My thoughts while meandering around NZ. I will update the blog at random intervals dependent on what's happening and whether I have data access. A Signal ...
Much as I am enjoying this place it is high time to move on so am prepped for an early start tomorrow to give me the best chance of getting past the Waimamaku without having to use the packraft. A few gear improvements have happened: the strap on the right hand trekking pole needed fixing. The hip belt on the pack is a little big so have managed a nip and tuck to make it fit better. Excess guy…
I awoke to rain and wind. Crossing the Waimamaku River mouth was going to be problematic as high tide was late morning when I would get there. No problem to get across using the packraft but time consuming. More important was the weather prognosis. Consulting three different weather forecasts for the Hokianga showed the wind increasing from the SW to 50kph by tomorrow night and wave heights at 3m…
A wet walk today. The descent from Maungonui was slippery with one tree fallen over the track that was a bit of a pain to get around. This nice view greeted me as I came out of the bush Reaching the coast just prior to high tide was not ideal and the next hour involved soft sand and dashing across small bays between waves. Generally a pretty part of the world with one knee deep crossing at the…
I'm feeling good about today's effort. High tide before midday wasn't the best scenario as I left Bayly's beach this morning with dread at being pushed up on the soft sand. This is the view toward the bluff as I passed Omamari The sea seemed to go out very quickly after this and left me on hard sand for the remainder of the beach. Here's the bluff as I approach Aranga I gave myself a talking to at…
The forecast for today was rain, Bayly's beach motor camp was an easy morning walk, I had picked up a great book that I wanted to finish. A small basic cabin with rain pelting down outside after the best kumara chips ever from Sharky's is heavenly Walking toward Mangonui bluff on the looooong beach can wait until tomorrow 😃
Unfortunately the tide turned at 10am today so wasn't worth trying to paddle up the Wairoa to Dargaville. I was on the road by 7am with a long day ahead if I was to make Dargaville but after a couple of hours a chap 'Steve' drove past then backed up to me and offered me a lift. SO my washing is done, I'm clean and sweet smelling (much needed), all devices are getting topped up with power and I…
The day started being completely fog bound With an outgoing tide, the strength of which I was unsure, how far the fog extended into or perhaps completely across the Kaipara and that I wasn't far above the entrance. I headed off using the map/gps toward the opposite side pointed a km or so above Pouto point. The fog bank only extended ~500m and to my surprise a fishing boat appeared and was quietly…
I got underway at 7:30 and in hindsight wished it had been 6:30. The calculation was that I reach the mouth at 1pm which was low tide then the incoming tide would give me a shove along toward Dargaville. There was about 20kph headwind for the first couple of hours as I came down the river and across to Shelly Bay For some reason the wind died off completely and I enjoyed glassy conditions for the…
The walk along Muriwai beach was ok but pretty uninspiring so took a detour via the Woodhill MTB park. A Saturday was a busy day there, lots of pretty bikes with well adorned riders and every one I saw was electrified. The wildlife was plentiful as well. 3 dark Fallow deer and 5 porkers, 4 black and 1 ginger were spotted while I clonked along! Once on the main road I decided to head to Parakai…
Yesterday A blissful 11km paddle down the channel with only the swell to keep me alert. Mostly glassy with a light slop as the breeze disturbed the surface occasionally. The outgoing tide helped me along and my only concern was whether I'd have somewhere to land between Paratutae island and the mainland or have to go around the island and land in the next bay. It turned out perfectly with a black…