Cape Reinga

Cape Reinga Lighthouse

Today we made it to Cape Reinga in the far north of the North Island (most people think that this is the most northern point in New Zealand, but the true point is a few kilometers NE of here). The name Reinga comes from a Maori word meaning Underworld. This refers to the Maori belief that the cape is the point where the spirits of the dead enter the underworld. Cape Reinga is where the Tasman sea & the Pacific ocean collide and the tidal race here has caused many shipwrecks. This is one truly fantastic place with a neat lighthouse, a special tree, sand dunes, and a marvelous seashore. This was one of the must see places for us and it exceeded our expectations. After seeing the lighthouse (our first in New Zealand), we drove back down the peninsula to our night stop in Ahipara. We would have liked to have driven down Ninety Mile beach (actually only 60 miles long) for a real smooth drive back, but were prohibited since all campervans are banned by law. This was a long day for us as we covered over 350 kilometers (220 miles) with some rough gravel roads along the way to the lighthouse.

In Kerikeri we stopped to see Rainbow Falls, the Mission Station (the oldest building in New Zealand built in 1822), the Stone Store (the oldest stone building in New Zealand built in 1835), and the historic Anglican Church. New Zealand is famous for having millions of sheep and we managed to see many of these along the highways. The dairy business is now huge & thriving with millions of milk cows in the country now and, of course, we spotted some of these also.

One of the neat devices provided to us is the Kruse system. This is an audio system that is activated by our current position (latitude and longitude). As we drive along, we hear audio clips about the towns we are going thru. This includes historical info along with current info. Interspersed along the way are some of the legends of the native peoples. What a great way to learn about the country and alert us a places to see along the way that we would have missed.

The ancient pohutukawa tree that clings to the cliffs is the reinga, 'the place of leaping'. According to Maori folklore, the spirits of the dead leap off the headland and descend down the roots of the tree into the underworld to return to their traditional homeland of Hawaiiki. This tree is believed to be about 800 years and is said to have never blossomed.

A real cute lamb - one of the millions of sheep here

A Pied Shag (cormorant) spreading its wings to dry them