Friday - to Kawakawa
We met at the Windsor Park Manse on the North Shore instead of The Bracken,
then headed north all in Phillip’s van, picking up Jeff at Silverdale, and stopped at Wellsford for our
dinner stop. Then we carried on to Kawakawa for our overnight stop in the local school marae.
Saturday
- Stephensons Island; Lane Cove to Totara North
An early start was needed to be away by 8am
to be at Totara North in time for our charter boat to Stephensons Island. It was a calm sunny morning,
and it was lovely cruising down the Whangaroa Harbour (after calling at Whangaroa to pick up a dinghy)
- the skipper allowed some of us to get on the roof deck alongside his college-age son who was helping
with the driving. Further down the harbour we passed a spectacular coastline of bush and rock formations.
It took about 90 minutes to travel to Stephensons Island. We landed in a cove at the northern end
of the island. Eric Albert, a member of the Maori trust who owned the island, came along with us and
led us on a very informative tramp along the island to its southern end. From the cove we climbed up
on to the island’s main ridge that runs along the ocean side of the island, where we had views of the
rugged coastline, as well as out across to the mainland, and to the other offshore islands (Flat Is and
Cavalli Is). Eric showed us some muttonbird nests in a hillside - during their southern hemisphere season
from September to March the birds go out to sea during the day, and come back to their nests at the end
of twilight, just as it gets completely dark. We had our lunch on the ridgetop just before dropping down
to the cove near the southern end of the island, where our boat was waiting. The water was remarkably
clear when we had our well-deserved swim in the bay - much so that we could clearly see the bottom even
when the depth was over our heads! All except Jeff swam out to the boat while our packs were ferried
out on the dinghy.
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One of the objectives of visiting Stephensons Island was to gauge the potential the island would
have for being opened up for public use in the future. We decided the island would be a lovely place
for people to come over for a day trip or maybe stay a few days. The coastline and beaches would provide
excellent swimming and snorkelling with the extremely clear water. We would not want the island “ruined”
as happened to Pakatoa Island with its holiday resort of high-class units, bars, partying facilities,
swimming pools and so on, but would be nice to have simple and quiet cabin or house-style accommodation.
A house near the hilltops would mean a bit of a walk to the beach but would provide a lovely setting
with panoramic views of the sea and mainland. The type of tourists Stephensons Island would suit could
be backpackers, who might like to visit the island for its serenity and its wildlife and would not want
to worry about the type of facilities Pakatoa has to offer. It would also appeal to others such as locals
or people after a simple back-to-nature experience. Development on the island would include, and perhaps
be limited to, a wharf, one or two houses, some walking tracks and facilities for day visitors. There
would be a boat service operating from Whangaroa.
It was a smooth trip back into Whangaroa Harbour
and our next stop, Lane Cove, situated in an inlet surrounded by bush and spectacular rock formations.
We decided to have a go at the Duke’s Nose, a 45min walk up through bush with the final section including
a tricky part which DOC warned in a notice at the start of the track would require basic climbing skills.
The six people who tackled this section found it scary, especially when coming down, but they were rewarded
with fantastic views of the harbour and beyond from the rocky summit.
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The two hour hike from Lane Cove to Totara North was much easier going. We found ouselves following
a track through long grass leading up the Lane Cove valley. After passing a couple of swimming holes
(we didn’t try them) below a rock face the track began a long and gradual ascent through bush. Eventually
we reached the top for a rest in the serene bush, then it was downhill along an old clay road. The whole
track was originally a farm road.
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We came out to the road end – and there was Eric once more, this time with his truck ready to ferry
us back to the van.! A great example of kindness – we have a lot to learn from the Maoris in the area
of hospitality! On the way back we stopped at Whangaroa for an ice cream stop, then on to the Whangaroa
College for our overnight stop. The showers were most welcome after a hot day, and then we were able
to relax in the staff common room.
A group of students and teachers practising for a school festival
was also staying overnight, the last of three weekends of intensive preparation of items for a Maori
concert. They invited us to pool our food with them for their evening meal in the school kitchen so we
ended up eating not only risotto and potatoes but also sausages, fritters and fish, followed by ice
cream and bread and butter pudding. Nice friendly people, the Maoris! And there was Eric again. That
evening some of us watched the students practise a Maori action song and a haka, and at least one of
us joined in a game of four square some of the kids were playing outside while waiting for the rehearsal.
Sunday - St Pauls Rock; Kingfisher Point
We woke to another lovely day after sleeping
on the carpeted floor of the Form 1 classroom without mattresses (and having an extra hour to sleep as
well). After breakfast in the common room we packed up and were away, this time to Whangaroa and St Paul’s
Rock. This was a half hour climb through mainly grass, with one rocky section where there was a chain
to help us up. The 360deg view from the top was tremendous – we could see the harbour below us, plus
the hills behind, and also Stephenson’s Island and the sea beyond.
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Then back in the van for the short ride to Tauranga Bay. During the journey, music such as Shine
Jesus Shine played through the van’s speaker system made an appropriate backdrop to the sunshine and
God’s lovely scenery outside.
We had special permission from a local farmer and a lodge owner
to tramp across the hills to the World War II gun emplacement at Kingfisher Point not far from the entrance
to Whangaroa Harbour. We were able to drive up the big hill behind Tauranga Bay to the start of our track,
which was along a 4whd road all the way. The first part was through farm paddocks, with fantastic views
out to sea and, of course, Stephenson’s Island and memories of the day before. Then there was a steady
drop through bush to eventually come out to the gun emplacement.
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It was 11:30am when we sat down for lunch in the shelter of the former military building. As we looked
out over the Whangaroa Harbour, sheltered from the ocean in rough weather, we thought about living a
victorious life in the troubled world. Doug read from Romans 8:28-39, and put the question Do people
see in us an oasis in this troubled world? We should concentrate on the beliefs that unite us, ie the
essential beliefs of the gospel. We are to live according to the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) so that people will see the
peace in us. We must show these fruits in our lives. Doug told us that he originally belonged to a church
that believed more in doing good works, but since switched to a church that emphasised more the essential
beliefs of the gospel. He said that Jesus healed people with no conditions attached, and we need time
to help those people “at the bottom of the heap”.
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Then it was time to face the return journey. As we were leaving we saw a track leading into the bush
in the direction we were going, so decided to try it out hoping to avoid the long uphill slog in the
hot sun. The track lead to a picnic area, then back into the bush – but alas it got rougher and finished
at the road we came in on – right at the bottom of the hill! So there was no choice but to slog it. A
steady rhythm as we climbed with our minds set on it, and it wasn’t long before we were resting at the
top! An easy fifteen-minute walk along the farm paddock brought us back to the van, then down to Tauranga
Bay for a well-deserved swim!
We went through to Kawakawa via the scenic coastal route, stopping
to see and photograph the view of Matapouri Bay, graveyard for the Rainbow Warrior (we didn’t see this,
it had deliberately submerged as an attraction for divers), with the bush and grass-clad Cavalli Islands
behind. After a comfort stop at New Zealand’s most decorative loos in Kawakawa, we were treated to more
hospitality, this time from our leader. Doug’s wife had a lovely afternoon tea waiting for us at their
home, and it happened to be Doug’s birthday as well.
It was about 4pm by the time we left Kawakawa
for the non-stop journey home, except for a tank-up stop near Kaiwaka. Nine tired and happy souls arrived
in Auckland soon after 8pm after having to partake of one of the fruits of the Spirit (patience) in a
slow traffic jam between Windy Ridge and Orewa.
COST: $75 (travel $30; food $15; accommodation
$10; boat trip to Stephensons Island $20)
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