Winter in New Zealand

Hiya!

It doesn't seem possible that the end of June is here.  We hope that you are enjoying some warm summer weather for us.  We've had many days of rain lately so our outdoor activities have been significantly curtailed.  Some days, it rains as much as 3 to 4 inches in torrential down pours.  The north island has had a drought for the past few years so the rain is much needed. However, the constant cloudiness does make us glum after awhile.  

When we can get out, we've found some lovely new outdoor areas to explore.  As you have probably noticed, we haven't been sharing pictures of old historical buildings.  It's not because we don't enjoy them, we just can't find any in the small towns we've been visiting.  The locals tell us that Kiwis have been notoriously willing to tear old structures down with little thought of their historical significance.  We haven't even found any really old churches since we've arrived.

We did explore an old mining site located in the Karangahake Gorge.  It was an impressive operation during it's hey day but quickly ran out of gold to be mined.  The forest is reclaiming the land which was devastated by the mining operations.  The area now serves as a fun hiking spot.

Ohinemuri River

Tunnels for the ore carts

We needed torches to walk through these tunnels

McLaren Falls  benefits from the additional rains of the season.

With the rainy weather have come high winds.  Some days, gusts reach 30 mph kicking up big waves for the surfers and wind surfers.  We marvel at the courage of these surfers.  

Below is view of the coast line from Mount Maunganui, one of our favorite hiking spots in town.  We found New Zealand fur seals playing just off the rocks on the day when the seas were so very rough.  They were floating on their backs with their fore flippers crossed over their bodies and seemed to be enjoying the turbulence of the ocean that day.

We explored Whakatane, a quaint coastal town built along a wide river with an outlet to the ocean.  It is a bustling regional hub filled with quirky statues, plenty of cafes and some interesting Maori history.  This is the town where one would catch a boat out to hike the now very infamous White Island volcano.  You may have heard about it in the news last year when it erupted and killed 27 people.  Every time we've caught a glimpse of the volcano, it has been sending plumes of steam into the air.  Clearly it is still a very active giant.

Statue title is "Kiwi boy"

A Maori princess watches over the river

A sacred cave where the Maori sought shelter

Sea shells galore!

When untouched by humans, the forests grow down to the edge of the sea.

 Small islands dot the coast everywhere

We are pulling up stakes and heading further north to tour the Coromandel Peninsula for the next week with plans to be in Auckland for part of July.  We are itching to find a few clubs that have some good live music bands and are grateful that we can move about freely here.  Social distancing and masks are pretty much a thing of the past for now.  We hope it remains that way here and quickly becomes the norm for all of you as well.

Stay Curious!

Cheryl & Dan