Herekino and Ahipara
Yesterday:
The beaches north of the Hokianga are all expansive
with rocky headlands separating them. Timing worked for me here wrt tides and I reached the most outrageously named track 'Golden stairs track' which allegedly goes over to Pawarenga on the south side of the Whangape harbour. The climb along a deeply rutted and boggy cattle track to the ridgeline gave a great view back toward the Hokianga
This is the mouth of Whangape harbour
and this is looking up toward Pawarenga
The track became diabolical soon after
so I abandoned ideas of following it and made my way down to the harbour to packraft it. The incoming tide was strong as well as the wind so was a quick journey to Whangape. Then followed a bit of a slog over the road to Owhata. A short paddle down to the Herekino mouth looking for camping spots left me wondering if I had made a bad call - sand, sand, sand :(
The forest behind the sand looked really stunted
It took a while looking before I discovered the deception, the sand was creeping over the forest and I was looking at the tops of mature trees. The perfect campsite was hidden from view
Today:
More wide beaches with eclectic groups of 'houses' occasionally
Numerous horses with a few sheep and quad tracks to show me the way around the headlands. I followed a disused track over the Tauroa peninsula, gorse, manuka and choked with Toitoi kept me honest. Nice to drop in to Ahipara with 90 mile beach extending northward
I will stay in Ahipara for two nights and decide how to approach the final leg to the top.