Christmas and New Year 2006 - A Mini Adventure

With work over for 2005 and the office officially shut down until 2006 it was time to enjoy the summer holidays. It seems very strange enjoying summer holidays over Christmas. But hey, I guess I will have to get used to it.

So what was planned for my summer (Christmas) break? Well with the arrival of Jenna a couple of weeks earlier from the UK a road trip was on the cards round the north. All started really well with a delay in departure by a day. But saying that fighting the Friday night traffic in Auckland is bad enough, but at the start of the national holiday, the lazy nature of packing and planning did us a favour. So Christmas eve was a trek up to Pihia in the Bay of Islands with a fully loaded surf wagon.

Jennas Aunt and Uncle (Helen and Graham) had kindly offered us accommodation and hospitality over the Christmas period. And wow, what accommodation. Their house is perched on the hill side over looking the bay opposite Russell (the former capital of NZ and 'Hell Hole of the Pacific') towards Opua.

And so it was Christmas. Woohoo. Ever so strange being hot and sunny. But bacon and eggs on the BBQ in the sun on the deck, with a glass of champers in hand went some way to get me in the festive spirit. Having stuffed oursleves silly and drunken far too much champagne for the time of morning it was we opened the pressies!!! Woohoo!!! Then it was off to Bernard the millionaires house on top of the hill for christmas lunch and more drink. Oh goody - i was already ready to burst, but hey, it would be rude not to stuff myself some more surely.

Master Chef at work -Christmas Breakfast!!!

The afternoon was spent cruising the bay in Grahams speedboat. What a better way to spend Christmas day than messing about in boats. Zooming across the bay and over to Russell on a beer hunt. Quest successful, more drinking. Then back to port for an evening of drinking - errr, recovering.

Boxing day was much of the same. More speed boat antics and beers in the sun. This time however, at the lunch spot on Urapukapuka island we were accompanied by dolphins, rays and a penguin of all things!!!! Amazing.

So after the festivities of christmas and boxing day the road trip began proper. The aim was to tour the northland and see the sights. I think this goal was achieved, and what follows is a brief rundown of what we got up to.

First stop was the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It was here that the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. The treaty between the Maoris and the British effectively signed over New Zealand to British Sovereignty. The grounds, just north of Pihia have the Treaty House, where the treaty was drawn up and where the British Envoy to NZ lived, a Maori Waka (a war canoe) and the Te Whare Runanga - a maori meeting house. A flagstaff has been erected at the spot on the lawn where the treaty was signed. The treaty itself guarentees equal rights for both Maoris and non-Maori citizens in Aotearoa New Zealand and is still relevant today.

Matauri Bay. Some 4 miles off shore here is the dive site for the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior. A quick walk up the hill over looking the stuuning beach takes you to the Rainbow Warrior Memorial. As memorials go it was quite a nice one, a mix of metalwork and stone in a big arch, featuring the Rainbow Warriors propellor.

Rainbow Warrior Memorial!!!

Dinner was got from Mangonui Fish and Chip shop. World famous apparently (aren't all chippys world famous?). It was nice and it was lovely view down the harbour. And the fish was certainly fresh - you chose you piece unbattered and they charge you by weight - fresh from the boat. Tasty, but i have to say, still not as nice as the mighty Knowle Fish Bar. Infact that place still remains my fave chippy to date. A night at Hihi saw us refreshed and rejuvenated for the push to the top - Cape Reinga.

We broke the drive up north up by cruising round the Karkari Peninsula. A funny place. Baron and scrub like. But at the end - Maitai Bay, it was stunning. An amzing half moon bay of white sands and crystal clear blue water. Only trouble is, it was a bit crowded - all of 12 people. Oh and the water was bloody freezing!!!

We cruised further north and toyed with crashing for the night at Rararawa - a superb DOC site on the east coast right on a perfect white sand beach - pretty good surf too. However a quick chat with the nice DOC man saw us go for a final push to the top. Well not quite the top - we headed for Spirits Bay, another DOC site. Wow what a site. After a good 25km of gravel tracks enabling a good impression of Colin McRae to be undertaken (not sure if the co-pilot had as much fun as me) we arrived in a cloud of dust at the camp gates. The site is right on the beach. And the surf was pumping. However i was a bit chicken to test it out in my boat. Big rip and a habit of slamming you into the gravel beach didn't really appeal to me. Gonna stick to small surf for a bit after my pounding at Piha (but thats another story - it was a tsunami, i swear!!!). Anyway, a stunning sunset across the bay over Cape Reinga signalled an epic battle to commence - man v mozzy. Not really sure who won (Jenna will disagree) but i was giving as good as i got.

Sunset at Spirits Bay - nice hat!!!

Cape Reinga was a little dissapointing. This is the place where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. And its also the place where the maori spirits descend to the final resting place in the after life. However, after another few km's of being Colin McRae we were greeted with throngs of people - Japanese mainly. Bit of a dissapointment really. THe lighthouse was pretty interesting though - solar powered, controlled from Wellington and run on a 50watt bulb that is visible for 35 miles. Pretty cool.

Next stop was 90 mile beach. Its not actually 90 miles long (its about 64 miles long). Its also part of the State Highway system - bit random - and if you drive on it your insurance is invalid. Hmmmm, a small worry. The best time to go is the window 2 hours each side of low tide. Having no idea of when the tides were the trip to Te Paki was primarily to look at the massive sand dunes (like something out of Star Wars) and perhaps to walk down to the beach. Access is via a river which has reported quicksand in it. Even more nervous about taking my beast for a spin on the beach. However my mind was made up when a coach went hooning past down the river. If a coach can do it then a 4x4 will have no problem at all. A cruise on the beach was on - stick with the coach - safety in numbers and all that. We were off, 4x4 engaged, windows shut, wipers on - off roading baby!!!

We hit the beach and cruised. The sand was hard so no issues there. Just stay with the coach. 100km/hr all the way - sorted. Its quite a strange feeling driving on the beach. Especially when the your safety (the coach) stops and you are on your own with no idea of the tide times and no way out off the beach once you're on. Fun fun fun.

After no idea how long we hit some sort of civilisation. Not really sure where it was though. Somewhere on the west coast and thats about it. We pushed on. Finally we reached what we thought was Ahipara. No signposts on the beach - how inconsiderate!!! A nervous bit of rock hopping off roading took us round to Shipwrecks Bay where we de-beached and looked for a camp for the night.

Next stop it was off to Max's batch in Opononi. Having de-salted and de-sanded my car after hooning around on 90 mile beach i was most dismayed to find myself having to park my truck at the front of the Hokianga Harbour ferry to Rawene. I may as not have bothered. I think the captain of the ferry thought he was Richard Branson on a cross atlantic challenege or something - he was booting across, covering my truck in salty goodness once more!!! Hmmmm. Another rinse down required. Having cruised the streets of Opononi for a good few minutes we eventually found Max's batch. Right at the start of our mini tour. 'Can't miss it' he said - hmmmm obviously. It was a nice pad - overlooking the water and some more mighty dunes over the harbour. It was also nice to meet the Burkitts who had joined Max for christmas and new year - it was a proper work get together. And here was me thinking i was supposed to be on holiday. Anway, beers were sunk, tales were told, and we even braved the local pub - we did stand out a mile mind - must remember to pack me stubbies and wife beater next time - oh and grow a mo and get a mullet.

The next day we went on a gay dolphin hunt. Opo the gay dolphin was perhaps Opononis most famous inhabitant. During the short spell of gayness in the 50's Opo entertained crowds and kids a plenty. Very funny video at the visitors centre - i would recommend it to anyone. If you can watch it with a straight face i will be most impressed.

Next was a Tane Mahuta. New Zealands biggest tree. The Northland is known for its Kauri forests, and Tane was a beast. A mighty girth. The photos don't really do it justice. Its not that tall, i am sure i have seen taller - but it certainly was a biggun. Another short hop in the truck took us to more forestry. This time to see the second biggest tree in New Zealand. Another Kauri but taller than Tane but not as an impressive a girth. Its not the height its the width that is important apparently. Interestingly, at this spot you can also see New Zealands 7th biggest tree. Why would you want to though? And where the hell are the third, fourth, fifth and sixth biggest trees. So after tree hugging it was off back to the Bay of Islands for New Year.