November 12th:
Despite arriving at 5pm at Cape Reinga we decided that we would pursue the trail and see how far we could get that day. We had also heard there was going to be some bad weather the whole weekend but that wasn't going to stop us...5 km (3 miles) later we were forced to stop. Bad weather had rolled in and we were losing our daylight fast. We decided to make camp before the weather turned nasty and sheltered from the weather in a nook of a large hill. Unfortunately the wind and rain started curving around in powerful gusts and funneled to our tent site. The tent blew over twice in the middle of us eating dinner. Cody found us a new place that was our last and best option. We setup in a hollow sandy depression in a hill that was sheltered by small mountains on two sides. The waves were deafening, and the storm continued to roll through increasing every hour. Our little tent stakes were ripped from the sand with each surge and we're flung in different directions. The tent came down 4 times that night until we finally gave up let it drape over us like a bivy sack. Luckily it held up against the gusts of rain, we didn't sleep that night but at least everything stayed dry.
November 13th:
We packed up at 5:30 and headed up the hill between storms. The wind was almost knocking us over in certain parts, and made travel slow. We saw several trail marker posts that had blown down from the wind. While making our way to 90 mile beach, and met a southbounder (craig) and his dog (didn't catch the name). They weren't strictly doing the Te Araroa but had hiked parts of it and thru hiked both Islands during the winter. Talk about tough! We met them on their last day on the trail. Craig offered us a place to stay whenever we're around his part of town-nice guy. Later on that day we got some hail in addition to the wind and rain. I was determined that we camp out of the wind so we headed into the forest for shelter. We found a nice little spot that reminded me of a brothers grim story. A very old, creaky Grove of pine trees provided great protection from the wind. We slept well that night, too well.
Side note: It was my Mom's 50th birthday in US time (NZ is a day ahead) and I had a lot of fun imagining the great time she was having at the spa resort my Dad sent her to. I hope you had a wonderful birthday Mom.
November 14th
My watch fell off and Cody rolled on top of it so neither of us heard the alarm. We woke up at 11 am. Trail slackers I know! We didn't officially get started till 1:30; plowing our way out of the jungle took some time to get back onto the beach.
By the way 60 miles of beach walking is not the cake walk that it would seem. Imagine being in a wind tunnel that blasts you with sand and rain...that never once let's up.
We met our first aurora hikers that day as well, two NorCal dudes (Brian and Jason)and one man from Israel named Gill.
We got to Huckatere lodge that night at 9pm (just at dark) luckily we received the warmest greeting frim the owner Gabrielle and her manager Ngaru. They made us hot tea and fed us biscuts while entertaining us with Maori stories about the land. Apparently the northern island of New Zealand is considered to be the fish. The southern island is the canoe that that Maori people sailed on. Both of those ladies were wonderful to chat with, they also gave us some farm fresh eggs for our morning breakfast. We stayed in a very comfortable bunkroom that night away from the wind and sand and slept very well.
November 15th &16th:
We pushed on to Ahipara which would signify the end of our long beach treck. Part of it we took a beach road that Gabrielle had mentioned we could use for about 12km. It was a nice change of pace and kept us out of the wind.
We finally showed up at Ahipara around 5 pm and immediately got a hitch to Kaitia (a larger town) for groceries for our next stretch.
We ended our day at the YHA hostel in Ahipara, which is exceptionally beautifull. Lots of singing birds and cattle on the property. Cody and stayed in a private Cabin. We used our Low Carbon traveler discount which worked out very well.
Fun fact: Cody and I made a game out of counting dead birds and puffer fish we came across on the beach. I won, 21 dead birds and only 8 puffer fish. The bad weather brought in all kinds of strange sea life, but birds and puffer fish were all we could name.
Despite arriving at 5pm at Cape Reinga we decided that we would pursue the trail and see how far we could get that day. We had also heard there was going to be some bad weather the whole weekend but that wasn't going to stop us...5 km (3 miles) later we were forced to stop. Bad weather had rolled in and we were losing our daylight fast. We decided to make camp before the weather turned nasty and sheltered from the weather in a nook of a large hill. Unfortunately the wind and rain started curving around in powerful gusts and funneled to our tent site. The tent blew over twice in the middle of us eating dinner. Cody found us a new place that was our last and best option. We setup in a hollow sandy depression in a hill that was sheltered by small mountains on two sides. The waves were deafening, and the storm continued to roll through increasing every hour. Our little tent stakes were ripped from the sand with each surge and we're flung in different directions. The tent came down 4 times that night until we finally gave up let it drape over us like a bivy sack. Luckily it held up against the gusts of rain, we didn't sleep that night but at least everything stayed dry.
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November 13th:
We packed up at 5:30 and headed up the hill between storms. The wind was almost knocking us over in certain parts, and made travel slow. We saw several trail marker posts that had blown down from the wind. While making our way to 90 mile beach, and met a southbounder (craig) and his dog (didn't catch the name). They weren't strictly doing the Te Araroa but had hiked parts of it and thru hiked both Islands during the winter. Talk about tough! We met them on their last day on the trail. Craig offered us a place to stay whenever we're around his part of town-nice guy. Later on that day we got some hail in addition to the wind and rain. I was determined that we camp out of the wind so we headed into the forest for shelter. We found a nice little spot that reminded me of a brothers grim story. A very old, creaky Grove of pine trees provided great protection from the wind. We slept well that night, too well.
Side note: It was my Mom's 50th birthday in US time (NZ is a day ahead) and I had a lot of fun imagining the great time she was having at the spa resort my Dad sent her to. I hope you had a wonderful birthday Mom.
November 14th
My watch fell off and Cody rolled on top of it so neither of us heard the alarm. We woke up at 11 am. Trail slackers I know! We didn't officially get started till 1:30; plowing our way out of the jungle took some time to get back onto the beach.
By the way 60 miles of beach walking is not the cake walk that it would seem. Imagine being in a wind tunnel that blasts you with sand and rain...that never once let's up.
We met our first aurora hikers that day as well, two NorCal dudes (Brian and Jason)and one man from Israel named Gill.
We got to Huckatere lodge that night at 9pm (just at dark) luckily we received the warmest greeting frim the owner Gabrielle and her manager Ngaru. They made us hot tea and fed us biscuts while entertaining us with Maori stories about the land. Apparently the northern island of New Zealand is considered to be the fish. The southern island is the canoe that that Maori people sailed on. Both of those ladies were wonderful to chat with, they also gave us some farm fresh eggs for our morning breakfast. We stayed in a very comfortable bunkroom that night away from the wind and sand and slept very well.
November 15th &16th:
We pushed on to Ahipara which would signify the end of our long beach treck. Part of it we took a beach road that Gabrielle had mentioned we could use for about 12km. It was a nice change of pace and kept us out of the wind.
We finally showed up at Ahipara around 5 pm and immediately got a hitch to Kaitia (a larger town) for groceries for our next stretch.
We ended our day at the YHA hostel in Ahipara, which is exceptionally beautifull. Lots of singing birds and cattle on the property. Cody and stayed in a private Cabin. We used our Low Carbon traveler discount which worked out very well.
Fun fact: Cody and I made a game out of counting dead birds and puffer fish we came across on the beach. I won, 21 dead birds and only 8 puffer fish. The bad weather brought in all kinds of strange sea life, but birds and puffer fish were all we could name.
Can you eat dried pufferfish??
ReplyDeleteHaha from what I understand they are poisonous enough to be banned from restaurants in California.
DeleteI had a wonderful birthday Jaz - I miss you and I love you. Sounds like you and Cody are going to become 'Expert' in learning how to be cold, tired and miserable! I'm proud of you Girl! <3
ReplyDeleteExpert indeed, we have run into a lot of really interesting weather. Glad you had a wonderful birthday you look beautiful in your dress! love you
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