Day 16 - 23 Everyone needs good friends

The great Ocean Beach escape allowed me a day to rest while Teena worked, her daughter studied for exams and husband went on a free-dive course. I also had the pleasure of watching my trail friends come off the gnarly hike I had ahead of me. Feet up on the deck I waved them through. The Bach hospitality was wonderful. Relaxed and restorative. 

The following morning Teena dropped me back to Oceans Beach with a day bag (hooray) to conquer the Bream Head Track. A beast I had been eyeing every step of Oceans beach two days prior. It was a slow exposed grassy ascent followed by a full on climb with ropes and frantic footing. So grateful not to have more weight on my back, to make these climbs simplified and sticks to steady the climb. I slipped on a tree root on a narrow section reminding me to concentrate. The views from the glimpses between the forest canopy stretched north to my yesterdays and south to my tomorrows long hike and Marsden Pt and Bream Bay. I was on the hunt for the lost yellow hat of my trail pal Tania. As I started the slow decent through Kōwhai, I had a good talk to myself about concentrating on stairs not on a lost hat....and there it was, in the Kōwhai camouflage. The stairs down were brutal and I took the full 5 hours DOC estimate to complete. Grateful I only had a few metres at the bottom to Teena and Craig's Bach, lunch and a rest. 

The following day Craig dropped me down to the local jetty where I was the only hiker to cross to Marsden Pt (the day before he had taken 6 trips) with the local Dive company. I set off on the road as I needed to buy jandals (I lost one birkenstock in the mangroves) in Ruakaka and wanted to avoid the estuary.  I passed a protest site for those who want to 'Save Marsden Pt'. The protest signage seemed a bit confused between fuel security, covid restrictions and land back messaging. 

The road felt safe as there was a generous cycle verge into town and when I reached the beach it was a nice change of scenery. The wind picked up after lunch resting by the Life Guard shed and made for head wind battle for the afternoon, reaching Waipu via a few more road sections. As I departed Waipu I decided to hitch as the weekend Drivers were quite intimidating. A Local dropped me at the Waipu Cove Campground, where his daughter Nyria worked. Here I was able to give Tania her yellow cap back and we celebrate with dinner at the Waipu Cove restaurant. Easily the coolest restaurant in miles! I lined up with some Whangarei locals to catch the match Black Ferns v France in the RWC semi final back at camp. It was electric. We won. 

I was pleased I'd stayed up for the game as Guy Fawkes fireworks were the order from 10-11pm and sitting in a tent  would have felt quite scary. 

Sunday dawned and I farewelled my fellow camping TA hikers. I took a steady climb up Cullen Road admiring the new sub divisions with views towards Bream Head in the North and Bream Tail - Mangawhai Heads to the South. Finally reaching the Langs track and enjoying the bush cover. I met Charlie and Fiona, Scots running the TA while I stopped for morning tea. It was slow going to the start of the Mangawhai Heads trail where I called Pam, a former client who had driven up to host me on the family  farm.

Having driven up from Auckland especially, Pam and Greg picked me up on the farm drive and took me up to the farm house for lunch, it was a feast of fresh bread, chicken and salad. Pam washed my stinky hiking gear and I was afforded some clean socks for the rest of the day. With views north and south, the family farm house had a stunning vista, and privacy that made me feel like I was a long way from anything. 

Views back to Bream Head from the Farm

The hospitality was exceptional - so much so that Greg dropped me in the side by side UTV to a private road leading to the Mangawhai Cliffs walkway. I high tailed it with the lightness of knowing they were meeting me with my pack at the end of the trail. Passing stunning cliff edges, trees hanging on for dear life and architectural wonders along the coast edge. I was very grateful for the ride into Mangawhai as the campground I was aiming for is a permanent home settlement no longer serving the public. Across the water out of town I settled into the Riverside Camp Ground. This ride alone saved me 8km of tedious road walking, I was exceptionally grateful.

Pam and Greg my
Mangawhai Trail Angels

Day 20 saw me walking into the Auckland Region. Although I was oblivious to the signage. 

The 17km walk along the Te Arai beach to Pakiri, crossing streams and battling a headwind all  the way. I was shattered by the end and opted to stay at the Campground to recoup for the day. 

The following day was harrowing. I set off at 9am having enjoyed a rest and some solo time. My toes need some recovery time after the water logging but there was a ridge to conquer and a southerly to face. 5km up farmland in a muddy fenceline shuffle I went, baring down to avoid the rain. The southerly picked up as I met the ridge and Mt Tamahunga (Te Hikoi o Te Kiri) track. On private land that had not been maintained and with the spring rain and overwhelming volume of TA hikers footsteps it was a clay mud mess. 

Mud mud mud mud

I listened to music for the first time on the trail and enjoyed the road tripping sing along tunes for company. I slipped and slid all day including down a trapping line which had me slid about 3 metres down a step descent. I realised I was about 300m off trail and had to have a solid regroup on how to get back up the way I had come....if trappers can do it, then so can I. And I did, with the support of vines and tree support. 

I soldiered on, through the mud along the ridge, stopping for lunch under a canopy, dancing to keep warm. On I walked - a tough day in drenching rain and howling wind. The light was terrible and a final slip on clay saw me land on a small ponga stump right on my tailbone. I felt my legs - they could still move, but crikey it was sore. Up I got, there was more walking to go today. I was aiming for Dome Valley, but to get to Matakana Valley Road and safety was now my aim. I crossed into the DOC trail - hoping for better terrain but was sadly mistaken. Root climbing and mud now covered in leaves challenged every step to the road. 

I sought safety in a hitch to Matakana - Mike and his dog Rabbies picked me up - a sorry state covered in mud and wet through - and dropped me at the Matakana Motel. I spotted hikers poles outside one of the units and knocked on the door, I was stripped of my wet clothes, handed a towel and under the hot shower within 2 minutes. I spent more time in that shower washing the mud out of my clothes than off my body. My fellow hikers - part of my growing Trail Family joined me for dinner at the Rusty Pelican, where I sat barefoot on a couch eating a chicken burger...heaven!

Simone and I enjoying burgers in Matakana

Today I had made a new rule, if I would have to turn my lights on inside during the day then you get the hell out of the bush. 

Injured and shaken from the day before, I joined the others on a bus to Warkworth, before hitching to Puhoi. I spent the day in the Puhoi Hotel eating, resting, watching Netflix (wild!) 

Day 23 I  headed down to the Puhoi Kayaks, hired a kayak and paddled with some mates down the river to the estuary. My tailbone was not loving being seated in that kayak seat. Alas the forecast was terrible for the day ahead and we were all hustling for Auckland for shelter. 

We arrived into Wendehelm Regional Park and I made my way around the coast track. It was challenging for a city walk and I was grateful for my walking poles. I met many keen walkers and runners on that track and it was nice to cross paths in the suburban setting. I walked onto Waiwera meeting my Trail pals for lunch while we waited for the tide to go out. We then made for the adventures around the rocks to Orewa. Not a simple exercise as I had invisaged and I was pleased for the company as we climbed over fallen logs, boulder hoped and avoided slipper algae. We made it to Hatfield Beach and opted for road walking as the view of the kite surfers indicated a wild head wind ahead of us. Tania, Simone and I skirted the beach opting to hug the near empty beach houses. 

I farewelled the crowd, heading for my goal of the afternoon; a well earnt ice cream. I still had 6km to walk to Silverdale bus stop so I could head home to Northcote. After a lovely chat with a fellow ice cream fan she offered to drive me up to the bus station. I was thrilled. 

Reaching Akoranga Bus terminal where I had started 23 days earlier and being met by my joyful neice, nephew and Sister in law was such pleasure. Good to be home and out of the incoming storm.