Tag Archives: Paihia

GPS Tracks, New Zealand, Tramping

50. Paihia – Rawhiti (Cape Brett Walkway)

Wednesday, April 1: Sunny with a few clouds on the horizon; quite warm

Tramping: Rawhiti – Cape Brett via Deep Water Cove, 16.3 km

Cape Brett Hut (DOC, $15, gas cookers, no heating; $30 track fee for private land)

Managed to struggle up at a quarter past seven and fry two eggs for breakfast, pack everything up into the backpack for the hike and then everything else into their bags and into the car and was ready to go by 8:30.

Cape Brett View to Go
Cape Brett View to Go, snapshot
Short drive to the ferry and was soon on the other side (car $11) and down the meandering road to Rawhiti. I had been considering walking via Whangamumu and that track entrance was 5.4 km down the road (a gravel road for the most part at that) but as we will see that wouldn’t have been such a good idea.

Found someone’s front yard to park the car in ($5) and swapped shoes for the hiking boots and was ready to tramp by 9:45. Views of the bay begged to be photographed but the batteries packed in immediately and once on the track the next bay beckoned likewise so I got out a box of batteries and kept them in an outside pocket just in case. Read more…

GPS Tracks, Kayaking, New Zealand

49. Paihia

Tuesday, March 31: Sunny with a few clouds and a bit of a breeze on the bay

Kayaking: Paihia – Bay of Islands – Waitangi, 5.7 km

Centabay

In the night the keys had slipped off the towel rail and dropped onto the floor among the stuff packed there and it took a little while of thinking to work out where they had to be. Was awoken by the manager to get me to move the car and I moved it onto the street where a 120 minute slot was free. About the only business that had to be transacted was printing out the DOC ticket for the walk tomorrow and since the library had banished all wifi users to the park I tried a commercial operator in an “adult” shop. First computer had something wrong with the graphics card, but the second printed out the pdf just fine for $1.6. A couple of things had to be bought for the hike and I thought that – just for the two days – I would opt for bread and have sandwiches made up for both days’ lunches. Short inquiry at the i-site about safe parking – apparently possible at either a camping ground or the backpackers. Read more…

New Zealand, Photography

48. Ruawai – Dargaville – Paihia

Monday, March 30: A day for four seasons

Centabay Backpackers, 27 Selwyn Rd., Paihia 0200, tel.: +64 9 402 7466, twin as single (BBH, $35 + $3)

Auckland Green Gecko
Auckland Green Gecko Naultinus elegans at Peter and Sara’s farm

Awoke around 8:00 and had breakfast of some sort of cereal with yoghurt and raw milk, hot cross buns and coffee with Sara and Peter, packed my stuff together, and was ushered out to see and handle the geckos. Sara has a licence to keep them and I was shown all of the species and had them crawling all over me. A couple of shots. Then she was off to her voluntary work and I was left with Peter. Gave him a copy of the book, which I had to dedicate and sign, and he accepted it as payment for last night’s dinner, which was a reasonable deal. Then there was a never-ending conversation until both of us decided we’d had enough. Read more…

GPS Tracks, New Zealand, Photography, Tramping

44. Whitianga: Cathedral Cove

Thursday, March 26: Some fine spells in the course of the day but mainly cloudy, and rain in the evening

Tramping: Cathedral Cove, 3.3 km

On the Beach

Cathedral Cove Archway
Archway at Cathedral Cove at high tide. Median pixel of ca. 540 shots

The two Chinese girls were very well organised and after their instant noodles for breakfast and some chocolate they had packed up what little they had and were downstairs on the dot of 10:00 to wait for their bus, which as far as I could see was some time in coming. In the meantime I had gone for a walk in the direction of the outer settlements and had not seen very much, except for one heron who allowed me to get very close.

Tourist trap extraordinaire
Tourist trap extraordinaire. [download id="1966"]
I decided on driving out to Hahei to see what the story with kayaking was, although the waves today looked no smaller that yesterday’s – because the brochure said, “Daily.” Had a quick lunch of some toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches and then took off down the road (~30 km) with most of the equipment I thought was needed. Found the place in Hahei, but no one at home; only a handwritten sign that the morning had been called off but that the afternoon was running. Found some phones at the tiny shopping centre and called but the afternoon tour had also been called off; was advised to call back tomorrow morning. Read more…