21st April - Orewa to Kaihu

Left Orewa and travelled along State Highway 1 (SH1) to Warkworth.

We took a detour to Leigh and Omaha Bay. Came across a tiny fishing village which was very pretty. Jo-Ann spoke to a fisherman but he had not been able to go to sea as there was no fuel in town. Fish typically caught there are red snapper, blue cod and lobster, mussels and scallops.

We then drove to Akiri Beach for lunch. While Jo-Ann cooked a wonderful meal of pumpkin and chicken soup, I went with Jo-Ann's mum for a walk on the beach and watched a couple of fishermen and surfers.
After lunch I decided to have a go with my fishing rod in a small stream but - of course - nothing.

We then continue driving towards Wellsford. The views of the mountains, sea and beaches were great!!
Continued up the East coast of Northland, stopped at Woolworths in Dargaville for provisions and eventually arrived at our campsite at Top 10 in Kaihu.

It is a small and very well maintained site and the people running it were nice & friendly.

There were also some kids on inner tubes trying to sail down the river! (Aaah. Back in Inyanga over Easter)


We booked ourselves on a night walk through the nearby Trounson Kauri Park forest in the hope of seeing a kiwi bird.

We hurried our dinner (chicken, broccoli and noodles) so we could meet or guide, Herb, at 7:30 pm.

The aim f the walk was to find a kiwi bird, so 12 of us took a small coach and arrived at the park about 8 km from the campsite.

It was a full moon so that we could see quite a lot without the torches we were given and of which we were told how NOT to use them.

In the first 3 minutes of the walk we saw a possum and then an old disused kiwi nest, empty for 10 years.

We walked a round but didn't see a Kiwi but heard one close by - very loud. We also introduced to the great Kauri tree. We saw several giant trees of about 700 to 800 years old and one estimated to be abut 1200 years old.

We saw Weta that eat the dead Kauri - about 45 cm long including their feelers with bodies about 4 or 5 cm long. Herb said that the Weta had ears on it's knees - a lot like a teenager then!

We also say an eel, a kauri fish and 3 crayfish in a tiny stream pool.

Unfortunately we saw no kiwi. A young boy with us said that he had been out 20 times and had never seen a kiwi - a bit of a jinx then?