Week 38- Top of the Bottom of the World

The week started pretty slowly as I was wrecked from the kayak trip but it picked up massively at the end of the week. I spent the first three days doing some work, writing, exercising, booking flights, chatting to friends back home and preparing for our trip north for the break. Fitree, who drove Marlene and I back from Mohaka the previous weekend, kindly offered to lend us his car. I couldn’t believe his generosity and realistically it made the whole trip possible. Marlene and I collected it on Wednesday evening before the two of us and Ulysse departed Auckland on Thursday morning. We took a bit of time getting our bags packed so we were a little later leaving than anticipated. Once we were out of the city we stopped by a supermarket to buy our food for the week, loaded it into the car and then continued north.

After about two and a half hours we reached Whangarei (fah - ngah – rey). At this stage it was 15:30 and our first stop was Whangarei falls. This beautiful, 26m high, waterfall is on the Hatea river and looked perfect for swimming in the afternoon sun. We walked from the top of the falls down a path to the bottom where I stripped off and got into the water. It was a little chilly and definitely a bit dirty so I wasn’t able to coax the others in. As we were leaving, a couple came up to us with Ulysse’s wallet which he had left behind. What a relief! 15min down the road we reached our next stop, Abbey caves. These are comprised of three caves, Organ cave, Middle cave and Ivy cave that are connected in a big loop. We walked down a steep track until we reached the Organ cave and began to climb in.

The entrance was not exactly a footpath but also not too challenging. Once in the cave, we saw the floor was more of a stream, which would make sense as the caves are made from limestone that has been worn away by the underground river. Shoes and socks we removed and we headed in. It was incredibly dark inside so we would have been lost without our head torches but, as we were expecting, when we turned our head torches off we were treated to thousands of glow worms lighting up the ceiling. On several occasions we just turned off our lights and admired the beauty of the worms four metres up. The cave wound on for about 15min until the water was too deep for comfort and we turned around. The middle cave was much the same but we found the end of this cave blocked by a collapsed ceiling. It was a bit longer with more climbing to be done but just as many glow worms. On our way out, we encountered our first piece of unusual wildlife for the trip, an eel! The eel was about 60cm long and virtually colourless but distinctive enough for Marlene to spot it just before she stood on it. Thankfully we didn’t lose any toes but we were a little wary of more eels on the way out. At the first cave I saw a couple of guys with a net and I now suspect they were after the eels. The Ivy cave was the biggest of the caves with much more climbing, ducking and mud! The glow worms were incredible. We finished the loop out, which meant crossing a field full of cows. We hugged the hedge line so as not to disturb them before we were underway once more.

At this stage the sun was almost setting so we decided to stay close to Whangarei and camp at a free campsite beside the sea. We parked the car, cooked some pasta and mushrooms and went to bed, ready to get up early to drive to Paihia where we would be starting our sea kayaking adventure around the Bay of Islands.

We left camp at 07:15, stopped to get cash to pay for the kayaks and reached Paihia an hour and 20 minutes later. After one drive by we found the dock and met the guy who was renting us the kayaks. He was a big man, in height and girth, stank of smoke and had a very thick Kiwi accent with ‘bro’ being thrown into almost every sentence. We hired two bright yellow kayaks, a double and a single and loaded them up to the brim with our supplies for the next three days. As weight wasn’t so much of an issue in the boat we brought quite a lot of tinned food as a treat. It took close to two hours to get everything sorted but eventually we were underway, Ulysse in the single and Marlene and I in the double. The air was still, the water flat and the sun was splitting the stones so it was a perfect day for kayaking. The first hour was to paddle from Paihia out beyond the headland where one would find the town of Russel before we rounded the corner to get to the islands. On our way, Ulysse was recounting the tail of how he and Harry had seen dolphins on their previous sea kayaking trip on the South Island but we decided there was no way we’d see any in such a vast area. I also asked Marlene if she'd rather see a whale and have the kayak flip or not see a whale and stay upright.

As we rounded the headland I thought I saw a big tail appear out of the water and I said to Marlene that I thought I saw a whale! (In slightly more colourful language). We were a little concerned that they were whales so we paddled on with caution, unsure how to avoid them but as we drew nearer and nearer we realised that they were actually dolphins! We couldn’t believe our luck. There were probably about a dozen in the pod, all swimming around us. I pulled out my camera (unfortunately Ulysse’s was inaccessible) and while Marlene paddled I tried to take some photos. The combination of wonder, delight and a little bit of fear made the whole experience magical. We were with them for 10 or 15 minutes before they faded into the ocean and were gone. As far as I was concerned we had got our money’s worth in the first two hours!

We continued on, soaking in the beautiful vistas, enjoying the warm water on our hands and marvelling at the vibrant colour of the water. Along the way we spotted something in the water that we thought resembled a piece of drift wood so we thought nothing of it. The driftwood then slowly transformed into some kind of bird before we realised that it was in fact a tiny penguin! (so far, we have eel, dolphin and penguin). We stopped for lunch at the first island, Motuarohia, paddling up to the beach and relaxing under the shade of a tree. Feeling full we had a swim in the clear, warm water and shared around my goggles so we could watch the fish below us.

Back in the kayaks we played musical chairs with Ulysse and Marlene swapping seats. The journey continued, through narrow passes between rocks and next to small islands. The beauty of it was really remarkable. We passed by the next island, Motorua, and kept going until we reached our campsite on Urupukapuka. Just as we turned into our bay we caught the odd silvery splash out of the corner of our eyes when suddenly we were surrounded by flying fish leaping out of the water! When we were booking the campsite, we were concerned that by booking the biggest site we would be with other people but as it happened we had the place to ourselves. We hung out and threw the frisbee before making Mediterranean pasta for dinner. After we had washed up (and missed the sunset) we lay on the ground, watched the stars and regaled each other with stories of the day’s events.

We took our time getting going in the morning, there was no sense of urgency in this place (we were up in time to see the sunrise though). As we were staying another night we only brought our gear for that day and our valuables before setting off. We decided to head to the ocean side of Urupukapuka to see that side of the island. When we left it was perfectly still and the sun was shining but as we reached the open water the clouds came in and the waves started to pick up. It was a bit of an adventure and we saw a small bird (possibly a young seagull) just bobbing along on top of the water which at one stage tried to hop onto the boat. We battled past the rolling waves and into a small bay to have a rest and reassess where we would go next. We were thinking about kayaking across to Motorua and having lunch there but first we walked up the hill to look out over the view. Once at the top we found the most gorgeous tree and we just felt at ease as the clouds disappeared for the day. Having decided we would rest for 20min and then head on so I decided to hang up my hammock in the tree. Half an hour later we hadn’t moved and decided there was no sense in rushing so we stayed to have lunch and relaxed. It was probably the best place I’ve ever hung my hammock.

It was just a short journey round the corner to Otiao Bay and I took the single kayak this time. We passed through a shallow gap in the rocks (perhaps too shallow for the kayaks but a well-timed wave saw us through) and soon we were on the sand once more. With the sun beating down we jumped in the water to cool off. Ulysse went to explore some rock pools and I followed, managing to cut up my hands in the process. After throwing a frisbee for a little while and drying off we paddle onto Paradise bay where they have a bar. As Ulysse had just received confirmation of his masters place we raised a glass to celebrate his success and also our trip. We finished the day’s kayaking back to our campsite and unloaded the boats. In an effort to avoid missing the sunset once more we left immediately for the hill. We had to walk through a field of sheep along the way there and attempted to hand feed them. Once at the top we had a panoramic view of the bay and after we had taken a few flat photos we sat down to enjoy the setting of the sun. We dined on chilli that evening and once again watched the stars, trying to count shooting stars and decide which constellation was the southern cross.

We didn’t want to be too slow to get going in the morning as we knew we had a long way to go and the wind was supposed to pick up. There was no chance of us sleeping in with the sounds of the pukeko (local bird) in the morning. We left by 09:00 and headed back the way we came. We were back to our original boats and as we rounded the first corner Marlene and I spotted a stingray beneath our kayak (eel, dolphin, penguin, flying fish, regular fish, baby seagull, pukeko, sheep, stingray). The water was as flat as it had ever been and we made easy progress to one of the bays on Motorua where we had a small pause and through the frisbee. For the next leg of our journey back I was in the double with Ulysse again and Marlene was in the single. After no more than 10 minutes of paddling we once again spotted dolphins! There appeared to be more of them but they were more on the move this time (or commuting as Marlene described them) . However, we were ready. Ulysse took out his camera and I paddled hard to follow the dolphins. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t quite keep up so turned for Motuarohia and stopped where we first had lunch on Friday for the sequel. We couldn’t believe our luck with the calm sea, the weather and the wildlife.

After food and a swim, it was time to get back to the car. I was in the single with the others in the double. Unfortunately, our luck had to run out eventually. The wind picked up quite considerably and with it came sizeable waves (to be in a sea kayak). The wind was so strong that it wasn’t worth stopping to rest as I was just being blown back. I paddled for an hour straight to get to the cape at Russel before pausing to decide whether to wait for the others at a beach or just keeping going. After a drink I decided to plough on and just keep checking on the other two. About 100m behind me at this time Marlene saw (Ulysse caught a fleeting glimpse) a great big animal jump out of the water, twist in the air and land on its back. She knew it wasn’t a dolphin because its back fin was vertical not horizontal and it was silvery, unlike the bottlenose dolphins we saw earlier. Perhaps for her own sanity (and Ulysse’s) she decided it was some kind of giant 2m tuna. After another 80min of hard but beautiful paddling we made it back Paihia and the car. Just before getting to land Marlene said to Ulysse that she thought the animal they saw was actually a shark. The rental guy helped us unload the boats and then when Marlene told him the story he said he thought it could have been a mako shark (adding shark to the list).

Feeling happy to be out of the wind we piled into the car, filled up with petrol, bought a tub of ice cream and sat in the sun by the beach. We couldn’t quite finish it so Ulysse very kindly offered it to some locals having a party. We drove on for an hour or so in the dark, further north, to Raetea North Campsite where we settled down for the night. We just had time to make a delicious but questionable curry and wonder why someone would walk 200m to the drop toilet to then pee on the seat. When we woke in the morning we discovered that we had managed to pitch our tents in the only shade in the campsite. Consequently, the tents were wet packing them away. We were very excited to be getting to the very tip of New Zealand, Cape Reinga, later that day where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific Ocean.

Our first stop for the day was at Te Paki sand dunes which may as well be the Sahara Desert. Having travelled around a large portion of New Zealand, these massive piles of sand must be the strangest environment I’ve come across. I couldn’t believe that in such a lush beautiful country there could possibly be such a massive barren area that backs onto an 88km long beach. However, what was even more bizarre was that when we arrived, 6 hours north of Auckland and 10km down a dirt track, we bumped into two of Marlene’s classmates from Norway!

After a spot of lunch, we hired sand boards (essentially body boards), from the most kiwi Kiwi I’ve ever met, to go sliding down the dunes. We climbed up the dunes, fighting off the wind and flying sand, and began sliding down. It was so much fun, although having to climb back up the hot sand after was quite tiring. We found one particularly long and steep slope which was probably my favourite before Marlene asked a stranger to take a photo with her disposable camera. Once we were suitably covered in sand we slid back to the car and continued on towards the cape. We arrived earlier than expected so decided we would go to the cape that day, rather than waiting until Tuesday. It was really beautiful with glorious sunshine. We can now also add wild pigs to the list of animals we saw as two darted past us into the bushes. At the cape itself we got to witness a magical moment. A guy, from Chicago, had just finished the Te Araroa trail (the walk that goes the length of New Zealand) having been walking for the past 79 days, including an 80km day along 90 Mile beach the day before. It takes most people about 3 months so it was pretty special to see the end of such a long journey.

At our final campsite by the sea, we went body surfing in the waves before having dinner and getting into our tents. As we were falling asleep we heard a horrible squealing noise. Having seen the pigs earlier we assumed that they were the source of the noise but when I got out of the tent I discovered that it was two possums (eel, dolphin, penguin, flying fish, regular fish, baby seagull, pukeko, sheep, stingray, shark, wild pig, possum). Eventually, we fell asleep and when I woke in the morning I walked up a hill to watch the sunrise.

After breakfast we set off on our three-day hike (which had been shortened down to a day hike due to the incoming bad weather). When we set off the weather was gorgeous, albeit a little windy, and the views were great. We were walking along the headland from the east of the cape heading to the west. When we reached the top of the first hill we saw a family of wild pigs walking towards us, unaware of our presence because of the wind direction. Having had a chance to admire them, a praying mantis and a small yellowhammer along the way we were back at the cape. With the stronger winds, the meeting of the oceans was far more spectacular. We continued on down the west side towards the next beach with the wind picking up. On the way, Marlene said she heard a booming noise, possibly thunder, but Ulysse and I thought it was either the wind or the waves below.

We decided that we would cut our hike short as we didn’t feel like walking along the beach in wind but we wanted to at least get to the beach and then I suggested bush bashing our way back to the road up a ridge. About half way to the beach we stopped for lunch and as we did so the noises Marlene had heard became significantly louder, the booming noise of thunder couldn’t have been clearer. When we looked up we saw a wall of black approaching us so decided we should turn around after lunch so as not to get completely soaked. About two minutes later, the wall had made far too much ground for comfort so we decided we had to leave at that very moment. Poor Ulysse was a little upset about not being allowed to enjoy his lunch. We walked briskly back towards the cape, glancing over our shoulder and seeing this storm front closing in on us from behind. It was possible to see where the rain was hitting the water below in a line that was getting ever closer and then before we knew it we were being drenched.

I ran back to the carpark and managed to hitchhike to our campsite with a priest from Hamilton. After getting a small push to get the car out of the wet grass I collected Marlene and Ulysse from the cape and then we drove south. As we had yet to see 90 Mile beach we popped in at the most southerly access point. The wind was still howling but the rain stopped briefly and the clouds parted so we could have a view of the beach. Ulysse took some fun photos and we climbed some dunes before departing for the open road. Along the way we saw some wild horses and I got out to say hi but, much to my dismay, they ran away (The final list is as follows: eel, dolphin, penguin, flying fish, regular fish, baby seagull, pukeko, sheep, stingray, shark, wild pig, possum, yellowhammer, praying mantis, wild horses). The drive to Auckland is about six hours but we broke it up with dinner in Whangarei, cous cous with packet soup as a flavour! Marlene made us hot chocolate with milk powder before we hit the road once more. We finished the trip out with a sing song in the car and watching the lighting flash over the hills coming into Auckland. The storm appeared to be far worse here with branches and trees down all over the place. We were happy to be in dry beds but sad that our adventure was over. Amazing week.

You can see all of my photos from the trip here.

Ulysse Bellier has kindly allowed me the use of his photos for this and you can see some of them here.