We picked up people at many stops and ended up with a total of about 36 people. Aussies, Germans, Americans, Kiwis, French, and some Canadians.
Our first advernture of the day was the 90 mile beach. It is actually only 64 miles long, but it had been called the 90 mile beach so long before someone "actually" measured it, the name remains "90 mile beach"
The 90 mile beach is actually classified as a road, but it is only safe for cars and buses to be on the beach at low tide, so the tour buses have to time their trips accordingly. Because low tide was in the morning, we went up the beach in the morning. If low tide was in the afternoon, we would have driven up the roads to Cape Reinga in the morning, and come back on the 90 mile beach in the afternoon.
Reg and I were sitting in the front of the bus right behind Derrick our driver. As we approached the beach, we could start to see the "19 year-old" come out in Derrick. Derrick told us that he had been on holiday for two weeks and was excited to be back on the beach. He showed us that by weaving in and out of the waves as he speed up the beach. I was hoping that no one was going to get "bus"sick on this ride.
Driving down to 90 mile beach.
Derrick our bus driver, weaving in and out of the waves on
90 mile beach!
..Bus stopped on 90 mile beach.
You can see how high the waves were on the beach
Had to get my feat wet in the Tasman Sea. The water was very warm.
If you look closely, you can see where the sea pounding on
this large rock formation in the Tasman Sea has caused a hole.
To get off the north end of the 90 mile beach, the bus or your car, has
to drive through the Te Paki Stream. It is quite an adventure!
About half way up the Tapi Stream, we stopped at some large sand dunes
for some sand tobogganing. Here Derrick is giving us some instructions.
And here is the dune we are going to toboggan down!
This was the hard part, climibing the sand dune with toboggan in hand.
It was easier to follow the person in front of you and try to walk in their
tracks. The dryer the sand, the harder it is to get up. The wetter the sand,
the faster you go on the toboggan.
There is a stream at the bottom of the sand dune, only Derrick
the driver made it to the stream. Of course, he had this great running start!
This was really the hard part! Where is the ski lift?
At the top, ready to have Derrick push us off!
On the way down! You can steer with your feet, but to go the fastest,
you lift up the front of the board and go!
Only one trip for me, but it was sooooo much fun!
The Meeting Point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific ocean. Te Rerenga Walrua (Cape Reinga) marks the separation of the Tasman Sea (to the west) from the Pacific Ocean. For Maori, these turbulent waters are where the male sea – Te Moana Tapokopoko a Tawhaki meets the female sea Te Tai o Whitirela.
The whirlpools where the currents clash are like those that dance in the waka (canoe). They represent the coming together of male and female – and the creation of life.
The Cape Reinga Lighthouse was first lighted in May 1941. Cape Reinga was the last attended lighthouse to be built in New Zealand and replaced the light on nearby Motoropao Island which was built in 1879 and is southwest of Cape Reinga. This is one of the first lights that ships see when sailing to New Zealand from either the Tasman Sea or the Pacific ocean.
The concrete tower stands 10 meters high and is 165 meters above sea level. The light flashes every 12 seconds and can be seen for 19 nautical miles.
Sign posts at the Cape Reinga Light House
Views from the Cape Reinga Light Houses
After leaving Cape Reinga, we headed down the east side of the penninsula and
stopped to have lunch at the Houhora Big Game and Sports Fishing Club.
The second to last stop on our tour was to Ancient Kauri Kingdom. Here Ancient Kauri trees are displayed here and the history of these unique trees are presented.
The Kauri tree belongs to the conifer family of trees. Although they are spread throughout the Pacific Asia area, the type found in New Zealand is and always has been the most sought after. It is valued for its straight grain, strength, easily workability and rich color.
Prized both by the Maori and early European explorers and settlers, it became a boon of the New Zealanders. It was found to be most suitable for ships masts and spars, boat building, furniture building and heavy construction.
The early methods of harvesting, although manual and somewhat primitive by today’s methods, soon saw the great forests of the northern half of the north island depleted in less than a century.
The rate of regeneration being greatly less than the harvesting rate, soon saw the Kauri become a rare commodity. Today is much sought after in the boat and furniture building business.
With the depletion of the Kauri forests and then protective measures, great advances in technology and equipment have made it possible for the recovery of what is called “Swamp Kauri” or “Ancient Kauri” trees.
Ancient Kauri is the result of some dramatic climate changes occurring some 30,000 to more than 50,000 years ago. These early Kauri forests were toppled over and preserved below the natural water levels in the swamps.
Although discovered many years ago, it has been the advent of modern machinery methods and high demand which enables the trees to be manufactured into furniture and craft items of excellent quality.
This large Ancient Kauri tree was dug out of the swamp and carved into a stairway. It was put in place and the building was actually built around it.
This Ancient Kauri bench is for sale.
Anyone interested?
This carving is about six feet high and is carved out of an
Ancient Kauri tree stump. Still in the workshop - a work in progress.
This is an actual Kauri tree growing in a protected forest, our last
stop on the bus tour.
You can see how large these trees get.
Here I am saying something witty to Nicole Noel, a Belgium born fellow passenger
on our bus tour, who now resides in France.
The dense forest surrounding the Kauri trees.
