Cape Reinga

After having visited Bluff at the southern end of the south island we were excited about having the chance to visit Cape Reinga at the northern tip of the north island. Some of the photos looked great and the fact that it was there that currents from the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Tasman Sea to the west clashed intrigued us. While it was only about 150k from Whatawhiwhi it took close to three hours to get there given the twists and turns of the road and the urge to stop and various scenic lookouts, cafes etc. Cape Reinga did not disappoint. The view was fabulous and while the oceans were not exactly angry there was a stretch where the competing currents were putting up a bit of a fuss. The parking lot was at a elevation of perhaps 300 meters and the lighthouse and viewing area was maybe a two kilometer walk northward. There were walks of various lengths that began at the parking lot, some leading down to the different beaches along the shore and others heading southward along the spine of the cape. As has been our habit we had packed a picnic lunch and as it was past noon when we arrived we decided to take it along with us. Still undecided on which walk to take we decided to start with a walk to the lighthouse so as to complete our south to north transit of New Zealand. It was sunny but windy and so a bit cool when exposed to the wind. About half way down the path there was a bench, sheltered from the wind where we had a great view of the lighthouse.

Our lunchtime view of Cape Reinga

There was the remnant of a small well nearby. It was a lovely spot with the only downside being that it was on the main track to the lighthouse and so dozens of people were passing by this spot - but we were hungry and so there we sat and proceeded to pull out our sandwiches. Because there were so many people about we decided to stay a little more discreet and so our beverage that day was water rather than our usual bottle of beer. Anyway, as soon as we started to chow down we noticed that almost everyone that passed us by was staring at us as we munched away. Nobody said anything but the stares were not accompanied by the usual smiling and nodding when one makes eye contact with a stranger. I was maybe halfway through my sandwich when an out of breath Brit coming back up from the lighthouse heaved herself onto our bench. When she was able to talk she mentioned to us, very politely, that their guide had instructed them not to eat or to drink while in this sacred Maori spot. Had we read the signs at the parking lot we would have learned that in pre-christian days the Maori believed that the spirit of the dead travelled to Cape Reinga on their journey to their afterlife. There they would undergo a spiritual cleansing at a hillside spring - the Living Waters of Tane - and then after one last look at the land they loved and the life they lived their spirits would leap off the headlands and descend down to their ancestral home of Hawaiki. Out of respect for these ancient beliefs and so as not to cause these spirits any further regret regarding their exit, visitors were asked not to eat or drink while on the sacred grounds. 'nuf said. Not only were we feeling the cold stares of our fellow tourists we were also feeling the longing of the dead for a morsel of multi grain, shaved ham, cheddar and tomato. With this knowledge we no longer felt welcome he and after quickly packing up the remains of our grub, hiding our water bottles and taking the obligatory photos at the lighthouse we sprinted back to the car for a quick exit.

Cape Reinga

Besides, on the way up we saw to the west the tops of some giant sand dunes and signs along the road advertising sand surfing and we wanted to see all this. The dunes were astonishing, comparable to the ones we saw in Morocco except these ones were at the edge of the ocean rather than in the middle of a desert. These dunes marked the northern access to ninety mile beach, a stretch of beach that carried on, uninterrupted for, well, ninety miles or so except the the guidebook discloses it is actually only 60 miles. While I didn't think my spine was going to be up to a surf down the steep slopes of the dunes, it was definitely up for a walk and thus we set off with the objective of getting out to the beach to watch the surf crashing in from the Tasman Sea. We were smart enough to know not to start this by going up and over the dunes. There was a small stream meandering around the parking lot that disappeared around the corner of the closest dune and so we decided to walk along the stream bed.

and I'll take the low road

We walked and we walked all the time resisting the urge to scramble up into the dunes. After an hour or so we thought we could hear the breakers and thinking we were close decided we could now head into the dunes to complete our journey to the water. This was a mistake. After maybe 15 or 20 minutes of trudging through the sand we finally gained enough elevation to see the ocean. It didn't look too far away so we decided to carry on, up and down and around the dunes. Another 15 minutes went by and another sighting of the water. It seemed no closer than the last time and by this time it was getting a little more difficult to pick a route because the underbrush and scrub was getting thicker. We tried heading back to the stream bed but that we discovered involved a steep descent though dense and very scratchy bush. It was hot and windy and while we had brought our sunscreen with us our water was running low. Thus we decided there was nothing for it but to abandoned our objective and retrace our route through the dunes and head back to the car. Retrace our steps. Easier said than done, but, with the wiley skills of a Toureg and some blind luck we succeeded in our quest for survival.

This is the northern entrance to drive on the famous 90 Mile Beach (all 60 miles of it)

Back at our cottage and all cleaned up and re-hydrated we met again with the neighbors after dinner - this time to play Bridge.  It was fun to play - (at least for us as we bid in English, not German) - and also to learn how the game varies in different parts of the world.  We only rarely meet up with fellow travelers who are keen to play and so it was a treat to enjoy their company over a game of cards.