Waitomo to Thames

Journeying on from Waitomo, we crossed to Rotorua, just to say we'd been there (!) before heading north to a beach near Maketu. It took us a while to find this small beach, which we accessed via a small path across a field, down beside the cliffs. The reason for finding this exact beach was that in 1973 this was where my Mum's brother died, so it was a rather sombre occasion. This mood was disrupted somewhat by the sudden loud honking calls of a fur seal along on the rocks. We had a good look around the rocks, finding humungous examples washed up of the shells of the green-lipped mussel.

We moved on up the coast to the base of the Coromandel Peninsula. This is supposed to be beautiful and unspoilt, clothed in forest and with numerous coves. Unfortunately, the rain descended and the windy coastal roads proved destinctly view-free. We made a quick stop at Whitianga, before moving on to Coromandel township itself. Here we consoled ourselves we a delicious lunch with much seafood!

We headed on back down the coast to Thames, where we took the turn off for the Kauaeranga Valley. We had A Plan. This consisted of locating a suitable Department of Conservation campsite (very basic, but all we needed was water) before heading off for some walks in this remote region. The road was narrow, windy and quite dangerous, with numerous small concrete bridges across streams. We found a campsite, and a cursory glance around found no water. Nevertheless, we decided to go on a quick walk (we only had time for one due to the lack of time and daylight!) before beginning the true search.

We walked through boggy ground, diverted through tricky forest and rocks due to flooding, and found ourselves at a swing bridge. We had encountered these frequently, but this one said: "Maximum load: One person", which made us a bit worried. In the driving rain, with less grip than usual, coupled with being suspended over the Kauaeranga River, which we watched through the holes in the side of the bridge (which weren't supposed to be there btw!), we all eventually arrived on the other side. It was then a short stroll to the Billy Goat Landing, where, through the murk, a large waterfall could be seen in the distance. It must have been huge, but that was the closest we got.

We walked back, and in the increasingly boggy conditions began the - as it would turn out- futile search for water. None was found, and now completely sodden, we headed back down the road to Thames. This was in the dark and the narrow concrete bridges could not be seen in time. They were also frequently situated on sharp corners, with one notable occasion involving Dad doing an extremely sharp turn to avoid falling into the river. One wheel caught the side of the bridge, and we settled back on the road with a jolt, accompanied by many cries out indeed! So the Roses nearly dammed a river - a first.

Arriving back in Thames we finally found the campsite located a short distance away. Tomorrow we would begin the journey to Northland.