Day 5 - Cape Reinga

Up early to drive to Kaitaia to meet Harrison’s Caper Runner Bus to Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island.  

Stopped to see Ancient Kauri Kingdom’s 45,000 year old tree and woodwork extracted from the local swamps. Photo of Mauri carving at Houhora Harbour where they used to whale and Mt Camel (named by Cook) a volcanic outcrop headland.  Stopped at very white sands Of Rarawa Beach (don’t think they’ve seen Australian beaches which are all white!) Te Kao store for “best icecream on the north island” (and they really are the creamiest we’ve had so far – I am not hugely into icecream but it is good in NZ). 

Tapotupotu Bay sandy beach where Rosie had a swim and the rest of us had lunch.  Cape Reing which the Maori believe is the departing place of the spirits of the recently dead and the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet.  

Cape Reinga has changed a bit since I was there last.  You can't buy and post a card from the lighthouse but it is still there.  Great view, fantastic weather.  Then we drove the bus along a creek, climbed a huge sand dune and tobogganed down the slope.  

Then drove along the 90 mile beach.  

At The Bluff another operator's bus got caught in the water, even though he was an experienced driver.
 Passengers from another bus who arrived just before us tried to pull the bus (it was small) out but to no avail. We rescued the poor soaking wet passengers to take them back to Kaitaia.  As we continued down the beach the police went to the scene and our bus company brought out an excavator on a float (all with Harrison's emblazened on the side - maybe this has happened before?) to rescue the other operator's bus.  Exciting day but so sad for those involved, even though no one was hurt, all their gear was wet including mobile phones and cameras and some were pretty upset by the ordeal.

We all held our breath going around the bluff even though the tide had dropped a bit more by then, but we made it around ok.

Fish and Chips for dinner at the “North Island’s best fish shop” in Manganoui.  Only fish they had was Blue nose (grouper).  Tourist special "fishermen's basket" 1/3 piece of Blue Nose fish and small chips with lemon, tomato sauce and tartare sauce for $15.50 OR "fish and chips" 1/3 piece of the Blue nose fish and large chips for $10!