The Coromandel: Beaches, tractors and volcanoes

Since leaving the Northland we have had a week on the road. Driving in New Zealand is mostly

Our North Island journey 

on two-lane roads, windy and scenic.  The only trick is staying left. Our Kerikeri friend, John Aish used to tell his kids that they made roads in New Zealand too long and had to add lots of curves to use it all up. That explains why we've had so few straight roads.

First stop down the North Island was visiting our Vashon neighbors at Hahei Beach. Becky and Richard Jenke are fabulous hosts and Hahei is a truly remarkable beach on the rugged Coromandel Peninsula. The weather didn't cooperate to get out on the water so we enjoyed long meals and story telling with Becky, Richard and their fantastic neighbors. We worked off the a little of the eating with some beautiful  hikes in the hills, to nearby Cathedral Cove, and the mile-long Hahei Beach.

One heard a fabulous story about a wounded Orca that had a crayfish pot wrapped around his tail. The Jenke's neighbor Russ owns the dive shop so he and his son, Rhys, went out to rescue it. Rhys jumped in the water with his Go Pro camera and cut the rope off the exhausted Orca's tail. He said he didn't worry much about being in the water with this huge mammal until the five other Orcas in the pod came swimming around. Click here to see a good news story and Rhys's video footage of the amazing rescue.

The Hahei locals have an interesting way of launching boats here using old tractors. Richard says some people have a boat just as an excuse to have the tractor. His neighbor Perky has two, big red and little red. It's good clean fun watching people launch and retrieve boats through the surf. Old timers sit by and watch knowing they are going to have to pull out a rookie or two. And then some tractors just make good sunbathing decks as demonstrated below.

Sunbathing Hahei style

Looking back at Hahei from the nearby Pa (fortified Maori village)

From Hahei Beach, we followed Richard's sage advice and headed southwest into the middle of the North Island to National Park. Established in 1887, Tongariro was the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. It is a dual World Heritage area, a status which recognizes the park's important Maori cultural and spiritual associations as well as outstanding volcanic features. Three mountains dominate the skyline and one was active as recently as 2007. More like two huge craters (much like our Mount St. Helens after it blue) and one remaining intact cone. Our hotel is on the flanks of Mt Ruapehu, the most active. After we check in we notice the room has instructions for what to do in case of a lahar flow. Escaping that kind of event is a bit like a jet aircraft attempting a water landing, highly unlikely chances of survival! Nearby is a perfectly shaped cone of Mt Ngauruhoe and beyond that the crater where Mt Tongariro was blown off a few hundred years ago. Beautiful scenery that was quite different from anything else we'd seen so far and fine hiking in subalpine meadows.

Jeff looking out at cone-shaped Mt Ngauruhoe. Mt Tongariro is the hard to see crater to the left.
We are standing on the flanks of Mt Ruapehu. 

From there we stoped off in Waikanae, a lovely beach area just before Wellington on the Kapiti Coast. Great open beach with not many people on it. We stayed at the Konini Cottage, hosted by the lovely Maggie and Bob Smith. Stop by and see them if you come this way, a wonderful, relaxing place and wonderful hosts. Be sure and try the local ginger beer as well!

The Waikanae beach stretches for five kilometers unobstructed.

After a week on the road, we find ourselves in Wellington, the capital located at the very southern tip of the North Island. It is the hilliest town I have ever seen, even steeper than San Francisco. Nice to be in one place for a week before we catch the ferry to the south island. And lots to see in Wellington, tons of good eateries, coffee, funky shops and walks to check out in the meantime! After all, it is the home of the Flight of the Concords... cheers!

Tractors in use in Waikanae for launching sightseeing boats for the nearby Kapati Island Reserve. 

Jeff and Richard on Hahei Beach after a hike to Cathedral Cove

The wonderful Becky Jenke along the estuary that flows to Hahei Beach

The Northland: The geography of isolation

In thinking about how to talk about New Zealand, I find myself coming back to the geography. 

geography. The fact that these islands are in the middle of the South Pacific has meant they are naturally unique. There are plants and birds that exist only here. People didn’t find this place until less than 1000 years ago. First it was the ocean going Polynesians who traveled in canoes over thousands of miles of vast, empty ocean. Followed by the Europeans only a few hundred years ago. If you are interested in learning more, visit this link for short stories and pictures.

We left Auckland and traveled north to explore the Northland and Bay of Islands from the small town of Kerikeri. It’s subtropical here so the mix of plants and fertile volcanic soil creates a beautiful green and lush environment. It’s very hilly with high open grazing areas with cows and sheep. The ocean shows up in almost every backdrop here where the island is narrow and surrounded by what they call the Twin Coasts. Our first day here was a wonderful farmers market reminded me so much of ours at home on Vashon; Small local farms selling everything from homemade yogurt, fresh cheeses and produce to blueberry pancakes and guacamole. We found Russell and Paihia to be rather touristy towns but it is easy to get way from that and onto a fairly remote beach or forest trail.

Ancient kauri tree

In the north, it's easy to see how the large protected bays with scattered islands and rivers flowing in makes it easy to see why people (Polynesians and European) decided to settle here. And it makes for incredibly

beautiful scenery.

There are some stands left of the once prolific Kauri trees with 6+ foot wide trucks and 60+ foot high canopies. These amazing trees were used for Maori canoes. All over these magnificent trees are tropical bromeliads, orchids and epiphytes. It is hard not to stand in awe at these massive living things. 

Our time here in the Northland was enhanced by our connection to Wendy and Lily, who we met in Auckland and who grew up here in Kerikeri. Her parents John and Myrline Aish invited us over to their farm and took us kayaking in Whangaroa Harbor and sight seeing around the peninsula there. Myrline grew up in this area and told us some great stories of the past and Lily, the six year old kept us in the present. Spectacular day!

Cavelli islands out where the Rainbow Warrior was sunk in the 70's... remember that? 

We leave the Northland to navigate back through Auckland to the Coromandal Peninsula where we'll check in with our nieghbors from Vashon, Becky and Richard Jenke. Now it's starting to make sense why they travel here every year for the winter. It might be the longest snowbird migration that I know of but I can't think of many places where the summer is so spectacular.

The Backseat Drivers: Lily D, Claire and Myrlene

Whangaroa Bay 

The Auckland Report

"A week in Auckland, you'll be bored!" That was our Vashon neighbor Richard's response to our New Zealnd itinerary. "Two days, four max!" he declared. Richard has over 30 years of visiting this country, having taught at the University of Auckland in the 80's and the building a house on the nearby Coromandal Peninsula. He and dear wife, Becky visit ever January and February. Given our way of travel, we weren't too worried about one week in New Zealand's largest city. Here is our report:

Day One: Arrive at 8 AM from Korea. Despite my telling both the Airport Shuttle company and our

Airbnb host that we were arriving at 8PM, the shuttle is there and takes us to our apartment where our host meets us and shows us our new home. Easy. Find essentials like fresh seafood and wine, try not to fall asleep. Wander through Albert Park and marvel at the range of plants/trees here.

Our view over Albert Park across the U. of Auckland

Day Two: Meet Wendy and Lily (friends of our friends Chip and Tammy) over in the Kingsland neighborhood. Wind our way through the streets of several other hood's taking in some views and checking out how the good people of Auckland live. Discover the flat white Mac's brewery.

Day Three: Time to start learning about this country and starting with the nearby Auckland Art Museum, New Zealand wing. Fantastic show of kiwi artist Robert Ellis and historical watercolors and oils of Maori people from the last two centuries. Free! Find the best place for a flat white near our house.

Day Four: After a morning of taking care of business back home, we walk up to the Auckland Museum. Amazing exhibits about NZ natural history, war history, Maori and Polynesian. Deserves two days. The museum sits up on one of Auckland's many old volcano peaks and has a great view from the top. Walk home through Parnell neighborhood, grab a beer and watch happy people enjoying the beautiful sunny, summer day. Discover another local hard cider on tap.

Day Five: Really, already? Take the ferry on the Hauraki Gulf to Rangitoto Island, a Dept of

Heaps of sailing in the Hauraki Gulf offshore from Auckland

Conservation island with trails. Walk to the top, an old volcano, wander through native forest back to the black lava shore, and return home exhausted and happy.

Day Six: Take the ferry over to Devonport to visit the lovely Anne O'Callaghan (we met at a retreat in Seattle). Swim with the Bucket Club, have wine and nibbles on the beach return to her house where her son Ben has made dinner. Sweet as!

Day Seven: Back to the ferry terminal (a mere 4 blocks from our apt), take the longest ferry ride on the gulf yet, 45 minutes, to Waiheke Island. From the wharf, a short walk through a preserve leads us to Cable Bay Winery for lunch and a

Lunch at Cable Bay, Waiheke

fabulous view. From there, walk through town to pick up the coastal trail which winds through vineyards, rocky coves a beach or two back to the wharf. Hope to come back to explore the other 90% of this incredible island someday. Wish we had another week.

Time to pack up and head to Kerikeri. From there we hope to explore the Northland and Bay of Islands. From there we will travel over to the Coromandal and visit Richard and Becky on Hahai Beach and share with him how (not) bored we were during our week in Auckland.

Maitiatia Bay on Waiheke

Auckland skyline from the ferry

Home for the Holidays

Cookies! Both beautiful and tasty.

After an eight day drive across the country,we boarded the Vashon ferry on 12/16, completely awed to behome for the holidays.Dan and Matt welcomed us with cookies, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, stories of their summer/fall at Santosa, and a great dinner. We whisked them off to the airport the next day and enjoyed 12 days at home. Its ironic that after traveling nearly every Christmas holiday to be with my parents in either Florida or Lake Tahoe, the year I plan to travel is the year I get to stay home. Go figure.
It was wonderful to be in the cold, grey skies of the Puget Sound region. We were even blessed with a few of those incredibly clear and cold days. Managed a few walks in the island forests and beaches with dear friends. Our feral cats, Tom & Jerry remembered us and joined us inside by the fire. Dan and Matt have taken wonderful care of them and it was a relief to see they hadn't abandoned ship during the seven months we were gone.
After our time on the island, we moved to a rental house in Redmond, one mile from Jeff's mom, Jo Ann. That made it easy and fun to spend lots of time with Jeff's family (thanks Tab for hosting Christmas!) and catching up with friends in Seattle. Now we are refueled and heading off to New Zealand this morning. We will be in New Zealand until March 4 when we fly to Brisbane and then then fly home April 27 from Sydney.  

Wishing you a wonderful 2015 filled with joy, friends and laughter. 

Winter sunset over Quartermaster Harbor, Vashon Island

Jeff's mom, Jo Ann modeling John's hat from Thailand

Lounging with Jerry