August 2013 , Cape Reinga beckoned and we went safari style with Roy and Bernice( liveaboards like us ).

A cup of tea along the way.

With two rigs , both with towbehinds we needed a good sized area.

Spring was bursting out around us and there were lambs in the paddocks.

We were there - photo taken from the carpark -

 

Zoomed in, the Tasman Sea rollers are on the left and the Pacific Ocean is on the right.

The rollers were crashing in onto the Pacific which was a smooth seething mass of turbulent water.

From the carpark there is the entry to the pathway to the Lighthouse.

It's axis is East/West and the near constant wind blowing through creates magical sounds of flutes and pipes.

From the entrance , looking towards Cape Maria Van Diemen.

Looking right towards North Cape - note the swirls of current  that went North as far as we could see that day.

 

 

 

 

It was a short but steep trip down to the DoC camp.

The road had a good metal surface. We took the slow but sure approach , went down in 2nd gear and when we left we went up in 2nd gear - no problems.

 It is called The Far North for a reason

The bay faces North.

The motorhome parking area is a firm grassed area just 10metres from the beach.

We had a Welcoming Committee.

We are lucky people indeed, us Kiwi.

Here we are in August , dressed in beach shorts and singlet enjoying the Good Life.

One morning about 8.30 or so a pod of about 15 dolphins came into the bay.

They were not feeding or frolicking but swam slowly up and down the beach just clear of the breakers.

They stayed in the bay until low tide , about 4.00pm.

We suspect they were either nursing a sick member of the pod or they were birthing new members.

Up the estuary there is a boardwalk.

It sweeps through the mangroves.

Very well done - it meanders along to a foot bridge that crosses the estuary and accesses the walkway to Spirits Bay.

From the bridge looking back down the estuary - brilliant  clear water.

One of the many birds  that live in the district.

At first we thought they were Sparrows, but they hop and these little fellows walk and run.

We studied Roy's Bird Book and it seems they are Pihoihoi - New Zealand Pipits - a type of Swallow.

Bye Bye Pipit Bye Bye.

Time to roll those wheels and experience more of the splendor of the Far North.