Days 19 and 20

Day 19 Whangarei to Marsden Point to Waipu Cove (5km walking to get a ride, 28km on the trail)

Well my illusions about how this hitchhiking malarkey was a piece of cake were well and truely shattered!!

I was up early as my strategy was there were a heap of workers at the port and Marsden Point so thought I’d surely get a ride from a worker heading out there. Wrong! I walked a bit over 5km and was feeling pretty grumpy having been passed by innumerable cars and pick-ups most with only one or two people in them. Seems thy were unaware of their scintillating conversation available if only they’d pick me up!

I finally lucked in and a Czechoslovakian guy picked me up. He was actually heading to the refinery at Marsden Point and offered to drop me right where the TA recommences on this side of Whangarei Heads. 

Again interesting  talking to a stranger especially in this case one working here through COVID while his family have all remained in Czechoslovakia. He also commented that he could never afford to move to New Zealand. Just putting our house prices in context he thought what he’d get for his house in Czechoslovakia would only cover the deposit on a house here. 

One issue I discovered was, in my excitement at getting the ride I managed to drop my trusty old MacPac cap. I’d taken it off, as thought maybe I’d look a more appealing hitchhiker without it, and attached to one of my black straps. So had to wear my beanie for the morning until I got a pretty tacky souvenir cap in the Ruakaka $2 store. 

 The trail runs around Marsden Point on the beach, at one stage going under the tanker unload wharf, so a bit of a change from bush and beaches, this was heavy petrochemical industrial stuff. 

Approaching the tanker unload wharf

After the refinery another long beach walk  along Bream Bay. I diverted onto the rod for a few km at Ruakaka as the tide was quite high and it was unclear whether the river mouth was crossable. 

After Ruakaka and getting the new cap another seemingly endless beach walk but on the way I did go past 400km on the trail so another milestone ticked off. Finally git to Waipu where I indulged in pizza and beer for a late lunch.  Then another 8km or so to Waipu Cove for the night. 

The hat I wanted but only small/kids sizes!!

Between Ruakaka and Waipu passed the 400km point

If in Waipu the McCleods brewery and pizza place is great

A good day as I covered a bit of distance and leg, while sore, played the game but frankly, not a particularly interesting day. It is nice to back on the trail again, funny how even one day off and you do miss the routine. 

Day 20 Waipu Cove to Mangawhai (28km)

An unusual day today, as Marie and some close friends are driving north so going to meet me at Waipu Cove before I set off. This meant essentially a slow morning, just filling in time. Fortunately there’s a good cafe in Waipu Cove and I pretty much set up camp for four hours while I wait for Marie and Co.

Sunrise view at Waipu Cove

Had a cronut and coffee for breakfast so going all out on the healthy eating thing.

Healthy breakfast options

They arrived a little after 1.00pm, just as I was finishing my lunch. It as really lovely to see Marie and some familiar faces for the first time in three weeks, albeit a pretty brief reunion. I was aware I had 28km to cover and it was pretty lumpy so needed to get away in order to get to Mangawhai before dark, by my calculations its probably about 7 hours there.

Marie, Shardell and McVets

Marie also very kindly bought me a replacement cap, some nut square and some milk powder which was great. Interesting in a country that makes milk powder getting it in small quantities is seemingly impossible.

The trail doesn’t actually go all the way to Waipu Cove, I walked past the turn-off yesterday so without cheating Marie could drop me about a km back up the road where the trail leaves the main road.

It was essentially a long uphill grind (only about a Haka but with the hot afternoon sun felt like more) but the views made it well worth the effort. Again I as astounded when looking back after an hour, how much distance you can cover just plodding on.

Looking back at Waipu Cove

Once you came over the top the view was southwards towards Mangawhai and truely spectacular. This section of trail is a coastal walkway So while being quite high follows the coast pretty much all the way to Mangawhai Cove. I’ll post a gallery of photos from along this section.

The final downhill did cause my knees to scream but fortunately it was steep but not too long.

At Mangawhai Heads the surf was up so despite it getting late stopped and had a chat to an old surfy (actually about my age!).

I had organised to stay in a Trail Angels cottage in Mangawhai proper so still had about 8km to go. I rang the Mangawhai Tavern which is a bit of an historical icon and enquired what time they serv e food until, 8.30pm. So that established the deadline, choice was walk slow and cuppa tea and dehydrated food or really motor and steak, chips and beer. I managed that last 8km in 1.25 hours!!

The place I’m staying is amazing, a little “Wendy” house on an section that been turned into an orchard. The owner live next door and allow TA hikers to use the cabin and also if need be tent in the orchard. Again the generosity of people towards people hiking the TA is incredible.

The “Wendy” house