Perhaps not as adventurous as we thought?

25 June 2011

With a couple of nice days forecast early this week and no work on the horizon, we gave in to our itchy feet and set off on an adventure.

We've never been further north than Coromandel township, so decided to try for Port Jackson. Once you get past Colville the road is narrow and unsealed (not to mention torturous), so Craig was a bit nervous about tackling it in the bus. We weren't towing the little car for this trip, though, so that makes it easier.

The map shows our location, but not the condition of the roads. The Coromandel Peninsula is very hilly and we don't get anywhere quickly in our 8.5 tonne vehicle.

Our start was delayed by flat bus batteries - we've been sitting in one place too long. The local tow truck operator came in to give us a jump start (it's a 24v system) and Craig had a good chat with him about the roads around the top end. Unfortunately he knows the roads well because he goes up there to pick up wrecks - not great for the confidence. But he did say it would be fine so long as we took it easy. Apparently the trick is to stop when you see another vehicle coming and then 'negotiate' past each other. The big mistake most people make is to keep going and just veer off onto the verge - the edges are very soft and some of them don't make it past.

Because of our late start and the drabness of the weather, we decided to stay at the camp at Colville that night, then head further north in the morning. However, we're too heavy for their ground at this time of year - there has been an awful lot of rain. It turned out to be a lucky problem though, because the proprietor suggested we head a bit further north to Otautu Bay Farm Camp.

What an amazing spot. A couple of kilometres along the Port Jackson road is an idyllic bay, housing a farm, a few holiday houses and a lovely camping ground. We parked 5m from the beach, looking straight out into the Hauraki Gulf.



The view out the front window of the bus.

The camp is run by a lovely couple who have lots of interesting plans for its future. It's clearly very popular with fisherfolk and families and is in one of the best locations we've ever found.

A moody-looking evening.



Otautu Bay with part of the camp at the far end.



The gorgeous beach dunnies.

While there we discovered there were roadworks on the Port Jackson road, which meant there were a fair few heavy trucks around. So we decided against going any further north and had a second night at Otautu Bay. The rest of this adventure will have to wait for another time.

New Chums

16 June 2011

Today we took one of Coromandel's magic trips.

New Chums Beach is somewhere you want to keep secret, but at the same time want to share with the whole world.


It is a quintessential east cost beach, but with a difference. You can't drive there. You can't buy an ice cream or an espresso. In fact there aren't even any houses.



Whangapoua



To get to New Chums, first you have to drive to Whangapoua. Finding where to go from there is a bit challenging - there are no signs. Even if you've checked it all out on the Internet first, drop into the Whangapoua store for directions. It's worth it just for the storekeeper's reaction. To paraphrase:



"Directions to New Chums? Of course you wouldn't be coming in to buy something. I love living here, but that's the one thing that would make me sell up. You're the 25th person today to come in and ask how to get there. It would help if the hairy-armpit brigade would let us put up signs, but they want to keep it to themselves. It doesn't matter how many maps I put up in the window, you all still walk straight past and ask me for directions. Even when I'm out riding people flag me down to ask how to get there. Just drive to the end of the road and follow the hundreds of others heading to New Chums."

Actually, we saw eight other people there, but I digress.

It is a bit of a scramble to get to New Chums Beach, but such a beautiful sight at the end. Wade the stream, hop some rocks, follow a track and cross the headland. Then you'll be in paradise.

He's going to be so impressed when he finds out there are a couple
of beers in that pack I gave him to carry.

First glimpse of New Chums.

Stunning.

A couple of our fellow adventurers.

  

The return view of Whangapoua.



Was it worth it?

11 June 2011

There's no doubt a kayak is a great alternative for putting your kontiki out when there's no wind. But I think I would have worn a wetsuit at this time of year. And those waves at Tairua were making it pretty hard work.

Hope they got plenty of fish.

Winter. Really?

1 June 2011

It's a sparkling start to winter, here in Whitianga. A pretty day, heading for a high of 18C. Doesn't feel like winter at all to a couple of Wellingtonians.

We're reaching the end of the kiwifruit packing season, with just a week or so to go. It's been a fairly tiring and somewhat unblogworthy month. On the whole we've worked six days a week, mostly on the 1pm to 11pm shift.

So basically, we sleep in (not something I'm very good at, although Craig is rather an expert), spend the rest of the morning mooching around drinking cups of tea and cooking food to take to work, drive 20 minutes to work, work for 10 hours, drive home, sit up long enough to be able to sleep, sleep, start the cycle again. We're not really as dull as that sounds, but not far off!

The work itself is repetitive and a bit physical. It's easy enough to cope with once you get your head around the tedium, and Craig and I tend to get moved around several tasks during the shift so at least we get some variety. And at the end of the shift - we just walk out and forget all about it. No finishing of reports when we get home, no fretting about what tomorrow will bring, no catching up on emails you couldn't get to; just switch off.

And our favourite answer if someone asks our opinion on a decision? "We're on minimum wage - you have to pay more if you want us to think."



Mercury Bay Holiday Park - such a pretty place to stay.

   

We love theses goalposts. Who needs perfectly straight
poles when you can just hack the branches off a couple
of trees?



It must be winter - all the action at the marina involves
fishing boats getting hauled out for a clean-up.

  

Such a pretty, sparkling day to start winter.

 

These things never look like they should stay in the air!