Bronson Walkabout: 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!