The Cape & Ninety Mile Beach.8 Apr 2008
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Ancient Kauri Kingdom shop.
The Lighthouse.
The Lighthouse and Signpost.
| Both up early - looks like another hot sunny day. Down by the front before 9 to wait for the coach. When it arrived was a big 60 seater, so comfortable and plenty of room. Travelled through - Coopers beach, Cable Bay, Taipa, Awanui then stopped at Ancient Kauri Kingdom for loo stop and to let those who hadn't brought lunch to get some. This is where they sell Kauri wood dug up from peat bogs, and has been carbon dated as 45,000 years old. They let this dry out, and then make into bowls, furniture etc to sell. However, the prices are large as well. Back on coach - through Waipapakauri, Waiharara, Houhora, Ngataki,and Te Kao. Then past Te Hapua - off in the distance - and the most northerly town in NZ. Last 13K or so is gravel road, but kept flat by teams of scrapers and road rollers, but bit dusty. Reached the car park, and about 1/2 mile walk to lighthouse, but well worth it. In front of the lighthouse is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean, and as they are on different tides and times the meeting is spectacular. Some of the distance boards had been snapped off due to the weather - shame. If you look North-East to where LA is and realise it's 13,000 Ks of nothing but ocean it makes you feel rather small and insignificant. Looking down on Ninety Mile Beach is impressive too. After short stop off to Tapotupotu Bay for lunch. OMG the road to get there with the coach speeding round tight bends with sheer drops by them. Then on to Te Paki river, the only way of accessing the Northern part of the beach. DO NOT EVER try this in a car. You need either a coach or a 4X4. Had a go a sand boarding. You can reach speeds of 60 to 70 kph down the dunes. Good laugh. Finally on to the Beach - this is the Tasman, and as this is prevailing wind direction, the waves and flat beaches make for impressive surf. Ninety Mile beach is in fact only 100K long, and we dove down 70k of it to the southern exit. The beach is classed as a highway, and you need a full driving licence to drive on it. Also has a speed limit of 100kph, and the police do patrol it LOLZ. All we saw on the beach was 3 other coaches and 2 cars - in 70Ks. Dropped off in village. Went round road to The Inn, been bought by couple 18 months ago who are slowly doing up. So in future would be good place to stay. |
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