Cape Reinga

Kerikeri

Kerikeri is famous for citrus fruit and it's stone store. The stone store is New Zealand's oldest surviving building. It's perhaps worth a visit on a wet day. It can be a traffic nightmare on a busy day. Not far past the store is Rewis Village. This is a traditional Maori village that has been reconstructed to give you an insight in to how Maori life would have been in the past.

Sign posted at the Northern end of Kerikeri is Rainbow falls. A veil of water cascades over the rocky ledge and drops around 27m to the murky plunge pool below. Worth a stop for a kodak moment.

Matauri Bay

About 20 kms past the Kerikeri turn-off is Matauri Bay. A dusty road winds it way down to the beach providing a spectacular view over Matauri Bay and the Cavalli Islands. As well as providing a visual fiesta, Matauri bay is also the resting place of the Rainbow Warrior. There's a memorial to the fallen Greenpeace ship on the top of the headland, the wreck itself is only accessible to scuba divers.

You can follow the road from Matauri Bay through to the Whangaroa harbour via Te Ngaire. There's a bit of effort required to take the drive via the coast but it's rewarded with some out standing coastal panoramas. If you're not up for the stone road trip, head back to Whangaroa via SH 10. If you've got time to go exploring make sure you venture off the beaten path, there are some awesome sandy bays hidden from the highways and the tour buses. Take some time to wind your way around the Whangaroa Harbour  to Tauranga Bay, Taupo Bay is another great spot for a kodak moment.

Cape Reinga

SH10 weaves its way around Doubtless Bay, past Coopers Beach and Cable Bay before finally reaching the Cape Reinga turn off.  It's over 100km up to Cape Reinga along the road, RENTAL VEHICLES ARE NOT PERMITTED ON 90 MILE BEACH.

To Maori Cape Reinga is one of the most sacred sites in the country. It's name literally translates to 'leaping place', Maori believe that when they pass in to the underworld their spirits travel through Aotearoa before climbing down the twisting tangled Pohutukawa at the Cape Reinga headland. From there they travel to the Three Kings Islands, about 50 km north, where they rest before making their journey back to their ancestral homeland of Hawaiiki.

Another anomaly at Cape Reinga is the meeting of the two oceans. The Tasman Sea on the west coast and the Pacific Ocean on the east often put on a spectacular performance as they collide into each other spewing white water into the air.

Te Paki stream is a popular place to stop at along the Cape Reinga Road. There's a fresh water stream leading down to the beach. The stream is shallow and is used by 4wd tour vehicles to access 90 mile beach. RENTAL CARS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON 90 MILE BEACH. There are some huge sand dunes which provide some excellent sand boarding.

Tapotupotu Bay is located not far from the Cape Itself. There is a DOC camp ground there with fresh water and toilet facilities. There are also mosquito's big enough to carry off a small child!! There's a small sandy bay and small fresh water stream. The water looks pretty enticing but be wary!!! There are some pretty nasty under currents and rips.

Links

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Safe Swimming

Our beaches are fun places but they can also be very dangerous. Please bare these basic safety measures in mind when swimming

If you are on a patrolled beach, swim between the flags. If the beach isn't patrolled learn to spot a rip.  A rip is a strong current of water running out to sea. Rips are formed by water in the form of waves washing up onto the beach, this water needs to find its way back out to sea. On many beaches the force of water forms a channel or pathway beyond the break called a rip.

To avoid rips, look our for:

• A darker colour because the water is deeper. A calm rippled surface, generally with smaller waves. Debris or foam floating on the surface out to sea.
• Getting out of a Rip

If caught in a rip, stay calm. Tread water or float. Once out past the breakers, swim parallel to shore and catch waves in. If you are a strong swimmer you can swim at 45° across the rip into the wave area, then catch a wave back to shore.