Living on the Edge

Catch-up 

While we were at Uretiti DOC camp we did a tiki-tour south along the coast stopping at many of the beautiful east coast beaches along the way.

First up was Waipu Cove...

...which was also where I received a few strange looks as I walked slowly around the toilet block photographing the very detailed artwork on the building, which included the history of Waipu and pointed out local attractions including the Hen & Chicken Islands which seemed to be at their closest to coast here at Waipu Cove.

Next up and just over the hill from Waipu Cove was Langs Beach, a small seaside holiday settlement that looks to be filling up fast with permanent houses and larger holiday homes.

We stopped for lunch on the edge of the estuary and harbour at Mangawhai...

...and then drove around to the beautiful surf beach at Mangawhai Heads, the promontory you can see in the centre of the photo above.

It was a beautiful sunny day but with a chilly breeze blowing there weren't too many brave people in swimming. Taranga Island (the Hen) sits on the horizon with tiny Sail Rock silhouetted at the right hand end.

Out in front of the surf club and below the lookout is Sentinel Rock and the breakwater that forms the northern entrance to the Mangawhai Harbour.

I walked along in front of the surf club to a spot where I was able to see across the harbour entrance to the beautiful white sand dunes that form Mangawhai Spit.

At another lookout point near the carpark we were able to watch several boats fight their way home over the swift waters of an out-going tide.

From Mangawhai we drove inland a short distance before heading back towards the coast where there were some magnificent views out over the farmland to Bream Bay.

 Next stop is Te Arai Point and another stunning sparkling white sand surf beach...

...with the added benefit of a camping area. Te Arai Point is the most northerly of the Auckland Regional Parks and camping here is under the same terms & similar conditions to all of their parks. Book and pay and you'll then receive the gate padlock combination to gain access.

There's also the bonus of a dump station beside the park, although it would take a bit of careful manoeuvring to access it during wet weather and, with a bank on one side, bigger rigs may struggle depending on what side their outlet is located.

From the carpark a short track leads walkers to a tiny cove tucked in between two rocky points. This would be an ideal and safe swimming pool on a calm day at high tide.

David walked to one side of the cove...

...while I walked to the other. From my position I was also able to scan the beach to the south. There were several groups of fishermen trying their luck out on the rocky reef.

With one last look at this stunning beach we headed off back up the road and back to the main highway, crossing the Brynderwyns once again and forming a loop back to Uretiti.

We did stop in Kaiwaka so I could photograph St Pauls Church again. This was one of the first churches I photographed when we came north to see the family not long after we hit the road.

I was hoping for a better shot than my previous one; the church is in an awkward spot sitting up on a small plateau, surrounded by houses and with wires crisscrossing the air space around it.

But wait I have more! A very special sighting.

We stopped several times along the coast, checking estuaries and tidal streams for birdlife.  We saw the usual suspects; quite a number of New Zealand Dotterels/Tuturiwhatu in their rusty breasted breeding colours; including this one finding a tasty morsel to snack on.

A few dozen Bar-tailed Godwits/Kuaka, just home from an epic 13,000km journey from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra.

'It was a long flight, I'd just like to rest awhile...'

And in amongst the godwits, far out across the mudflats and in the middle of a channel there were three smaller waders. It wasn't until I processed my photos that I identified another long distance flyer and another first sighting to add to our virtual bird list; the Ruddy Turnstone.

This stocky little bird also flies to the Arctic tundra to breed before returning to the Southern Hemisphere in the summer. Most birds stop in Australia with only 1000-3000 continuing on to New Zealand. But, while this was a special sighting, it wasn't the special, SPECIAL sighting.

It was then that we had an OMG 'is it/isn't it, maybe, yes it is' moment. There, not too far ahead of us resting on the mudflats, were two tiny birds.

Two tiny birds living on the edge. These are Fairy Terns/Tara iti and with a population of around 45 individuals and just 12 breeding pairs, these are our most critically endangered endemic bird. Fairy terns are around 250mm long and weigh in at a mere 70gms, hence their name. In 1983 there were only 3-4 breeding pairs and the birds were headed for extinction. There are just 4 breeding sites in the upper North Island and the population has increased slowly with pest control, nest site monitoring and full time volunteer wardens looking out for the birds while they're nesting. 

We are thrilled to be able to say we saw Fairy Terns, and the best bit? We weren't even looking for them.

Nailed! Another one off the virtual list, and a very special little bird at that.

Stunning Beach & Uretiti DOC Camp

Catch-up. Well, my good intentions of keeping up to speed with blogs didn't last long did they? I think I'll just give up on that idea and just plod along as per usual.

After Sandspit Holiday Park our next stop was at the Uretiti DOC Camp located between Waipu and Whangarei and tucked in behind the sand dunes of a beautiful ocean beach.

The Hen & Chicken Islands (centre & right) lie just off the coast in Bream Bay and Bream Head (left) forms a prominent headland and marks the entrance to the large Whangarei Harbour. The DOC camp is one of the larger camps we've visited on our travels, there's plenty of space for everyone to spread out with wide open grassed areas and smaller bays which you can tuck into if you're wanting to get away from it all. 

There's a one-way road loop around the camp; we drove around twice before we chose our site and for the first few days we had the whole section to ourselves. Once school holidays started, a few more campers arrived and many of them stayed at the other end of camp where the one hot water shower ($2) was located. There are also cold showers available at each of the toilet blocks. Our area began to fill too although we still had plenty of room.

It was lovely surprise to see another fifth-wheeler arrive and find out that it was Jocelyn & Murray who also live on the road. We'd last seen them at the NZMCA Park at Ohau B canal in Twizel a couple of years ago. It was great to catch up with them again, and then their friends who also arrived and other RVers who decided they couldn't miss out on a few happy hour drinks too. It wasn't going to be the last time we'd see Joc & Murray either.

Over the glistening white sand dunes...

...was the most magnificent beach...

...that stretched for miles in both directions.

I walked towards Waipu one morning and had the whole beach to myself for quite some time. Well, almost to myself if you don't count a resting pair of Variable Oystercatchers/Torea Pango who didn't move a beak as I passed but kept a wary eye on me. And a pair of NZ Dotterels/Tuturiwhatu who also watched carefully, not wanting to leave the dead clam they were poking and prodding. 

I turned around at the 4km mark and found a number of people along my return; a couple exercising their Weimaraner and two horses being exercised...

...along with the local horse trek company out early with a couple of clients...

...and several fishermen...

Cute mode of transport, beats a quad bike for shelter from the weather

...trying different ways of fishing. These guys had a Torpedo which is an electric long line that can send the baited line up to 2kms out to sea. After a certain amount of time the line is winched back in with hopefully fish on the end. I love the four gulls lined up above waiting for the by-catch.

And this guy sent his line out by kite, he told me he preferred being able to feel his line (and catch) once it had been released into the sea from the kite. He wound it back in by hand. 

And there was that Te Araroa Trail sign once again. New Zealand's Trail, a 3000km walk from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island (the Long Pathway). We haven't seen it so often in the North yet but criss-crossed it dozens of times in the South Island. We're doing the cheats trail, it takes a lot less energy but one hell of a long time!

I also found this interesting creature with a vicious set of teeth on the beach. At first I thought it might be the remains of a sea snake but after a bit of research I've found out that it is actually a Sea Serpent or Serpent eel. 

They are quite possibly the longest eel in New Zealand at an average length of 1.3m but can reach up to 2.5m in length. They live underwater in sand burrows with just their heads poking out waiting for food to swim by. They very wary critters and divers report that they are hard to get close too. They are fast movers and disappear back into their burrows as fast as they can swim forward.

We spent most of our time at Uretiti relaxing in the early summer sun although we did manage a couple of days exploring north and south of the camp. We visited the Marsden Cove Marina and wharf area where it was a surprise to see actually how close Whangarei Heads was across the harbour.

It's no wonder some workers from the Marsden Point Oil Refinery boat to work each day from across the other side (including my sister's boyfriend many years ago), it's just a hop, skip and jump!

Marsden Point Oil Refinery- the only oil refinery in New Zealand 

On our way home we drove by the local dump station at Ruakaka, checking to make sure access was ok for when we visited it later in the week (fellow big rig owners will understand this ritual). It was a thrill to spot this beautiful old Harrier Hawk/Kahu holding onto his road kill hedgehog nearby.

Hawks are very shy and will usually fly off as soon as you approach them. Not this one though, he stayed on the edge of the road and we were able to turn around and cruise by very slowly as I took photos of him through the open window. He has stunning white 'underpants', something not often seen in a hawk. Did you now the lighter the feathers the older the bird?

Next up- exploring south of Uretiti and a rare sighting