June 26 again

It's been a busy month. We found our way to Whangarei where stayed at the Heritage Park and Museum, a lovely place that's interesting to wander around. We had decided to head West so also made the decision to join the Akl NZMCA group at their local rally in Kaiwaka. There was a large number of them from both this group and the Northland group who traveled south to attend 'our' rally in Cromwell. We wanted to thank them, which we did. They were welcoming and warm and were very complimentary about the Cromwell event. They were also loads of fun!
Kaiwaka is a quirky small town. A brilliant craft shop, a very quirky cafe and another cafe that makes the world's best ANZAC biscuits. We bought 2 then went back for 2 more!
On our way to Tinopai, on the Kaipara, where Karen, David's cousin lives, we walked into The Piroa Falls. Very pretty and worth the stop.
It was such a joy to spend time with Karen and her husband and reconnect after far too long since our last time together. They live in a remote, fabulous part of NZ and love it. Karen reminded us both of David's Mum.
After a reluctant farewell we drove into Matakohe where we visited the much lauded Kauri Museum again. It's such an impressive set up and we highly recommend it. Allow at least a couple of hours.
Next stop Pouto..... at the bottom of the Kaipara Penninsular. We diverted to Kelly's Bay where I thought I'd walked right back into my childhood. The cribs were old, authentic and in great order. I really loved this tiny settlement. It was a grey day and very atmospheric. A real treat. I bet it hums all summer.
Pouto Beach was wonderful. This is a place where you need at least a week. Sadly we only stayed 1 night. Remote, gorgeous, loaded with history and wonderful people. There are only 9 permanent residents and a few holiday homes. We know John and Janeen, who live there, and they were so generous to us. John insisted on taking us, on his side by side, to the lighthouse, 7kms around the beach, but it wasn't to be, the tide beat us. Its interesting to note that this lighthouse is exactly the same as the Waipapa Point lighthouse on Southern Southland. We were really surprised to see the remains of 2 shipwrecks on the beach. We were told there's been at least 150 boats come to grief on the sandbars. Lots of pieces are buried then revealed as the dunes and sand change, only to be reburied.
Shane Jones insisted that a this tiny settlement needed a new wharf to be funded from the Provincial Planning bucket. It cost millions, is overkill in the extreme but the locals and visitors love it. The fishing here is fantastic. Everyone that tried while we were there caught fish.

Baylys Beach was our next port of call but on the way we found Glinks Gully! What a place. An absolutely must see if you're up this way. There's a tiny settlement and an impossibly fabulous beach that's flat and stretches for miles both north and south. We're told you can drive for around 100kms on this beach.
Further up the road is Baylys Beach, a continuation of Glinks Gully, that is just as wonderful. The weather didn't play ball today though so we got a good soaking while walking this beach and after that the weather really turned to rubbish with very big winds and heaps of rain however we did get to see Tane Mahuta again and were again very impressed. He's the largest tree in the Southern Hemisphere.
We're now in Opononi waiting for the weather to improve.Read more