February 9, 2014
Our first destination of interest was a beach called Ladies Bay; so named because that’s the beach where women (separated from the men) could swim when this was a rehab island. Just around the headland was a beach for the guys, aptly named Men’s Bay; but since a visit there required taking another trail; we’d have to skip it.
We set out on the trail over a grassy hill area and very quickly found ourselves at Ladies Bay. This island seemed so quiet and empty that it was a surprise to find a group of people swimming there. Perhaps they came over on a ferry or a boat in another bay?
Ladies Bay was lovely, a perfect half circle of bay between two bushy headlands. A lawn sloped down its crescent of golden sand and water in pretty shades of blue. In the distance, the Coromandel Peninsula stretched across the horizon.
Below, a photo gallery: click to enlarge any photo in galleries that follow.
After enjoying Ladies Bay, we climbed to a viewing area overlooking it before continuing along the trail. Very quickly, the feeling of being the only people on this island returned. The walk took us through regenerating native bush interspersed with areas of lawn, the colors around us shades of green and tan with glimpses of the blue ocean.
When we arrived at North Point, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view filled with islands, bays, and beaches. Areas of the neighboring islands were so close they felt as though they could be part of this island. Tiny islands dotted the calm blue sea between them.
As we continued on to the next part of our hike, I managed to get photos of a friendly fantail that flitted around us. These are some of our favorite New Zealand birds, small and seeming very friendly as they’ll fly around us, sometimes quite close, looking for little insects we might kick up as we walk. They move fast, flitting about, and when they land they fan their tails out, probably for balance, before taking off again. Their friendly nature and flickering tail fanning make them such charming birds.
The rest of our hike will continue in the next post.–Cyndi
