An Open Sanctuary- Part 1; Shakespear Park

Real Time

To try and keep up to date, I'm going to do a few more short posts rather than wait until I have a stack of photos to process and then have to spend a couple of days writing up a long post. We'll see, but you know how it is, it's very hard to change a habit of a lifetime (well 6 years of blog writing anyway).

From Ardmore we carried on heading north towards our next destination...

...timing the drive through Auckland just right as there wasn't too much traffic on the motorways. It's been five years since we last saw the Sky Tower loom up ahead of us. 

Once across the Harbour Bridge and through the northern suburbs we headed out along the Whangaparaoa Peninsula where the locals have this flash (fairly new) control system to ease congestion during rush hour traffic. The middle lane changes direction depending on the traffic flow. Outside rush hour it becomes, as the sign says, a flush median. 

You might wonder why this was of interest to me; we used to have this over the causeway on Chapel Street in Tauranga for a number of years (before the expressway was built). We didn't have flash lights and signs though; ours were just road cones that were moved from one lane to the other during rush hour- it fixed the problem though! 

Twenty kilometres later we arrived at the tip of the peninsula; our next camp is through that pest proof fence. The automatic gates open as we approach; of course we have checked we have no stowaways onboard- you know us and our mouse traps; they are permanently set in the rig.

This is the stunning Shakespear Open Sanctuary, a 500ha Auckland Regional Park that was once a large farm at the end of the peninsula.

This is a ideal site for a sanctuary, a relatively short 1.7km predator proof fence runs across the narrow isthmus between Army Bay on the north side and Okoromai Bay on the south side while water borders the remaining three sides of the sanctuary. You can see the fence snaking down through the gully here on it's way to Okoromai Bay. Gulf Harbour houses overlook the bay.

Mr WH Shakespear purchased the farm in 1883 and built the family homestead overlooking Te Haruhi Bay in 1910, it's now a YMCA Lodge. The farm was purchased from the Shakespear family by the Auckland Regional Authority in 1967. The end of the peninsula was also an important defense site during WWII and the army acquired (and still has) 130ha at the northeastern tip which is fenced off.

The farm woolshed used to sit right in the middle and to the front of Te Haruhi Bay; obviously for ease of shipping sheep and wool from the farm.

The historic woolshed has now been shifted back from the water and sited below the homestead, you can see it mid right in this photo (click to enlarge), the homestead is higher up to the left. Our camping area is on the right side of the road above the cars you can see, You can just see the end of a caravan below one of the trees.

The Auckland Council run a website booking system for all of their 26 regional parks; bookings for camp sites and camping grounds, for accommodation in houses & baches within the parks, for functions inside buildings (such as the woolshed) and outside for picnics & parties at the numerous BBQs that are dotted around the park.

It's quite a long-winded and often confusing website to use but once you get the hang of it, it does work. It just takes a bit of time to organise things, and to get your bearings if you're unfamiliar with the parks and their layout.

We initially wanted to book at the campground (basic) in the park where you can stay for 7 nights, but it was closed because of the ground conditions. This only left us with the CSC (certified self-contained) camping area, which was fine except that there was a maximum of 3 nights only.

Once the booking is confirmed ($15pp per night here) the combination number to the gate into the camping area is sent via email- so you do need to be organised before hand if you're wanting to stay (or risk sitting outside a gate for a couple of hours waiting for confirmations and emails).

There are 4 hard stand areas to park on the side of the drive in the CSC area or you can park on the grass if the ground allows it. We had the place to ourselves the first night and then 2-3 vans for the next two nights. In the end I decided that I liked this area probably better than the other camp which was at the end of the bay.

It wasn't too far to walk across the grass, pass under the large pohutukawa trees lining the sand dunes, to reach the beach.

Where another world can be seen far across the water...

Sky Tower & Auckland CBD

... and Rangitoto Island in another direction. 

The bird life throughout the park is amazing....but more on that in the next blog.

To be continued....

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.

Spit & Polish

Real-time 

While we've been parked up in Napier David has spent quite some time polishing the 5th-wheeler.... again. You may remember he gave it a good going over by hand, when we were here back in January, but unfortunately all his elbow grease and hard work didn't last and it was with great disappointment that the dull 'bloom' returned to the surface within a few weeks.

Since then he has been doing quite a bit of research- on line, through friends and talking to paint and auto shops resulting in the purchase of a quality car polisher (not orbital) with variable speed. For those that would like to know, it's a Rockwell Car Polisher 1200W/180mm #135285 from Supercheap Auto.

And as you can see below it's been doing a great job. Though David soon learnt to put the cutting paste (he used Finixa polish compound) on the van surface by hand otherwise it splattered everything else within reach (including himself!).

After the cutter had done it's job of removing the dull bloom, the pad was changed and he applied Mothers© Carnauba wax for the perfect shine! You can just about do your hair in the reflection off the side now.

The final touch was to replace our NZMCA wings and number, they had faded quite considerably, and also our self containment sticker which some bugger had tried to peel off! 

We were ready to roll...

....but Mother Nature had other ideas. We were due to leave last Wednesday but with the weather forecast predicting heavy rain and high winds there was no way, after all his hard work, that David was pulling out and getting the van dirty. He wanted at least a few sunny days on the road to admire his handiwork.

Which is why we are still parked up in Napier looking at bedraggled freesias out the window.

Back from a wee break- Party Time; Part 2

Real-time

Continued on from Part 1

After arriving home from Melbourne we had a couple of days to adjust to NZ time and get ship-shape before family started arriving from out of town to help Mum & Dad celebrate their Diamond wedding anniversary (60 years). We held a function at the local RSA for everyone on the Saturday night. We all had a ball, there was lots of laughs as old family stories and tall tales were told. It was lovely to see so many happy, smiling people enjoying themselves.

A lot of the credit for the fun and laughter has to go to my two cousins (twin sisters) who acted as MCs for the night. They added to the high-jinks and really helped make the night one to remember.

Mum & Dad were married in 1958 and one of the twins' daughters owns this 1958 Morrie so the twins arrived in the carpark making one hell of a noise with the rattling cans dragging behind and signs on the windows. My uncle, who'd caught a ride with his daughters, had slunk down low in the backseat, highly embarrassed- he collects classic Chevs!

Here's one photo I wanted to share with you; females reign supreme on Mum's side of the family, she is the oldest of eight; 2 boys & 6 girls. Most of the siblings had girls and their daughters have also had plenty of girls. Johnstone girls are high-spirited, fun, loud, energetic and some (most) of them can talk the bottom off a tin can. Here's a photo of the Johnstone cousins that attended, my brother was the only male there. That's my sister on the left, me, then three groups of sisters- you work out who belongs to who.  

We hosted a BBQ lunch at home for everyone the next day as Mum was also celebrating a significant birthday. It was a good chance to catch up with the extended family that had arrived from out-of town and some of the younger family members that weren't at the party the night before. 

Across the generations- Mum's reading the Queens 60th anniversary message to her great-nieces, Eva, Rosa & Lucy. Mum & Dad also received congratulatory cards from the Governor General, Prime Minister, Minister for Seniors and the local MP. 

Once we'd wound down from the festivities and seen the last of the family back to their home town, David & I set about arranging to have some of  the fifth-wheeler's interior refurbished. After six years, the upholstery and carpet were getting a little worn (in fact I'd worn a patch of carpet away below the dining table- it's where I sit at my computer). 

I'd found Douglas Auto & Marine Upholstery in Hastings on the internet, we had a chat with them, were happy with the quote so booked the van in for the 5 days they needed it for. We emptied our gear into Mum & Dads' garage which was very convenient, we wouldn't have managed without it. David then removed the bed bases and dinning bench seats so the carpet could be laid under them. Mum & Dad had a spare bed for us but we had to go to Tauranga for a few days so it worked out well, we drove up there and stayed at a friend's B&B while 'Out There' was getting a makeover.

We also decided, while we were at it, that we'd replace the concertinaed blinds and heavy material pelmets which I've had a tolerate/hate relationship with since the beginning! We were hoping that by removing the pelmets it would open the room up and make it more airy & spacious. With so much wood and the beige walls (American's love their dark wood and upholstery) we decided not to move too far away from the original colour scheme, just freshen it up a little. 

David located a great place in Onekawa, Blinds 2000 Ltd, they measured and ordered the blinds after we decided on the type and colour. The only fly in the ointment was the three week delivery time frame. Originally we were going to be heading off at the beginning of August and we thought they'd have to send them on to us for David to fit but in the end we decided to stay put (winter colds helped make that decision) and the blinds did arrive a week earlier than expected anyway.

You'll probably not notice too much difference but it really has given the interior a pick-me-up. The upholstery looks quite pinkish in some of the 'after' photos but it's not, that's the camera playing tricks. It is a lot lighter than the old material though. Here are the before (2013) & after photos, I now think it's time to change my cushions and floor rug!

And with the blinds closed-

These are Thermacell blinds, the honeycomb effect traps air and provides a barrier against the cold but the best part is that they have 'black-out' colour inside the concertinaed pleats, it's now lovely and dark which may mean I might miss a few sunrises!

We also replaced the two venetians in the kitchen, they now drop from under the cupboards making it look like we have a large back window.

We are both thrilled with the changes and very pleased with the service received from both companies. I'd have no hesitation in recommending them if you're looking to do some interior work. Douglas' also do awnings.

Back 'Out There' .....

.... just as the itchy feet started to return we headed to one of our favourite camps with our motorhoming family for a few days. 

Glenfalls DOC Camp is on the banks of the Mohaka River, 50kms north of Napier and 8kms off the Napier-Taupo road. Over summer it can sometimes be a very busy place but in the middle of winter there was just one other motorhome and us three. 

Mind you, the site wasn't looking it's best due to a winter storm that has flooded down the nearby stream from the range behind and spread silt, rocks and mud out over the track at the southern end of the camp. Someone in a digger has 'helpfully' tried to clear the track but has instead dug it deeper and got bogged down dumping the silt. And it was also a boggy mess at the northern end too! The middle though, where we usually go, was just right- high, dry and flat! 

And then there was one! We stayed on for another day just as the sky cleared and the trout started biting. 

It'll be another week or so before we're back on the road, so until the next blog here's a photo to keep you going- freesias and bees, a sure sign that spring has arrived!