Day 12 Tutukaka, Sandy Beach and Ahipara

Brrrr.  It’s cold, low fifties and very windy.  It had rained most of the night and was still sprinkling a little when we got up.  So we layered up and headed off with our first destination was the Tutukaka Coast which runs from Ngunguru to Sandy Beach.  On the way we passed through what is called Stone Wall Country.  A byproduct of the 10,000 years of volcanic activity is the districts 156 kilometers of handmade stone walls.  The stone walls provided permanent rock fencing and a place for the farmers to pile the rocks which were all over their paddocks.

We were only able to stop and get pictures as we were on the side of the road.  The drive continued through farm country with rolling hills and forested land until we came to Ngunguru which was the start of the Tutukaka Coast.  We did not stop here but carried on until we came to an overlook that was on a very sharp corner called Frying Pan Corner.   An aerial view of this sharp curve of the road resembles the outline of a frying pan.  The view gave us our first look at Tutukaka Harbor on one side and where the Ngunguru River runs into the ocean on the other.  It was our first few from high ground and it was spectacular.



View of Tutukaka Harbor from Frying Pan Corner Lookout



Looking out towards Pacific Ocean

View of Bay south of Tutukaka

After enjoying the view and taking a few pictures we headed into Tutukaka to looking for a hike out to a lighthouse.  Things are not very well marked here and we ended up taking the wrong road but all things happen for a reason.  We stopped to ask a local for directions to the lighthouse which he did but then he suggested we go to a lookout that was not in any guide books or on any map.  It was the highest point on the peninsula and it gave us a 360 degree view of the area.  It was called William Parata Wellington National Reserve and it was quite a climb to the top.  We had to stop a few times to catch our breath and get our heart in check.  It was worth it.  The view gave us a look at Tutukaka Harbor, The town of Tutukaka, Ngungura River and the Pacific Ocean.



This was taken halfway up the mountain towards the lookout

 

Looking South from Lookout






Tutukaka Harbor and Marina





Entrance to Tutukaka Harbor




Entrance to Gnungura River





Tutukaka Harbor and Marina



Once we left Tutukaka we headed further north along the coast until we came to Whale Bay.  So named because many years ago Maori of the district saw a large floating object which turned out to be a whale.  It was dragged into a little bay which is now called Whale Bay.



Whale Bay



Next on the agenda was Woolley’s Bay but we did not stay, just took a picture.



Woolley Beach





Woolley Beach



A very short way down the road we came to Sandy Beach and stopped for lunch.  It was still very windy and chilly so we did not do any beach walking.  However it was a good place to have lunch. 



Sandy Beach

 

Sandy Beach



It was while that we were having lunch that we discovered the real attraction to Sandy Beach.  Surfing.  A couple of people showed to surf and it gave us a little entertainment while having lunch.



Up and Away





Looking Good




Hanging On




OOPS



The Tutukaka Coast is only about 12 kilometers long but it is 12 kilometers of stunning scenery.  To date this is the most beautiful area of our travels.  I can see why people are so drawn to it. 

We regretfully left the Tutukaka Coast and started to head inland to our final destination of Ahipara for the day.  However we had two more stops to make. One was a short detour into Whananaki South for a look at the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere. 

The last stop we had to make was at a place called Hirurangi which is inland from the Tutukaka Coast.  There is a company called Native Parks that is run by Carmen and Adrian Tonks.  It gives you access to free camping across New Zealand but the real purpose is that you get to stay and talk with local people.  We are finding out the best route to the real gems in New Zealand is from the locals and not the guide books or maps.   Adrian was not home but we did get to met Carmen and have a little chat before pushing on.

At this point we decided to head right across to the west side of the island.  We have a tour booked on Thursday for  Cape Reinga which leaves from the campsite in Ahipara.  We also need a do nothing day.

The drive to Ahipara did give us some pretty nice scenery to view along the way.

We arrived early in the evening, had a late super and called it a day.  A phenomenal day of unbelievable scenery.