December 11, 2022
Day 7: In transit
The weather in Northland has been hard to manage on this tour. In fact, the weather over the whole of New Zealand has been exceedingly changeable. With rain and thunderstorms predicted for today, the only sensible plan last night was to make today a rest and travel day.
Consequently . . . The day dawns clear and we spend many hours traversing Northland from north to south in a van, including the road we were meant to ride, without the promised downpours and thunderstorms. Oh well.
We have relocated from the east coast to the west, or from north to south as the proverbial crow would fly. I'm writing this from the tiny town of Ōmapere, within sight of the entrance to the Hokianga Harbour.
This morning, before leaving the far north, we stop at another tiny town (they all are in Northland) called Ahipara, at the base of the famed 90 Mile Beach, an expansive curve of golden sand that stretches all the way up to Cape Reinga.
The beach is crying out for some activity so I take the chance and manage a 4km walk. 90 Mile Beach (actually only 58 miles or 93 km) is also an official road and is often used to take tour buses up to the Cape, tide willing.
From the NZ Geographic website: The Hokianga Harbour on the west coast was known by Maori as “the nest of the northern tribes” because it was here that their great voyaging ancestor, Kupe, made landfall from Hawaiki, and here that his descendants settled. Hokianga has been a nest for Europeans, too. Over the past two centuries, sawmillers, shipbuilders, missionaries, traders, farmers, fishers, hippies and artisans have found a home along its sheltering shores.
Tomorrow, we will retrace Kupe's footsteps. For now, I'll finish with this evening's views of the harbour.
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