March 12

We missed an entry yesterday (March 11) due to a long day of driving and arriving to an evening full of disaster in Japan.  What a terrible time for so many people with astonishing devastation.  As you can imagine there was great sympathy and concern here in New Zealand from their recent problems in Christchurch.
Our day was occupied with a stop at the Kauri Museum in Matakohe.  This is a class act as a museum with a hugh display done in world class style.  We stopped at the Matakohe School and I thought I would include the sign that might help some of the teachers in the crowd negotiate their next contract.

We continued on the road which was a continuous series of hair-pin turns up and down gorges to Tane Mautua, the largest living Kauri tree at around 2000 years old.

Trent, Nola, Doug and Tane Mahutua

We arrived at The Historic Wireless B&B just outside of Kaitai, had supper and watched the devastating news from Japan.

Today (Saturday March 12) started with a short walk down the local road.  It is so much fun to see my friends the New Zealand Jersey cows chomping away at the fluorescent green grass.

Our tour operator, Phil, arriving right on schedule at 9:00 along with a lot of uncertainty just where we would be able to go due the warning of a tsunami arriving in New Zealand this morning.  We arrived at 90 mile beach to check things out and a local fire engine was there to keep cars and people off the beach.

Stay off 90 mile beach due to Tsunami warning.

Phil had lots of other options up his sleeve and we went through some forests and saw both sides of New Zealand visiting the west coast and east coast within a few minutes.  Here we are having 'morning tea' on the west coast with the surf pounding in.  Still no Tsunami.

We stopped and looked at a local Avocado farm and wished for some fresh fruit to eat.

We finally did get onto the beach after the tsunami warning was lifted.  All of 90 mile beach is designated as a state highway with a speed limit of 100 km. per hour.  It was quite an experience driving along at speed on this open beach with birds and waves as our road partners.

White-fronted Tern

We came across some wonderful sand dunes as we drove up a river bed to get back to the road.  The patterns in the sand were absolutely breathtaking

We finally arrived at the top of New Zealand and the weather was stunning.  Phil said that we were able to see much further than most of the trips that he makes here. It was quite stunning to see the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet at the top of the world.

After a short walk down to the lighthouse and lots of picture taking we were off to a beach to have our lunch.  The tsunami warning was far enough past that it was quite safe to go into the water for a wade.  Phil did not feel it was wise to go swimming as this beach had lots of undertows and a river with strong currents flowing in.

Doug the surfer dude defying the tsunami.

Phil brought along some lovely New Zealand wine and with characteristic New Zealand ingenuity used garden flower supports for holding the wine glasses.

Phil (our guide), Doug, Trent, Nola, Cathy

We are off tomorrow to Paihai and Russell in the Bay of Islands to learn some New Zealand history.