February 5, 2014
After walking over the causeway to Motutapu Island, we set out on the trail heading up into the hills. The further we walked, the more enchanted we became. This landscape was like places we knew in California, but as Rich put it, “on steroids.” I would say it was more dreamlike. On Motutapu, miles of golden grassy hills are dotted with copses of large trees, with many birds and a surprising amount of scenic beauty. Below, photos from our walk (click to enlarge any photo).
The walk required some effort but not too much, and the surroundings were so lovely and peaceful that the experience brought on a kind of natural high. It’s not that often I experience that feeling on a nature walk, but here it was. As we walked, we came to a couple of nice lookouts over the Hauraki Gulf. Below, a couple of panorama shots.
We didn’t make it all the way to Home Bay, instead doubling back on another path. In all it had been about a 2-hour hike. I managed to get photos of a couple of elusive birds, a fantail and the colorful parrot called a rosella. The fantail flits around constantly, and the rosealla just doesn’t stay put in one place for long. Both are hard to photograph.
After we returned to the boat and had some lunch, we pulled anchor and headed off to another island, Ponui. We had some heavy weather coming and had chosen a good anchorage there in which to hunker down. After that passed, we’d continue cruising around the Hauraki Gulf. – Cyndi
