Beginning by a 45 min walk to the beach but as it's the high tide it looks like this in some places.
Second beach is wider and extra long, there are traces of someone camping on the beach long time ago, two creeks and some sea rubbish as this colorful fishing net.
After nearly two hours walking, I met a Belgian couple! What were the odds? They are on their second day hiking. We then plan to meet again at the end of the day and drive together to Kerikeri. I will meet nobody else on this journey.
T'choupi is already thirsty and exhausted... he is asking to sleep in a mussel shell!
I have 1,5 liter water, 3 fruits, 5 nut bars, sun cream, sunglasses and feel confident... at that time.
Pristine beaches and nobody but you.
Birds flying away, salt water lake, big dune...
... wait what? The traces of the Belgian couple are showing me "the path" : crossing the lake and climbing this dune (yeah they went from the other side but there is no choice: otherwise it's rocks and waves)
View from the first dune of the day. Worth it.
On the other side... 30 min of slow walk / skin burning / thirsty mouth
...but finally wen you see this you are happy to be there.
Going down you have two long beaches: right- and left-hand side. Feels like on a deserted island. Even T'choupi wakes up for his first surf lesson (please don't tell him it is a broken surfboard: 50cm is enough for his size)
Right in the middle of this picture is the path I am following to reach the final destination: Maria Van Diemen lighthouse. Then suddenly you have only bushes for 15 minutes.
Looking South from the lighthouse.
Actually this island is even more to the West but I found nobody renting kayaks there ;-)
T'choupi says it looks like boobs.
Then I realized how long will be the way back to the Cape Reinga.
In the sandy / rocky mountain I accidentally scared a wild rabbit (in the middle)... while taking this picture!
Low tide on the way back
Later on the Belgian couple and me were driving on the 90 mile beach (NZ adopted the metric system in the 70's now only some names are remaining).
Low tide = hard sand + all wheel drive = feels like driving on silk.
Finishing the day with a swim in lake Ngatu, sweet water and it is warmer than the ocean!
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