Kiwi Experience - Cape Reinga

It was another start in the dark for our day trip to Cape Reinga, the most northern tip of New Zealand.

Our first stop was at the Puketi Kauri Forest that preserves some of the ancient Kauri trees. The area had once been full of these giants, however once European settlers learnt of their value as a strong wood that floated, which also contained a strong resin that could be used as varnish, they were forested on an industrial scale. Fortunately those that we saw were firstly preserved by their location, which made them difficult to access, before conservation work in the 20th century ensured their survival.

Upon arrival our driver guide Chris explained that Maori tradition was to greet the forest and the spiritual ancestors that remain within it. He bellowed a warming chant in Maori language that rose up through the canopy into the cool hiss of the early morning. We walked through the cool damp air of the enveloping forest with the thick smell of earth. The rising sun kept at bay by the canopy above. These kauri trees, only 500 years old when they could reach 2000 years of age, are enormous. They rise straight and strong from the forest floor leading your head to follow them up into the sky. The trunks of the trees can become as wide as 2-3 metres and their wood is highly prized for its significance and quality. When a tree now dies naturally, its wood is used by local artisans to make furniture, even staircases carved out of the inside of the trunk.

We moved on through lush green diary farms up to Cape Reinga. We walked to it's lighthouse as the sun cast out across the rippling waters of both the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea that meet here. Wind wrapped around our face and the reflecting light off the water caused us to squint. The few clouds cast shadows on the water that foamed at the rock face below, where the Pohutukawa tree, sacred to the Maori and representing the doorway to the afterlife, clung on doggedly against the elements.

Moving on to the Te Paki stream, we scaled and sand-boarded down monstrous sand dunes. The climb up was exhausting whilst the slide down was exhilarating. On the steep slope you could slide into the stream, which Alex did whilst Kim almost went airborne down one of the longer slopes.

Giddy with adrenaline we headed to 90 Mile Beach, so named by Captain Cook who navigated the waters around New Zealand in the 18th Century, because it was 90 nautical miles from end to end. Our bus, fitted to drive on such terrain, drove down the beach, taking a fast but careful line down the wet sand. It becomes very tight between the tide and the rocks at one point and had to circle to time our rush through the gap and not become stuck in the tide. Once through we continued to cruise south, spotting seal pups raising into the waves.

Nearing our return to Paihia, we stopped for 'Fush and Chops', as Chris announced it, at Mangonui, which was very welcome. Sitting at the harbour as the sun cast golden rays across the boats bobbing in the tide, we guzzled down fresh fish in crispy batter with fried chips out of paper wrapping.Read more