Cape Reinga to Karikari Peninsula (Rangiputa)

Tauranga Bay Northland

Continuing our travels northward we headed out to the coast toward Whangaroa Harbour, another place we had visited back in our twenties. The weather continued with sporadic showers and sunshine. We managed a few walks between the showers, including a walk above the cliffs at Matauri Bay and to the memorial for the Rainbow Warrior which was blown up in Auckland Harbour back in 1985 by French Agents. Big shock to little NZ back in the day.

Tauranga Bay Camp

Had a night at Tauranga Bay right on the beach front, a little seaside camp from yesteryear. Talking to a fellow camper, he said a few of them park up for a couple of months over  winter. The camp did a discount rate by the month including power, and a great fishing spot. Hopefully we will return sometime for longer.
Onwards we continued, unaware till now of how many beautiful beaches are up this way. We hadn't really appreciated how lovely they were, so now keen to return when the weather is warmer and swim in these beautiful bays.

The famous Fish & Chip Shop at Mangonui

The Motor Home App we are using to find where to park at night has been a very useful tool and influences the routes we take. So as we came into Coopers Beach we had the option of two places to park over for the night - both at the reasonable price of $5. One was the Bowling Club and the other the Mangonui Fire station

Wash Day at Rarawa (Doc Camp #3)

which looked the more attractive spot to park up and walk the area from. We had a fellow motorhomer beside us the first night who informed us he had been there 3 nights and found it lovely and quiet. This should have been our warning...... Just after 11pm the siren went off for the first time! Being Volunteers the siren keeps going till everyone turns up. No worries, we feel back to sleep shortly after. Then an hour and a half later they returned and refilled from the water tanks right beside us. All good. Back to sleep. Then 6am the siren was set off again! Same procedure. Busy old night in Mangonui and for the firefighters.

Rangikapiti Pa Site looking over Mangonui

Mangonui is a lovely historic fishing village. Once a busy whaling town with lovely old wooden buildings and the famous fish & chip shop where we had lunch. Nice fish but the place lacked atmosphere. This may have just been being Monday and everyone was a little flat at the beginning of the week!
On our way back home we walked up to the Rangikapiti Pa Site, an ancient Maori Fort with wonderful views out over Doubtless Bay. Perfect spot to view the area.

Cape Reinga Light House

Onto Ahipara to catch up with Fran's daughter Kylie and daughters Tineka (13yr) and Trinity (12), just out of Kaitaia on the coast. We were looking forward to a couple of days sunshine to walk around the area but the rain unfortunately continued - so much that it flooded the bottom of Kylie's section where we had parked up. Thought we were going to need a tractor to pull us out but our little Bus had no trouble crawling out of the soggy ground. With it being so wet and no point going out, I did some work online while Bill rehung and installed curtains for Kylie. Reminding him he had hung curtains for Fran several years ago too! Keeping curtains in the family!!

I finally made Cape Reinga
(The little blue person under the signs)

Bill has still been getting the electrics sorted in the Bus as we have had a few issues with being 12v only - including the fridge. At times it's been a bit of a struggle with all the overcast days and the batteries not getting charged enough from the solar panels. We have become a bit obsessed with tracking the current drawn and voltage readings as batteries are charging. At least now with Bill having installed an inverter, we can run the bread maker. The results have been good but I'm still getting used to the oven. Nice we are once again self sufficient in our bread needs (or should that be kneads :) )

Looking back to Tapotupotu and Cape Reinga
in the distance. Spot the Bus!

Made it to Doc camp number #1 at the top of Northland adjacent to Cape Reinga - the lovely beach of Tapotupotu. (Did you know there are 101 Doc camps in the North Island and 124  in the South Island ! Some only accessible on foot or by boat.) We spent three nights here hoping for spectacular weather to visit the Cape and see where the Tasman and Pacific Oceans meet but unfortunately we kept having intermittent showers and mist come through . We did manage a few walks up onto the ridges surrounding the bays to get some amazing views.
Will return to Tapotupotu another time when it is warmer for swimming and hopefully complete the walk out to Cape Reinga in the not too distant future.

Tapotupotu Beach from the northern end. 

We did get to visit the cape by driving there on our way out to the next camp. Not perfect  weather but pleasantly not busy and truly an iconic destination for all kiwis.
Amazing how its on a lot of visitors To Do List, yet it is not quick to get there especially if you are only in the country for a few days or weeks.

Spot the Apiarist

Next camp was just down the road into Spirits Bay - Kapowairua Doc Camp #2. Quite a remote camp & beach but stunning. On our arrival there was hazard signage stating a Helicopter was operating. No sign of the helicopter, just two utes with "True Honey Co" signage parked up. Shortly after we got settled, the helicopter returned from deep in the Manuka covered hills, transporting some hives back onto one of the utes. Off he returned to the hills and returned carrying three guys in apiarist suits, then repeated the trip for another 3.
After some time the helicopter took off again, this time carrying the Apiarist's one at a time on a harness into different parts of the forests. They were left there for a couple of hours before he returned to pick them up. Pretty amazing jobs!
We had the luxury of 5 days north of Kaitaia and think it will be well worth a revisit.
The buried swamp Kauri Forests caught Bill's attention.......

Matai Bay through the Pohutukawa's

It raised a lot more questions than answers, but talking to a wood turner at Ahipara it is an interesting story of 1000 yr old trees  falling into the swamps at the time of the last ice age ??? and now being extracted but still beautiful to work. A rewarding industry for many with bowls and platters commanding several thousands of dollars. Chinese businesses were wholesale extracting logs and sending them home to be worked and re imported here to be sold on to Chinese tourists to once again be taken back to China . Go Figure!! I did get my piece of Kauri, not sure what I can use it for but to know it was growing when we were swinging from the trees makes it a little special.....

Rangiputa

Julie & I looking back to Rangiputa

Bill, Julie & Steve looking out to Karikari Bay on the left

From here, it was on to Rangiputa to catch up with Julie & Steve who have been on to us for years to come and visit their little bit of paradise. They feel the 4 hour trip from Auckland has always been worth the effort over the past 15 years to come up to their Batch. Finally we made it. And had a fabulous four days fishing, wining & dining us with their neighbours Graeme & Pam where we managed to catch the first game of the Bledisloe Cup, and had a good look around the Karikari Peninsula. We look forward to returning J&S when we can swim those beautiful beaches. Thanks Steve for showing Bill how to catch those big ones.
Now it's time to return to Auckland, catch up with family again before heading South.

Bill & Steve returning from
fishing out in the Bay

Well done Bill
(and Julie & Steve & Graeme)

Beautiful  beaches