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Pictures of the sixth part of our New Zealand trip (North Island)
(Coromandel Seabird Coast Whangarei Bay of Islands Doubtless Bay Cape Reinga Hokianga Tauranga)
 
Part 1: Dunedin Invercargill Milford Sound Queenstown
Part 2: Queenstown Wanaka Mt. Cook Arthur's Pass Greymouth Lewis Pass Kaikoura Nelson Fox Glacier (Westcoast)
Part 3: Fox Glacier (Westcoast) – Wanaka – Queenstown – Alexandra – Oamaru – Dunedin
Part 4: Dunedin – Christchurch – Picton – Ferry to the North Island – WellingtonMasterton Hastings Wanganui New Plymouth Taupo
Part 5: Taupo – Rotorua – Napier – Gisborne – East Cape – Bay of Plenty – Coromandel
 
 
 
 
 
New Zealand Map
 
 
 
          Map of
        the Pacific
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
latest picture: July 15, 2008
  • click a picture to see details
 
 
 
 
 
 
331  Descending from the “mountain
pass” to Coromandel Town, we enjoy the
beautiful view over the peaceful city and
the coastal scenery with its many islands
 332  A peaceful rural scene of a
farmhouse between Coromandel
and Thames…..
333  ….. and an impressive
scenery of the islands off the
coast of Coromandel Town
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
334  Amongst others, also migrant
Oystercatchers from the South Island
spend wintertime in Miranda situated at
the ”Seabird Coast” in the Firth of Thames
 335  We join the local campervans
at the “freedom camping” outside
of Miranda in the Firth of Thames
336  One of the passing flocks
of seabirds at the bird
reserve near Miranda
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
337  Fishermen are coming
back from the sea
 338   “Santa Claus” –
carved from a tree trunk –
stands at a farm entrance
339  Black and white divided
(is it a symbol?):
Oystercatcher and seagulls
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
340  One of the artwork on the
many public toilets in the North can
be admired at Mangawhai Heads
 341  At Waipu Cove, we meet Jean
and Rudi from Germany, world travelers
and birdwatchers, and spend a
wonderful day in their company
342  Sunrise in Oakura in
‘Whangaruru Harbour’, South
of the ‚Bay of Islands’
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
343  On our drive Northwards along
the ‘Bay of Island’, we encounter
many untouched bays and beaches,
here near ‘Parekura Bay’
 344  The historic buildings on
Russel’s water front in the ‘Bay
of Islands’ are a step back in time
345  The British residence in Waitangi in
the ‘Bay of Islands’, built in 1833-34, is the
place, where on 6.2.1840 the treaty between
the Maori people and the British Government
was signed. Whether the Maori or the Moriori
were actually New Zealand’s “original
respectively first inhabitants”, is (still) unclear
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
346  This carved Maori figure
stands at the entrance of the “Marae”,
the Maori Meetinghouse in Waitangi
 347  The interior of the Maori meeting-
house at Waitangi’s Treaty Grounds is
richly carved. The carvings depict
ancestors from many Maori tribes
348  Detail of the wall carving
and ceiling painting in the interior
of the “Marae“ in Waitangi
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
349  Tui, an endemic New Zealand
bird, is an excellent
and persisting singer
 350  View from Matauri Bay over to the
Cavalli Islands, where the wreck of the
Greenpeace flagship “Rainbow Warrior”
– destroyed by French saboteurs in
Auckland in 1995 – was transferred to.
It can now be visited by divers
351  In coastal regions, there are
carpets of intensely yellow
glowing daisies
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
352  The Waka “Ngatokimatawhaorua“,
the Maori War Canoe displayed at
Hobson Beach in Waitangi, was built
from three giant Kauri trees. It
needed a crew of minimum 76 rowers
 353  In the attractive coastal town
of Mangonui on the Doubtless Bay
a Maori canoe is reflecting in
the calm bay …..
354  ….. and in Oakura on the
Bay of Islands a Maori canoe lays
picturesquely at the sandy beach
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
355  Speed limit sign in Waipapakauri Beach
at the Southern access of the‘Ninety Mile
Beach’ to the Aupouri-Peninsula, the most
Northerly tip of New Zealand. Due to the
recent rejuvenation of our LandCruiser, we were
not keen to expose it to the “salty” conditions
 356  A flower that blooms
on the grown over sand dune
at Ninety Mile Beach
357  The “Ninety Mile Beach”
(actually it is only 55 miles = 88 km
long): Sand, sand and sand as far
as the eye can see – interrupted
only by a rain shower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
358  The white dunes of Ohau Point
greet on our drive to Cape Reinga, the
most Northerly tip of New Zealand
 359  Diverse landscapes before
Cape Reinga: Farmland, marshland
and sand dunes …..
360  ..... and a valley dotted
with Pandanus trees
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
361  The giant sand dunes of Te Paki
appear behind lush green hills
11 miles short of Cape Reinga
 362  A lovely contrast: Our blue
LandCruiser and the walls of the giant
sand dunes at Te Paki/Cape Reinga
363  The sand dunes of Te Paki
expand for many miles along the
coast; its height is about 330ft.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364
 365
366
Exploring the giant sand dunes of Te Paki with its pockets of vegetation was one of the major joys and highlights of our trip to the Northland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
367  Cape Reinga, where the
Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea
dramatically merge
 368  The light tower of Cape
Reinga in the evening light. It is
33ft. high and stands 541ft. above
sea level. The light flashes every
12 seconds and can be seen for
19 nautical miles (35 kilometers)
369  In Maori belief, the cliff of Cape
Reinga is the departure point for the
spirits of the recently deceased, who
were said to climb down the twisted
Pohutukawa tree on the cliffs (the tree is
still there, but not visible on the picture)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
370
 371
372
Beautiful moments at sunset and sunrise at Cape Reinga
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
373
 374
375
Rawene, a little village in Hokianga Harbour, has kept its old pioneer charm with its historic buildings
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
376  View from ‘Signal Hill’ towards
Omapere and Hokianga Harbour .....
 377  ..... and the white sand dunes
of the ‘Te Pouahi Reserve’ on the
Northern side of Hokianga Harbour
378  The giant kauri tree “Tane
Mahuta” in the ‘Waipoua Kauri Forest’
has a trunk height of 58ft., a total
height of 169ft. and a girth of 45ft.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
379  The wide sandy beach at “Baylys
Beach” – 9 miles West of Dargaville –
attracts many off road vehicles. The
“Ripiro Beach” is drivable from “Pouto
Point” in the South for more than 62 miles
until “Maunganui Bluff“– more than the so
called “Ninety Mile Beach” on the Aupouri
Peninsula in the Northland that is
55 miles (!) long (= 88 kilometers)
 380  A carpet of white daisies at
Baylys Beach near Dargaville
381  Also our LandCruiser gets its
little beach fun at Baylys Beach
near Dargaville. Due to its recent
rejuvenation, we didn’t want
it to become too “salty”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
382  An attractive barn along
the road in the Hauraki Plains
 383  The giant tree hedge at a farm
with an access for vehicles, provides
shelter against dust and wind
384  It is getting a bit crowded in
this fence! Freshly shorn sheep
are waiting to be released
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
385   July 15th, 2008, is the last
dawn in Tauranga/New Zealand
for our LandCruiser before .....
 386  ..... it is caged in the afternoon
in its13th container for the sea journey
to Noumea in New Caledonia
387   The friendly Customs Officers
seal the container and stamp the Carnet
de Passages (customs document)
 
More websites from New Zealand:
 
Articles in newspapers about us in New Zealand:
Article: "Still cruising after 628,000km", Otago Daily Times - February 27, 2008
Article: "Trip into the record books", Hokitika Guardian - April 3, 2008
Article: "Around the world in 23 years", Bay of Plenty Times - July 12, 2008