Cape Reinga

I have visited Cape Reinga twice before, it is such a special place. It was bitterly cold as I began the walk down to the lighthouse, and it was time to don hat, scarf and gloves- but as I descended, there was more shelter from the bitter wind.

I appreciated the signs about the geology of the place. There were many signs, perhaps almost too many in parts, though they all told different parts of the story.

 I found it interesting that on this third visit, it wasn't the lighthouse that seemed significant to me, but I was more focused on the Maori stories about the spirits travelling through Northland to jump off on their final journey to Hawaiiki-A-Nui.

 There were of course few tourists. Strange to have the place almost to myself.

 And far below was the tree from which the spirits slip off into the underworld to return to the land of their ancestors.

 On the drive back south I stopped to look at the Te Paki sand dunes- but I left others to do the climbing and descent.

 My sister told me to stop off at Kapowairua (Spirit's Bay.) The sand here was very special to walk on, and I ran the shell particles through my hands repeatedly.

There is a DOC campground here, and I can imagine stopping here one summer in a tent before too much longer.

I ended up spending the night at the very northern part of Doubtless Bay, in the Whatuwhiwhi holiday park, ready to head down the east coast of Northland.

Himatangi Beach

Ahhh summertime- when there is time for a different little wander every day. Thursday evening I enjoyed a slow dawdle along Himatangi Beach and stayed to watch the sunset.

 I've lived in the Manawatu area for many years now- and still find it hard to believe it's possible to have so much beach to walk along, with very little company!

One of the reasons for the slow wandering today is that I had to watch out for jellyfish as I paddled in the shallow water. There weren't a lot- but there were some large ones!

We had some wild winds at the start of the week, and there was quite a bit of this 'spongey' seaweed on the beach, with whatever it was attached to- quite often the flat part of a clam shell.

There were two bits of detritus I picked up and carried to a rubbish bin at the end. There was a broken glass bottle with jagged edges that I was glad I never stood on. And I saw a young seagull curiously playing with this balloon. I was glad to retrieve it so it wouldn't be swallowed.

Then it was time to wait for sunset. These gulls seemed to be waiting too.

It was just a gentle setting of the sun this evening. The ash in the sky from the Australian bushfires, that caused so many vivid recent sunsets, has gone from our skies for now- and hopefully for those in Australia, there will not be much more of it.

Peace!

Easter Sunday

What a stunning day today for Easter Sunday- almost makes up for the many grey days of summer. There were crowds of people out on Foxton Beach enjoying the sunshine and the waves.

And for me, it was another 'farewell' for a few months. Strange to think that this time next week I will be in Paris.... It's forecast to be raining there when I arrive so don't be too jealous!

A walk along the beach

It's only a month now until I leave on my trip, and I felt the need to have a good dose of a Kiwi beach walk today. It was a lovely calm, warm morning and Himatangi Beach was at its glorious best.

It's a long, flat beach, and the tide was fairly far out when I arrived, so there was lots of firm sand to walk along.

I meandered for about an hour and a half, paddling my feet in the shallow wavelets, greeting the occasional fisherman, dog-walker or jogger as we passed each other. And I enjoyed noticing the 'little things' on the sand...

 ...the flotsam and jetsam being tossed in today's tiny waves. (It was so calm I almost began to wonder if I had stumbled onto an east-coast beach by mistake.)

And then I walked back again, back to my car. And I will hold the memory of this beach walk warm against my heart, to give me strength on any 'hard' days when I am far away from home.

'Foreigners' tend to think that Palmy is so unfashionably 'inland'- but it only takes half an hour to reach Himatangi beach. I'll be back here again as soon as I get home...

287: Sculptured All Black

This statue - Solace in the Wind- by the sea near Te Papa in Wellington is usually naked- but he seems to have acquired some All Blacks clothes ahead of the RWC semi-finals...

233: Himatangi Beach

After the snow at the beginning of the week, today brought glorious sunshine, and I headed off down to Himatangi Beach for a walk. People of all ages were out enjoying being there. It was calm and warmish, and before long I had removed my shoes, hiding them behind a large piece of driftwood for my return walk; and put my jacket in my bag. It was another day for paddling along the edge by some very gentle waves.... although I am not quite certain this seagull welcomed my intrusion...

212: Beach Feet

I took a lovely walk along the beach today, and have quite a few lovely landscapes I could put here. But I feel that the last day of the holidays calls for something a little quirkier- so I hereby wish to prove that not only did I take my shoes off to walk along the sand, I also even paddled in the water- only ankle deep I know- but that was bracing enough!!