Matapouri Bay

After the cave, we continued our northering way, along the east coast, to Whangerei, the largest of the Northland's cities. There we scored the last of the free camper sites at the city's downtown marina. We spent the afternoon and evening stimulating the local economy and then continued on up the coast the next morning, landing March 22nd, finally, at beautiful Matapouri Bay on the Tutukaka coast; and one of the three free sites right on the beach. There, however, our good luck suffered a setback or two.

Encampment at Whangerei marina (boats beyond the trees); all
in a beautiful park

Big Kiwi neighbor

Our van is 3.2m high!

View out our windshield at Matapouri

Huge, broad beach, low tide; we decided to hike up between
the two hills for a look at Whale Bay, said to be the most beautiful
on this coast

Huge broad hard-packed beach

The whole area done in pohutukawas

The climb up between the two hills

She is smiling, but we have already resolved to head back down

From this point it was roots and branches for hand-holds and
steps gouged into slippery clay for foot-holds; more rain was on
way, and a couple younger parties ahead of us had demurred;
and two parties coming over from the other side said don't do it;
the fixed rope we used climbing up should have been a clue...
in any case, I suddenly remembered I have balance issues and
Vicki remembered she has an artificial knee, and so "on belay!"
and we inched our way back down; a nice walk on the beach
would be just fine

Very long root of a cliff-hanging pohutukawa

Different view of Matapouri Bay

 

Islands and sea-stacks in the distance

And a beautiful wild surf

Waipu Cave, 2018: The Glow Worms

The main attraction at Waipu is the glowing worms, lots of them, which you can see for free, without the Disney production values of the many commercial caves. You can stay as long as you like, and, most importantly, you can take pix. Our little Panasonic Lumix travel/zoom does pretty well in the circumstances. (Forced flash off).

As for the canapes, first catch your glow worms, then spread them onto slivers of pappadam (the salt complements the worms' natural sweetness), taking care they don't wiggle off. Wash down with a triple IPA. The worms are rich in Omega 3s and also phosphorous. Within 20 minutes, your effluents will glow in the dark.

OK, now, to view the pix below, wherever you are, turn off the lights and give your eyes seven minutes to adjust...click to enlarge.

Waipu Cave, 2018: The Cave

We visited Waipu Cave in 2014 and had a memorable and great visit. In 2018, as with other things, we wanted to do even better. And we did, getting way further into the cave than before and seeing ever more glowing worms. Whole galaxies of them. Even black holes. Plus I had another opportunity to perfect my recipe for glow-worm canapes. Next post.

A fluted limestone assemblage within the DOC campground; in France I would
say this is definitely man-made and certainly neolithic; also oriented to the
summer solstice sunset; oh well

Maybe 100 meters from the campsite, the entrance to Waipu Cave

Now in the cave, about to step in the little knee-deep creek that runs through part of it

Moving further in

And further

And now in darkness, where we stand and wait the prescribed seven minutes for
our eyes to adjust; it takes a bit longer with passing morons shining their
flashlights in our faces, but, veterans that we are, we persevere

A glance back at the cave opening

So now we are inching forward in the wet cool darkness, our glow- worm safari
underway; but I decide that the cave is also of interest, qua cave, and so every
now and then take a picture using the flash; by this point we are more or less
alone and not bothering anyone else; much

Definitely a stalactite sort of place

Such stalagmiites as there are tend to be large moundy things

Still wading in the creek

Vicki poses

Way further in now, under a low ceiling, I spot a tiny fish/snake/worm/whatever

Low ceiling

At this point I am satisfied that we have gone far enough and that the glow-worm
show is not getting better; reluctantly, Vicki agrees, and we retreat

Back into the larger chambers

The entrance, a dim light at the end of the tunnel

Back in the light

Vicki emerges after yet another successful spelunkment