January 28, 2013
We decided to make a beeline for the northernmost point of New Zealand and then do our sightseeing as we headed south. Our next stop: Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of New Zealand, where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. The further north we drove, the drier and more windswept the landscape became, and the more sand dunes we began to see.
Cape Reinga is probably most famous for its lighthouse and dramatic ocean views. But it is also an important spiritual site for the local Maori culture. In their legend, this is where the spirits of the deceased leave the land.
For me, places declared as spiritual sites often feel special, and Cape Reinga was no exception. What was most striking was to look out at the dramatically windy points and wild ocean, yet to have the air around us always very calm and warm. Cicadas buzzed in the tall grass and dragonflies drifted around us as we walked down the path, which added to the mystical effect. While it’s beautiful, I would come here less for the way it looks than for the way it feels. I think this place is indeed enchanted. –Cyndi
