Back 'Out There' & Heading North

Real-time

Finally we are back on the road; we left Napier feeling a little sad having to say goodbye to Mum & Dad after spending two months on their backdoor step. We'll miss Mum's lovely home cooked meals and our happy hours with them both, along with long hot showers and the washing machine! But it was time to move on, and I'm sure I heard Dad say "Thank God they've gone" as we pulled out (getting his own back with a family saying that's said as we wave visitors off from camp).

After four days of heavy rain, the weather had cleared and the sun shone; real Hawkes Bay sunshine although there was a nip in the air. And once we were on the Napier-Taupo Road we could see why, the Kaweka Range had a lovely coating of spring snow on it.

The road had been closed several times during the rain storm but other than a little bit of flooding here and there and the odd bare cliff face where a slip had come down this was the only Stop/Go  section on the road.

We'd decided to do short trips each day as we eased our way back into travelling (actually we had an appointment in Tauranga two days later so there was no hurry). The Central Plateau mountains looked spectacular at the bottom of the lake...

...as we headed to the NZMCA Taupo Park near the airport for the night. We parked in the exact same spot as we'd parked just two months prior when we had smoked trout for lunch with friends Amanda & Paul who happen to be touring the States in their motorhome at the moment. I messaged her that we had the billy boiled and where the heck were they.

Next morning it was onto the Ngongotaha NZMCA Park in Rotorua for the night. We like to stay hitched when we're stopping overnight so it's quick and easy to pull out the next morning. But it does depend on how level the sites are, it's no good if the nose has to be lowered because it can't go any lower than the fifth-wheel hitch in the back of the ute.

Tauranga was out next port of call, we had an appointment in the city but, hmm....where to leave 'Out There' for a couple of hours in a busy city. We had a quick look along the side streets near where our appointment was but we should have known better, they were all full (and the roads very narrow). So it was off to a very familiar carpark at the Bridge Marina and not too far from our old boat berth which set me off reminiscing.  

On the way over we also checked out the carpark in front of our old office building at Sulphur Poinr but with such a perfect day the carparks there were full of boaties' cars and trailers and the six or so free camping spaces there were all taken (not that we were intending to stay overnight, just for a few hours). 

We had lunch overlooking the marina and I also managed to take a few photos of the calm waters; by the time we arrived back to collect the van, the afternoon breeze had kicked in and the beautiful reflections were gone.

We made it out of the city before the afternoon traffic peaked although that Tauranga-Katikati road is never not busy. It was a relief when we pulled out of the traffic and headed down a quite country lane to our next overnight stop at Tuapiro Reserve just north of Katikati.

This is one of the many freedom camping sites located throughout the city and around the district that the Western Bay of Plenty & Tauranga City Councils oversee. This is a win/win situation for all concerned (and one many other councils should take note of); we get to camp in places that overlook some spectacular scenery...

Overlooking Bowentown, Matakana Island and straight out the the entrance from the inner harbour.

...and the councils get to have honorary security guards over-nighting in quiet, end of the road reserves. I'm sure this arrangement has curtailed much of the unsavory activities that sometimes happen in these out of the way places. Tuapiro Reserve is one of the larger areas and camping is allowed in three areas of the carpark, there is also a maximum 3 night stay here. Our neighbours for the night were a convoy of three small car and caravan units and three campervans who arrived later on in the evening.

The Tauranga Inner Harbour has extensive tidal mudflats at low ride and at this end you can hardly see the channel from the reserve. And in fact up near Omokoroa it's possible to walk (and sometimes drive) across to Matakana Island. In our early days of sailing the harbour we were once caught out by the quickly departing tide and had to sit it out for quite a few hours until the tide turned and we were released from the seabed's muddy grip. 

The mudflats are a great place for a variety of shore and sea birds to fish for their dinner, here a wary Kingfisher/Kotare keeps an eye on me as he waits for a crab or small fish to poke it's head out from it's mud home.

I'm pleased to report that sunrises are still on the menu! The new blinds, while darker than their predecessors, didn't filter out all the early morning glow which was a surprise given that this sunrise had an eerie haze over it.

From Katikati we continued north, our next stop was another familiar site although it's been a few years since our last visit to Rays Rest on the Seabird Coast near Miranda. Miranda is on the lower western side of the Firth of Thames, it's a very important place for migratory wading birds and in particular the Bar Tailed Godwit & Red Knot. They are attracted to the food found on the 8500 hectares of tidal mudflats. 

Being not too far from Auckland, Rays Rest is a very popular site with many people using it as a stop-over on their way out of or into Auckland. Others also come here for a short break away (2 night maximum stay), fishing and bird watching are popular pastimes.

I recall our first visit to Rays Rest was not long after we purchased the rig (nearly 6 years ago) and had made the decision to hit the road full-time. I remember thinking how surreal it was to be sitting watching TV right next door to this view out the door. It doesn't quite feel so surreal now, more the norm but no less amazing to think we have a different view out our front door every week and often every night.

And it's not only the different views that we get to enjoy; it's also the varied sights and slices of New Zealand life you come across too. It's not often that a herd of cattle munch their way past your kitchen window as you're preparing lunch.

The next day dawned cold and overcast and I couldn't blame the sunrise glow for waking me this morning. The sun rose on the other side of the Coromandel and didn't look like it was going to make its way over to us at all so once we were up and about we made the decision to continue onwards and upwards...

...to the NZMCA Park at Ardmore Airport which is on the outskirts of the big smoke, Auckland City. The sun was shining and the park was busier than we thought it would be, given that there has been a recent ban on dogs being allowed here which has stopped many from visiting. 

The last time we stayed here was again, way back at the beginning of our journey and in fact if I recall rightly the Park had only just opened. We were the only ones in for a couple of nights and we parked horizontal along the front fenceline overlooking the runway, now a big no-no because the Parks are so busy! We had a little smile to ourselves as we recalled our newbie exuberance.

And here's a sunset to finish the blog; taken from Ardmore on Friday night. The sun still has that weird haze cover two days later, although I suspect it might be a bit of big city smog.

Kenepuru Head, Marlborough Sounds

We’re now parked up at the DOC Kenepuru Head camping ground and have been here for the last few days. The weather has once again been spectacular, deep blue skies and hot sunny days and just one with a little rain. The forecast is good & we’ve decided to stay put over the coming holiday weekend when other camping spots around the Sounds & closer to Queen Charlotte Drive will be busy with holidaying families marking the beginning of summer.

The turn off to Kenepuru Sound is at Linkwater and has the now familiar sign board with all the relevant information needed before heading deep into the Sounds. It seemed rather odd that there isn’t a more inviting entrance to Kenepuru (and in fact the same for Pelorus). Personally I think the District Council could have made an extra effort here as a lot of tourists visit these areas. Still, there’s nothing quite like a smelly dairy farm to tell you you’re in NZ, & in the countryside, and life still does go on around these beautiful areas. The dairy shed was across the road from the sign board and a mucky race ran alongside both sides of the road.

I can’t post any photos of Kenepuru Sound as we travelled along the eastern side to the Head. That’s because there was absolutely no views of the water except a few peeks and glimpses here and there. The bush grew high on both sides of the road and other than letterboxes marking hidden driveways, houses with their magnificent water views, were hidden too.

Aside from the bush hiding the views, the road, all 45kms of it, was very, very winding and extremely narrow in places and took all David’s concentration. He couldn’t have stopped even if I had wanted him too. Back & forward we wound, out of one corner & into the next without a break. I told David I need a counter so I can keep a tally. I’m sure there must have been at least 100 bends for every 1km. I won’t tell you what he said but suffice to say he didn’t want two lots of clicking distracting him!

Our first chance to pull over was at Portage, 30 kms from the turnoff where we took the opportunity of having lunch sitting on the water’s edge overlooking a small bay and a big marina (although we did stop with our hazard lights on at Cowshed Bay to check out the DOC camp there- it was quite small & surrounded by bush).

Portage was little more than the Portage Resort and a few houses, nothing like I was expecting. I assume it’s a busy place in the summer when there are many people holidaying in the area & walking the Queen Charlotte Track which runs right along the ridge line which separates Kenepuru & Queen Charlotte Sounds. It’s also a low point in the range at Portage and you can drive over the top to Torea Bay which is on Queen Charlotte Sound. Water Taxis transporting walkers & visitors come and go from Torea Bay too.

Another 15kms further on and we finally reached Kenepuru Head and the DOC campground which has recently been upgraded. It now has flushing loos & cold showers. The grounds have been landscaped a little and separation ‘fingers’ planted so it’s a little more organised. It’s a large site and there’s another open space through the bush if the main side ever got overloaded. Although I can’t see that ever happening, it’s not like this is a good fishing spot or there’s lot’s to do locally. It’s just a lovely peaceful area to park up for awhile and enjoy the wildlife.

There were two other motorhomes here the first night we arrived, they left the next day and we’ve had the place to ourselves for the last four nights. Today two more motorhomes have arrived. How dare they! And I’m sure there will be more over the weekend.

The reason why it’s not good fishing is because we’re right at the head of the Sound and when the tide is out there’s a huge expanse of mud which runs from one side to the other and down the bay for a few hundred metres or so. No good for the dinghy even when the tide is in, David would manage to wheel it down to the water, climb in and before he knew it the water would be gone. The tide moves very fast around here. I think he needs a spear, I’m sure there would be flounder out there, but then I guess he’d get bogged down in the mud. This is the view (at high tide) out our kitchen window from the back of the van.

The birdlife around us is incredible, with the mudflats on one side & bush surrounding us there’s plenty to watch & listen to, especially the Bellbirds (Korimako). There are dozens of them. At high tide this Kingfisher (Kotare) & her fledgling chick sit in the tree outside our back window diving down into the water below. They are very wary and fly as soon as we open the door. I managed to take these through the tinted back window.

Kingfisher Fledgling 

I was up at 6am a few mornings ago, the dawn chorus was deafening and I thought I must record it on my phone. I recorded about a minute of it out the front on the grass before I moved towards the back of the van to check out the mudflats. I don’t know who was more startled but just as I got to the rear a flash of red caught my attention and a huge wild red deer took off past me galloping along the edge of the mud (do deer gallop?) heading back towards the head of the bay. It disappeared behind a few bushes further along the bank and around a slight corner. By the time I scrambled down the bank (in my fluffy dressing gown & crocs) and out far enough to see around the corner it had gone.

I picked up it’s tracks in the mud and thought I’d come back with my camera later to take a photo of the size of the print. It was HUGE and also the speed of the run as the back hoof print was right up there behind the front one. Unfortunately the tide had come in by the time I returned and the prints not as clean but you can still see the size, my fingertips are touching the mud.

I then followed the hoof prints along the edge and found out that where I thought it had run off into the bush it hadn’t, it had continued on along the edge for quite a distance. It was funny to see nice clean prints where it had walked in and the hurried and scuffed marks as it made it’s escape. It had exited the bay near a stream right up the top where there were also quite a number of other hoof marks, so I wonder if there was more than just the large deer I saw.

I wish I had of gone back inside and seen it from the back window, it would have carried on up the bay and I could have taken a photo. For the last few mornings I have been leaving the blind up at the back at night and checking at 6am. Just in case. But it hasn’t returned & is not likely to either. Oh well at least I saw it flash by. Another exciting sighting.

A resident flock of about 14 Royal Spoonbills (Kotuku ngutupapa) feeds on the mudflats at low tide, I can’t manage to get too close to them without getting bogged down in the mud, they do roost in a large macrocapa tree near the road but I have yet to get them there in the right light.

I tracked a wood pigeon (Kereru) through the bush along the water edge the other day and found this cute little bach tucked up in a clearing. A mown track wide enough for a small boat trailer led down to the water but I think they also wouldn’t be able to go fishing too much. I like the wide opening doors onto the tiny deck.

And of course camping in the Sounds wouldn't be complete without the comical & scavenging weka. We are parked in another weka family’s patch, this time just one adult and one large fledgling chick.

There are quite a number of weka in the camp ground but they each have their own patch and woe betold any that encroach into another’s territory. We’ve witnessed a few big scraps, they are very fast runners but it doesn’t help when it’s another weka chasing you! I just love the feather pattern, I can see why Maori used the gorgeous copper coloured feathers in their cloaks.

Sunset over Kenepuru Sound, Marlborough Sounds.