I am back in camper van mode, but on the North Island.  Since I rented the exact make/model of the camper van that I had in the South Island, it was a bit like coming home- I had my storage and logistics system already established and was familiar with all of the equipment.  I planned my vehicle pickup to avoid rush hour as I headed out of Auckland to explore the northern most areas of the North Island to start my clockwise three-week journey around the island.  My first destination was Paihia, a popular holiday spot in the Bay of Islands on the east coast.  I booked a campground for four nights, as there was a lot of interesting places to explore in the area.

Leaving Auckland I decided to drive up the west coast as long as possible before having to cut over to the east coast to get to my destination.  I did not mind the extra 30 minutes added to the drive because I knew I would be driving down the east coast on my return as I headed to Coromandel; a drive up the west coast meant I was guaranteed to see different things. As I headed north out of Auckland I quickly encountered an agricultural landscape, similar to the South Island populated with sheep and cattle.  However, in addition to the livestock, I passed numerous orchards growing many kinds of citrus, avocados, kiwis and even some olives.  Instead of the steep, dramatic, jagged mountains, I encountered sub-tropical vegetation and rolling hills.  But, like the South Island, the color green, in all of its varied shades, was dominant.

It took about four hours to get to Paihia, with a few stops, including one for groceries, and I was happy to relax once I got the campground, which was located just outside of town. The woman who checked me in at the campground was very friendly and we had a lengthly discussion about activities in the area during which she provided some advice and insight on options.  One of my goals was to get to the northern most point of the North Island at Cape Reinga, although I was not looking forward to the three hour drive (one-way) to do so.  She pointed out that there was a coach tour based out of Paihia that went to the Cape and spoke highly of the excursion.  Coupled with the fact that by combining that trip with a cruise through the Bay of Islands (which I was going to do anyway) there was a discount combo package– well my decision was an easy one.  I promptly booked both!

The next morning I got up early and walked 20 minutes into town to the wharf for the Bay of Island cruise.  The half-day(ish) cruise stopped at Russell, a historic town and the first capital of New Zealand, situated directly across the bay from Paihia, before heading out of the bay to see the famous “hole in the rock”, followed by another stop at Urupukapuka Island, a small island with a beach, hiking paths, cafe and activities before returning back to the Paihia wharf.  The boat was fairly full, accommodating two different sets of school kids out on field trips, as we headed for Urupukapuka island to drop them off before heading to the “hole in the rock”.  The schools were almost out for the summer and the kids were clearly excited to be out of the classroom.  One of the schools was a Maori school; the teachers and parents spoke Maori, which is an official language of New Zealand, to the kids the whole time although I head some English bandied about too.  The boat got a lot quieter when the kids got off…..

We continued our cruise through the bay heading northeast towards Cape Brett where the Pacific Ocean meets the bay and the unusual “hole in the rock” formation is located.  The wind was out of the east creating gentle swells, rocking the boat gently, as we traversed the bay. The water color was an amazing rainbow of greens and blues and every combination thereof. The Bay of Islands is called such because of the numerous islands of various sizes that dot the bay, the depth changes around the islands driving the changing water colors. The sky was blue and the temperature was comfortable- it was a great day to be on the water.  As we got nearer to the Cape and started to leave the bay, however, the wind got stronger and the swells got more dramatic causing several people on the boat to get sick.  The “hole in the rock” is just that — a large arched hole in a rock formation that can accommodate a boat passage.  Because of the wave action, we did not go through it, but our 300 person catamaran would have fit easily.  There is probably some geological and hydrodynamic explanation for why there is a large,  perfect hole cut through the rock, but I am not privy to it.  But it looked dramatic. We also saw the historic lighthouse perched at Cape Brett, once a critical component to navigating the bay safely.  The lighthouse keepers house still stands and can be rented; it is a seven hour trek to get there though (or you could get dropped off by boat…). If you are looking for a remote location to hang out at, this is the spot!

We did not stay long at the “hole in the rock” due to the rough seas and were soon back in the relatively calm waters of the bay.  The captain dropped us off at Urupukapuka Island where we had an hour to relax and enjoy the beach.  The two school groups we had dropped off earlier were still there- clearly enjoying the beach.  I had planned to do some hiking but the blue sky, sun and warm weather, combined with the beautiful beach, lured me in and I plopped down on some grass just beyond the beach and turned into a lizard, soaking up the sun and watching the kids frolic in the water (which I think was still rather cold…). It was very relaxing.  The hour passed by too quickly and soon the boat was back to pick us up.  The next stop was Russell, where I got off, intending to explore a bit before grabbing a water taxi to get me back to Paihia later in the day. (Russell and Paihia are only 15 minutes apart by water taxi, but if you had to drive around the bay the trip would take over seven hours.)

Russell, as I mentioned earlier, is a historic town and was, at one time, known as the “Hell hole of the Pacific” because of the general lawlessness of the settlers, visitors, miners and explorers who all descended on the island before any formal authority was in existence.  The town center is still small, only two streets, with residential areas spread out in the surrounding hills.  Flagstaff Hill is short, but steep 30 minute walk from the town center, offering spectacular views of the whole bay.  I wandered up there and sat on a bench for a bit, overlooking the bay and enjoying the weather, before heading back to explore the town.  After browsing through art galleries and shops and stopping for a glass of wine in the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, in operation since 1827 and holding the first liquor license in New Zealand, I hopped on a water taxi and headed back to Paihia and the walk back to the campground.

Since the next day was Thanksgiving (in the U.S), I spent the morning calling my siblings (yay wi-fi calling!) and catching up with them, so I got a late start to the day.  Luckily, my next destination, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, was  within walking distance of the campground. The North Island, and especially the areas north of Auckland, saw numerous events that led to the founding of the country. As the Europeans arrived, the many Maori tribes exposed to the newcomers, engaged in trade with them.  In time, the tribes also sought to export and engage in trade in Australia and other nearby islands. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds played host to a treaty uniting the tribes, mainly on the North Island, in a union with Britian as well as the creation of a Declaration of Independence, to facilitated trade and establish authorities.  I spent several hours exploring the history of New Zealand (did you know they have two official flags?) and how the relationship between the native Maori and the European immigrants evolved over time, for better and worse. I also watched a Maori cultural show that included a song and dance performance. It was super interesting, and I highly recommend a visit to the Treaty Grounds if you are ever in the area.

Saturday started bright and early with a 7:30am coach pickup right at the campground for my trip to Cape Reinga.  Our driver, Barry, who was a Maori, was very experienced and knowledgeable and kept a running commentary during the whole trip on the countryside, customs, people, and sights that we passed.  He also had a wonderful sense of humor, so his discourse was both educational and entertaining.  Our route was going to take us up the west coast of the island, driving along 90 mile beach and back down the east coast.  Before we got to 90 mile beach, we stopped twice to pick up additional clients, resulting in an almost full coach.

Ninety-mile beach is not actually 90 miles, but closer to 55 or so.  It is a broad, flat, long sand beach that runs up the west coast.  Only four-wheel drivee vehicles are allowed on the beach and NO rental cars are allowed at all.  The company I booked the coach tour with is the only company allowed to drive a bus on the beach.  Getting access to the beach is no problem- the road we were on literally ended at the beach. When the road ended, we kept going and suddenly were on the beach, intersecting it about 17km south of the northern exit.   About half-way down the beach we stopped for some sand surfing.  Barry handed out boogie boards to anyone who wanted to try.  After a brief lesson, he led everyone up a nearby dune and helped them go down the first time, on the beginner slope.  After that, people were free to try the “fast” slope and the “jump” slope.  I did not do it, but it was fun to watch.  There were several other cars on the beach, some fishing, others wading in the cold water of the Tasman sea. Some hikers passed by and Barry mentioned that hiking the 90 mile beach, which takes about three days, is a popular trek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
After our interlude on the beach, we continued our journey north, passing sheep, cattle and multitudes of orchards. Barry commented on each small town we went through and taught us some Maori words.  We stopped for lunch in a beautiful bay with a lively surf that looked manageable for swimming and apparently is a popular spot in the summer.  It was a short drive from lunch to the Cape.  Cape Reinga is a sacred place for the Maori culture as it is believed that all departed spirits gather first at the Cape before launching themselves into the afterlife.  Consequently, Barry shared with us the traditional Maori prayer required when both approaching and departing the area. It was fascinating listening to the syllables of the language and trying to understand the pronunciation- I have routinely had trouble correctly pronouncing the names of cities with Maori names (most cities in the North island and a large number in the South island have Maori names).  There was a small lighthouse at the Cape and even more interesting, the Cape is the place where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet.  Looking out over the edge of land, the swirling green and blue water meets in a violent clash, shifting sand around and creating further graduations of both colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
After an hour at the Cape, we piled back into the bus and began the nearly three-hour drive back to Paihia.  We had a washroom stop at a café attached to a famous Maori wood-worker’s studio.  He had built his studio around the remains of a kauri tree excavated from a swamp.  The tree was 37’ in circumference and after heroic efforts to get the tree out of the swamp, he had it set up, built a staircase on the inside of it and bult around it.  The kauri trees grow large, straight and without knots, making them highly prized for woodworking, making canoes and were sought after by early European explorers to make new masts for their ships.  The Treaty Grounds also had the remains of a kauri tree, used to make a ceremonial canoe and the size of it was incredible.

I was back at the campground shortly before 6pm—a long day but a good one.  I was really glad I chose to take the tour and not drive!  But after the trip I can say that I have been to the northern most and southern most point on the South Island and the northern most (accessible) point on the North Island.  Way cool!

The next morning I headed out of Paihia to make my way south to one more Bay of Islands stop before heading to Coromandel.  Before heading south, however, I went north to Kerikeri, roughly a 20 minute drive, to do the hike to Rainbow Falls.  The hike starts at a building called the Stone Store, which has been in business since the mid-1800s.  It sits on the river in a very picturesque spot, surrounding by green lawn and two cafes. The hike to the waterfall took me about an hour and I spent some time there taking pictures and talking to some of the friendly kiwis who were there.  I was lucky – I made it back to my camper van just before the rain started—it had been overcast all morning and I had anticipated getting wet during the hike. Mission accomplished I set out for the three-hour drive south to Matakana and the surrounding beaches where I was staying for two nights.  The weather varied the whole drive, sometimes raining quite strongly, others just a mist and at other times, no rain at all.  Unfortunately, when I got to my campground, it was raining strongly so I plugged in the van and hunkered down for the rest of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I woke the next day to a sunny sky so decided to head to the Goat Island Marine Reserve, located slightly northwest of my campground.  The reserve is a marine protected area popular with snorkelers and swimmers and sure enough, when I got there a school group was gearing up to go snorkeling. (I am not sure if it was the school group staying at the campground with me or not.) My goal was to hike along the coastal track, rather than to get in the water and it was a peaceful hour and a half walk as I saw no one else the whole time.  When I got back to the reserve, however, more people had arrived, some swimming and some walking on the rocks. I suspect this is a very popular spot in the summer.

Leaving the marine reserve I headed south to check out another popular summer spot, Omaha Beach. Omaha Beach is a sleepy residential community but the beach is huge, with gently sloping white sand and apparently attracts lots of weekend visitors from Auckland, only an hour away.  There were a few people sunbathing and fewer still actually in the water, which was a bit cold still.  I walked along the beach for a while, stopping to chat with a woman and young lady who were riding horses along the shoreline (which looked like fun!).

My next stop was the Sculptorium, a unique art gallery/museum. The owners had been collecting art – mainly, but not exclusively, sculptures and glass – for many years and decided to create a property to display their collection.  The main building has six galleries and two internal “hidden” gardens, all packed with a variety of art from different media, different countries, different styles—all interesting.  Outside in front of the main building is a sculpture garden, a mixture of flowers, plants and sculptures discoverable via a meandering kilometer long path throughout.  I spent hours wandering through the whole place reading the inscriptions about the art and artist.  I think equally interesting would have been information about how the collectors found the different artists and art….

 

I finished my afternoon by stopping at a local brewery for a dark beer and a bite to eat before heading back to the campground to soak in the sun and enjoy the water (the campground is on one of the numerous shallow bays in the area).