Matapouri Bay

A couple of Sundays ago, Leone and I went exploring around the Tutukaka coast.  Just 40 minutes drive from Whangarei, the long, white-sanded, rarely-if-ever crowded beach at Matapouri is a favourite destination for many in the region.  As well as the beach there's a bridge over a river for kids to jump off into calm, deep water at high tide.  There's a shop for icecreams and fish and chips and, a new addition since I last visited, a coffee place.

We'd decided not to let the dull, overcast skies put us off and were rewarded by the skies clearing after we'd  stopped at the Tutukaka marina for lunch.  

Matapouri Beach looking left

The beach looking right

Little Ngunguru School right on the water with it's natural swimming pool over the road

Hidden treasures

My activities this weekend are very domestic compared with last weekend when my guest and I were only home long enough to eat and sleep really. But at least with all the gallivanting we did we ate and slept well.

We started off our sight seeing on Sunday with a quick walk in the bush to visit a kauri tree:

and the unexpected sight of a native bush pigeon:

then on to the estuary in Ngunguru:

followed by the sights of Tutukaka:

When we got to Matapouri Bay the tide was fully in and I wasn't too sure about whether we would be able to get around the rocks to get to one of my favourite spots. Had there been any waves that day we wouldn't have been able to but we managed to scramble around the rocks without getting too wet.

At one stage we came up behind a lad of 12 or 13 who was bending over playing with a dog in the water right in front of me. I couldn't go around him as he was in the shallows where I wanted to be. As we stood there waiting for him to get out of the way the tide swelled a bit and I had to hitch my pants up higher and said over my shoulder to GB, "Pull your pants up. " The lad was a little startled because I don't think he was aware I was there - but he pulled his pants up!! Funny, huh?

I don't know if I can describe the place we got to. Access is gained by trekking through long grass, then climbing down through a gap in the rock. On the other side is a very rocky little bay where the tide seethes in through a narrow causeway between the rocky headland and a rocky outcrop.

When there is a good surf running it is quite spectacular but was still worth the walk on a day when there were no waves at all. I savour every minute I'm at this place as I realize I won't be able to scramble over the rocks to get there forever, I'm not as sure-footed now as I used to be and with each visit I notice how I move more cautiously.

Can you see the slither of daylight in the middle of the photo? - that's the access:

GB about to start the scramble through the gap on the way out:

After standing aside to allow a family through - it's one way traffic only:

I thought for a minute I'd lost him in the long grass but, no, there he is, the Northland adventurer!