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

Mangawhai Cliffs, 2

Continuing our Mangawhai Cliffs walk.... Remember that wh in Maori is pronounced as f. "Whuck?!"

The trail above

The arch; the end of the beach route

Low tide...why it's the end of the beach route

Beginning of the stairs...

Impressive cairn

Vicki at the arch

Perhaps a Maori pa (fortress) in the vicinity

Like walking through a botanical garden

With views

View from on high

The little sea stack, miles away, that has been a center of attention

Pohutukawa cascade

Another beautiful DOC trail

Passing by some interesting private property

Back again

With a couple oyster catchers

Mangawhai Cliffs, 1

The next day was a driving day, up the left side of the Firth of Thames, past The City, Auckland, some provisioning on its north side, and then further north to a holiday park just short of Mangawhai, still on the Pacific side. And the next day, March 20th, we did the Mangawhai Cliffs walk. We'd done a bit of the beach part in 2014, but wanted to do it all this time. It's an 8km hike, half on the low-tide beach, then the return half on the "cliffs" above. The beach part, after a kilometer or two, changed into rocky volcanic out-crops, very jagged, then coves, then fascinating basaltic (?) columns like the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, then coves, and then a giant pebble beach, and coves. Not easy footing, much of it. Then, finally, the arch that marks the end of the beach bit, and the 200+ steps up the hill ("cliff") for the high walk back. And the 200+ steps back down to the sand beach. It was the longest walk we'd done in a while, and by the end of the day we were fairly fatigued.

At the River Holiday Park

Looking north, beach and cliffs

And back to the starting point

Islands, sea stack

Shell shard city

This large bird--a spotted swivel-head--and I nearly collided,
scaring the bejeebies out of both of us

Jagged volcanic stuff, A'a, not pahoehoe

Flotsam, jetsam

Pohutukawas cascading down from the hill (cliff)

Tidal pools

Organisms in tidal pool (micro shrimp?)

More lava

And then, Vicki cries out "Giant's Causeway!"

Not exactly, but close; I wish I'd studied harder in Geology 101

Going on

And then eroding in the waves

And then come the football and basketball size pebbles

Lots of them

Plenty to look at when you're not minding your footing