Bayly's Beach

We spent a couple nights in a cabin on Bayly's Beach, NZ's longest beach, 60-some miles of uninterrupted, undeveloped beach, broad golden sands, great Tasman surf...

En route, the Kauri Museum

More on the great trees in a later post...

Always interesting clouds in NZ

Looking south on Bayly's Beach

And north

NZ's low-tide beaches are all considered roads, thoroughfares,
wherein all the usual traffic laws and customs apply (keep
left, when convenient; drive as fast as possible; always act
surprised to see other vehicles on the road...)

Tasman sunset

Thus

Thus

Ditto

Ditto

Houses in a cove accessible only via low-tide beach

Most rental car companies do not permit driving on beaches

Ruiwai Centennial

Our next destination was Baylys' Beach, New Zealand's longest beach--60-some uninterrupted, undeveloped miles of golden sand and pounding surf (the 90-mile beach is really 90km, that is, 50-some miles)--but, en route, we ran into the Ruiwai town centennial celebration, something we could not ever pass up. Ever. Ruiwai is the Kumara capital of the world. Plus so much, much more.

Big vehicle display on the fairgrounds

And other things

Thus

Great kites

Larger than life, hopefully

And more vehicles

Segue races

Natural rugby goalposts

Maori fry bread; sort of like Native American fry bread in
Montana

Very high-tech public facilities (you can't see the flashing green "vacant" lights...)

Some beautiful and extremely well done public murals

And an imaginative display at the Kumara plant

Extolling the benefits of eating kumara...

And other national fruits and veggies...

Muriwai Beach

We spent some administrative time in Auckland, then drove west to Muriwai Beach, where we tented for the night and then walked over the dunes to see the wild Tasman coast again, the waves, the fisherpersons, the surfers, and the gannetts...New Zealand is such an incredible place....all this is just an hour west of the metropolis of Auckland...

Waikato Beach

From the great watchtower of Amon Sul we drove out to Waikato Beach, to watch the waves and the surfing...

Thus

And thus; click to enlarge to see surfing personne

Looking north...

"This Was Once The Great Watchtower Of Amon Sul"

Determined Ringwaifs we are. After tenting in a sub-standard DOC campground, complete with feral fowl, we drove past Thames, back west to the Tasman coast, looking for the great watchtower of Amon Sul. It took a bit of driving and navigating, but we found it.

There it is

Closer up

Oops, I forgot to add the CG

There were plenty of other interesting formations in the area (Port Waikato)

Thus