Day 17: Ngunguru to Ocean Beach (29km, 11 hours)

Last night James mentioned there was another TA walker 1 day ahead of me, Jason; and 2 days ahead are Clare and Alyssa. So it’s good to know I’m not alone - but with my rest day coming up in Ruakaka I may not catch up with them. 

I was off in the dark with my headlamp at 4:45am this morning, in order to catch the estuary crossing at low tide. It was too early for birds - just crickets, and a hedgehog. 

The route initially was through private Maori land (walkers pay a small koha for access). It wasn’t well signposted, so I took a couple of wrong turns - just as well I had my TA app to point me in the right direction.

Sunrise.

Soon after sunrise I was at the estuary. There were two very protective oystercatchers with very cute chicks, who chased me up the beach to the crossing point. The crossing was over about 100m of estuary - I crossed in bare feet to avoid getting my shoes muddy, with water up to about hip deep.

Estuary crossing, trying not to drop my phone.

Afterwards it was road walking through Pataua, and on to the Taihururu estuary. 

Another footbridge, between North and South Pataua.

This is where I was hoping to do the second estuary crossing, this one wading for 2km. Sadly, not today - the tides were wrong, and I would have had to wait for 5 hours before I could cross. So regretfully it was a 2-hour road bypass instead.

Where I should have crossed. But, not today. Far away in the water I could just see a little white pole marking the way.

Second breakfast! 

10am pic: water stop under a roadside tree

After several hours of bypass, the road turned to steep gravel, leading up to Kauri Mountain trail. Yes, the clue is in the name - it’s a hard slog uphill, through bush to a peak overlooking Ocean Beach.

I met a family at the top, who had walked up the other side from Ocean Beach, and we stopped for a rest and a good chat. Yet another coincidence - they know my ex-colleague Meg Freeman from Western Springs!

Fiona and Andy Hamilton and co, with father Mark taking the pic, at the top of Kauri Mountain.

First view of Ocean Beach! My day’s not over yet, I still need to get to the other end.

The descent was easier - and finally I was on Ocean Beach. A beautiful beach - it brought back memories of 90 Mile Beach, but with less pain. Only 2-3 hours to get to the other end.

I met Dave and Mark drone fishing on the beach - they offered me a beer and I stopped for a long philosophical chat.

Dave and Mark. Thanks guys, I enjoyed the beer and the chat.

Continuing down the beach

I took the last selfie just after saying goodbye to Dave and Mark. Coincidentally, as I was taking it I saw an email from Hone Heke lodge in Kerikeri, saying they were touched by my Christmas note and asking how I was getting on. I burst into tears - the unexpected kindness of strangers is something I’ll treasure from this experience.

Passing oystercatchers and dotterels along the way

I’m almost there! Final view back down Ocean Beach

Finally I got to the south end, and my destination. Wendy and Rupert allow TA walkers to camp at their small farm - today they were having a New Year’s Eve gathering at the campsite, but they found a quiet place for me to set up camp, and offered me another well- deserved beer. 

My last camp for 2020!

Going back for a swim. As you can see I had the beach almost to myself.

Dinner: Uncle Ben’s Mexican Rice, with peri peri chicken. Mmmm!

It was a huge day today - 11 hours and 53605 steps, a new record! I said in today’s blog title that it was 29km, but that is just my progress along the official TA trail - with an extra 4km detour and 1km of wrong turns, it was probably 34 km of actual walking. I went to bed early, and fell asleep to the sound of New Year’s Eve celebrations somewhere in the distance.

Happy new year everyone!