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Seriously Windy!
Geddy leaning into the wind and Jon holding on for dear life! The weather wasn't in a cooperative mindset. Foul weather conditions were something we figured we'd encounter. In the Northland Region where we were stationed on this portion of the trip, we weren't afforded much in the way of indoor back up plans. Everyone we had spoken with asks if we had travelled up to Cape Reinga yet. It was a highly recommended destination, about 3 1/2 hours to the north. All the way north. It is the northern most point of New Zealand. We packed it up and headed out around 8:30AM.
Our journey led us through ample farmland and parts of the Northland Forest Park. The livestock well outnumbered persons. In fact, we drove at one point for at least 20 minutes without seeing another car. The primary industries of New Zealand seem to be lumber and farming. In talking with a gas station attendant, I learned that New Zealand actually exports 100% of the oil produced within the country. They have to import all that they use as the country's sole refinery isn't equipped to refine the oil produced here. A bit of a head scratcher which probably helps contribute to the $2.07 per liter current cost of
Did we mention it was windy?
Check out Ivy's hair! Theo is protected from the gale force wind. fuel. This cost, I was told, is actually down about 10% from a month ago. Taxes alone make up $.90 of the cost per liter. Maybe that's why we didn't see many cars on the road!
We finally made it to the car park for the Cape. There was one other car and a tour bus in the parking lot. We stopped and the wind was literally bouncing the van. I wouldn't have been surprised to hear Gertrude shout, "recalculating", thinking we had changed directions. We got out to very strong winds. I saw a weather station across the parking lot, and if we ever get another internet connection I'll have to search online for statistics. Theo and Geddy ran toward the bathroom, and the wind knocked Theo to the ground and made it difficult for Geddy to stop his momentum. The folks with the other car in the lot warned us to be careful on our way out to the lighthouse. Great. I didn't really want the wind to "go Piglet" on Theo (see Winnie the Pooh's Blustery Day).
Cape Reinga is the tip of the country where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Today's confrontation
On the calmer side
Suzy and the kids are on the safe side of the lighthouse at Cape Reinga. was violent, with sea froth and waves. There is a rocky outcropping on the Pacific side of the point where a lone tree juts out defiantly to the east. This is a said to be a sacred tree and on the outcropping is where natives believed the souls of the dead leapt into the sea. On a day like today, it was easy to picture them being blown off. To the west was the end of the 90-mile beach, a stretch of sand that extends from the Cape and 90 kilometers to the south, thus the name (go figure).
At points of the walk to the lighthouse, it was seriously dangerous. We had a tight grip on Theo and warned the others not to get too close to any edge. This made the pier at Manhattan Beach look like a mild ocean breeze. We had to seek refuge around the west side of the lighthouse to take cover from the wind. It was wild.
We got back up to the car, relieved to have survived.
The 90-mile beach is actually allowed to be driven on, and most of the tour buses are equipped with high clearance and
Back up top
The lighthouse at Cape Reinga is in the background. On the left of the lighthouse is the Tasman Sea. The Pacific Ocean is on the other side. big knobby tires for this exercise. We decided to cut over and check it out. Upon inquiring at a small town, we were advised against taking on the beach without a four-wheel drive vehicle, particularly in the rain. Driving on the beach would have really freaked out Gertrude, I could practically hear her asking us to "please follow highlighted route". We got through the muck of the gravel road leading to the beach and continued on foot to the sand dunes above the beach.
The kids played tag in the dunes for a bit before heading down closer to the water to look for shells. Three cars were in view on the beach (all four-wheel drive) and at one point a bus came flying by at about 70 km/hour. The beach stretched in either direction as far as we could see. It is a very wide beach, at least 150 kilometers from the dunes to the water. We stayed there for about 30 minutes before heading on.
On the way home we decided to stop for pizza in Paihia.
We fought the wind and the rain and we have lived to tell about it.
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Geddy and Theo on 90-mile beach
Why would some rain and wind stop us from having a good beach day? below the ads for more photos.]
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Marie
non-member comment
Seriously beautiful photo! I love reading about your adventures. Great writing!