Dolphins, a Bus Tour and Ninety Mile Beach

Tuesday 26th March
Our drive today was from Whangarei to Mangonui which is a little over two hours, with a stop in Paihia,in the Bay of Islands, about half way. With more than 144 islands to explore, the Bay of Islands is a favourite aquatic playground for holidaymakers and boaters as well as marine life - we heard that the dolphins love to play there so we wanted to play with them.

We left Whangarei at about 10:00ish after getting Ian's glasses fixed - he had a screw loose and almost lost an eye uhh lens. We were scheduled to meet the dolphin boat (to go swimming with the dolphins) at 12:30 so it was a leisurely start. As with any leisurely start, we overestimated the amount of time we had and left ourselves barely 15 minutes to grab a brunch before meeting the boat.  Because it is at the end of the season and mid-week at that, the boat was not fully booked. Leaving Paihia pier, we headed straight across the bay to Russell where more passengers were picked up.
A pod of dolphins were feeding in the bay so we were able to get fairly close but not get into the water with them (swimming with dolphins is strictly controlled so as not to upset the wildlife). As dolphins are known to play with their food, we saw then doing just that. A large half eaten mullet was being tossed between two dolphins.

When they had finished feeding, they headed out of the bay and we followed. In clearer water, we were able to get into the water with them. I hadn't appreciated just how fit you have to be because the dolphins don't hang around, you have to SWIM with them. I couldn't keep up but then neither could any of the other swimmers. Back on board, we followed them again and again got into the water with them. They swam around us and under us but the water wasn't as clear as it could have been so most swimmers, too intent on finding them didn't see them. They are wild after all.

Once again, we clambered on board the boat and headed after them. This time however, the dolphins were fed up and vanished. Heading out to sea, we followed the Albert Channel and caught up with a pod of dolphins with babies. we couldn't swim with them if there are young in the pod, so we were content to play with them from the boat. They loved to surf the bow waves of the catamaran and as we lay on the deck we could almost touch them. Even the baby joined in the frolicking. We managed to get some really good close up pictures and even a bit of movie footage of these delightful creatures. Ian said "I looked right into the eye of a dolphin and he looked right back". It was an amazing experience.

Later in the afternoon, we set off for Mangonui within Doubtless bay where we were booked into The Old Oak Hotel.
The hotel had a definite colonial style to it. Built in 1861 by a Scottish boatbuilder and landholder, its enduring survival is no doubt attributed to his craftsmanship. In 2009, the current hosts, Jean Gardner and Gary Jones, undertook a complete remodel and restoration of the building keep much of its colonial heritage. One could almost imagine people such as Earnest Hemmingway sauntering out onto the veranda, dressed on long cotton shorts, sandals and a cable knit jumper thrown over his shoulder as he gazed across the tranquil bay.


Wednesday 27th March
Leaving the hotel at a respectable hour, we drove to the Ancient Kauri Kingdom where we met the Sand Safari bus tour. Our adventure today was to be a drive to Cape Reinga, almost the North Islands most northern point. Here the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea dramatically merge with waves breaking in all directions.

In Maori legend, Cape Reinga is where the spirits of the deceased leave the land and return home to the Hawaiian lands of their  ancestors.



Our driver and guide was most entertaining. At the beginning of the tour, he greeted us with a story about how he was an unemployed Maori. Each day he would return to the employment centre to be given his next day's assignment. The day before he had been told that there was a bus load of tourists who wanted to go to Cape Reinga and the Ninety Mile Beach. Would he like to do the job. He said that he would except that he didn't have a bus drivers licence and was told that no one would ask him anyway so he was not to worried. He went on to say that he spent the night in the pub trying to learn his commentary until he had had so much to drink that he forgot it all anyway. By the time he got this far in the story, the passengers on the bus were all laughing so much you could hardly hear the rest of his story. He then got into the drivers seat and set off with the bus lurching in kangaroo leaps just to underline his point. This set the scene nicely for a very entertaining trip. Needless to say, his driving skills were demonstrated properly as we went along.

Senny's commentary was very good, giving place names and meanings as well as some unusual historic stories such as the history Bill Evans  a Tree Gum buyer who also ran the supply store, was the post master, the publican, the local policeman and Justice of Peace in a tiny hamlet. As a hobby, he also owned a race horse and was the race course owner (and bookie) so people could place their bets while doing their business.

Toni and John had given Ian a Hei Matau (fish hook). Since the Maori people are primerily fishermen, the fish hook symbolises prosperity, abundance, health and is a good luck charm for safe journeys over water. Toni says that Ian had to get a Maori to bless the Hei Matau so Ian asked Senny, our Maori guide to do just that. He started with a prayer to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit....

From Cape Reinga, we went down to Ninety Mile Beach which runs from almost the top of North Island, down the west coast for 103km. To get to the beach, the bus followed a shallow riverbed with tall dunes to one side. We stopped along the way for passengers to do some sand tobogganing.

Then it was out onto the beach where the bus drove most of the 103km stopping at various points along the way to allow for photos.