Worldrecordtour, Oceania, Pacific, New Zealand, North Island, Picture, Story, Diary, Guinness Book of World Records, Toyota, LandCruiser, Emil Schmid, Liliana Schmid

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 – Wellington – Masterton – 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.


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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)


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Beautiful moments at sunset and sunrise at Cape Reinga


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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: Pictures from the first part of our New Zealand trip from Dunedin – Invercargill – Milford Sound – Queenstown Pictures from the second part of our New Zealand trip from Queenstown – Wanaka – Mt. Cook – Arthur's Pass – Greymouth – Lewis Pass – Kaikoura – Nelson – Fox Glacier (Westcoast) Pictures from the third part of our New Zealand trip from Fox Glacier (Westcoast) – Wanaka – Queenstown – Alexandra – Oamaru – Dunedin Pictures from the fourth part of our New Zealand trip from Dunedin – Christchurch – Picton – Ferry to the North Island – Wellington – Masterton – Hastings – Wanganui – New Plymouth – Taupo Pictures from the fifth part of our New Zealand trip from Taupo – Rotorua – Napier – Gisborne – East Cape – Bay of Plenty – Coromandel
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