Cyndi and Rich aboard Legacy
December 27, 2012
Dear diary… We spent Christmas with Dean and Sabina from Local Talent in Whangarei. We had a really nice time. We stayed an extra night so we could catch the Lord of the Rings movie in 3D at 48 frames per second. Ho hum. Yesterday we took the scenic drive back to Opua. Wow. We also got in a little hike…
-Rich
December 27, 2012
Heading down the path towards Whale Bay, we were treated to a beautiful view of two bays to the north: Woolley’s Bay and Sandy Bay. Woolley’s has a beautiful little beach between two rocky points that’s popular for picnicking and swimming. The big bay beyond that, Sandy Bay, is popular with surfers.
After continuing down the path, we arrived at one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand, Whale Bay, a perfect crescent of white sand and blue-green water backed by a thick wall of trees. It had been well worth the 25-minute hike to get here.
After lingering at Whale Bay, we turned and once again enjoyed the scenery along the hike back to the car. Now it was time to drive towards Sandy Bay, where the road turns and heads back through the countryside to the main highway.
About five minutes into our drive, we came to a well-marked parking lot for Whale Bay. It seems we could have parked there and had a much easier and shorter walk, and I felt a little silly until I realized that I would not have wanted to miss the beautiful walk we took. I think Rich, in spite of not feeling well, would agree.
Our drive back to the highway was just as beautiful as the drive out to the coast, and it was well worth making the entire loop. In spite of the gray day, this was one of our favorite expeditions. –Cyndi
December 27, 2012
We walked through an area with tall grass, following the family to a black sand beach. This was their destination; we still had a 25-minute hike ahead. They pointed to some stairs going up a hill. Rich wasn’t feeling well and was doubtful about doing this hike today, but he agreed to climb the hill and see how it looked.
After the climb, we seemed to be at the top of a plateau. There were only gentle slopes and hills as the path wound past pastures and trees, with views of several rocky headlands that bracket a long line of beaches going up the coast. We continued walking to see how Rich felt, and curiosity about what was over the next hill or around the next corner kept him going. The beautiful scenery helped, too.
Before we knew it, we made it to a sign pointing out the trail to Whale Bay, only five more minutes away. Here’s a gallery of pictures from our walk, click to enlarge and scroll. –Cyndi
December 27, 2012
The first coastal beach we reached was Matapouri Bay, a beautiful wide crescent of sand in a protected bay.
Our hope was to see Whale Bay, a 25-minute hike down a trail leading from this beach. We wandered down the beach, hunting for the trail with no success. We finally started asking people if they knew where it was. Eventually we found a family heading that way, and we could follow them (thanks guys). –Cyndi
December 27, 2012
People we’d talked to didn’t seem to think Tutukaka was anything special, but I loved it the moment I saw it. It’s like a combination of the pacific northwest and Maine, with that special New Zealand magic thrown in. It’s got the feeling of rugged coastline, and tall pine trees share the hillsides with pohutukawa trees and tree ferns. The well-protected water in the harbor is a beautiful green color.
There’s not really a town here, but there are a few eateries and a hotel that cater to the dive tourists as this is where they get transports to one of the most renowned dive sites in the world: Poor Knights Islands, about 15 miles offshore. These things give the area a somewhat lively feeling in spite of the fact there’s not much here.
We might consider coming and spending some time here in the future, but there are some drawbacks for boaters. The entrance to the harbor is narrow and somewhat shallow, and in our boat we’d need good weather and high tide not only to come in, but to leave. If we visit, we don’t want to have to worry about getting anywhere else for awhile. For now, I’ll hope we get a chance to stop here for a time in the future. Here’s a gallery of pictures; you can click to enlarge and scroll through them. –Cyndi
