several hours viewing.

We then drove on to Dargaville and decided to to stay at a camping ground to do laundry and to charge batteries, etc. A hot shower was nice.

                                           Pics from Kauri Museum at Matakohe