We had the good fortune to be able to borrow a large house at Waihi Beach this year and we were originally going to be 8 club members plus one friend. Due to health issues two couples pulled out and when the weather forecast looked really worrying, others decided to stay at home. Only Anne-Mette, Mike and Janice dared take on the challenge and ended up having a better time than expected. The rain mainly hit the northern end of the beach. We seemed to be in our own little dryer microclimate.

Anne-Mette and Mike arrived early and managed to go for a walk on the beautiful (very windy) beach before the storm really took hold. Janice arrived the next day with the rain. By then there was no beach to walk on with the water right up to the sand dunes and foam everywhere. We ventured out for a walk to the little beach town, wearing our wet weather gear. The weather was much milder away from the beach, but the air was so full of salt that everything felt sticky, even inside the house.

By the next day the sea had retreated and it was time for a proper long beach walk towards the Bowentown peninsula. We discovered beautiful patterns in the sand and strange creatures like the thousands of gooseneck barnacles attached to a large log, which had been washed ashore.

Saturday the sun was out and we drove to Bowentown Domain and followed a walkway going up a steep hill to Te Ho Pa site. What a great place to have a fortress. The view is magnificent. There are signs of old middens in several places with lots of shells where you wouldn’t expect to see any. Down the hill we ended up first at Anzac Bay looking out to Matakana Island, a long narrow and flat Island which has continuously been occupied by Maori tribes and has a high percentage of speakers of Maori. Next stop was Shelley Bay, where the water was blue and very calm compared to our beach site. We hadn’t brought our togs and envied those who were out swimming. Children were climbing high up in trees and jumping into the water.

We decided to eat out in the evening and went to The Secret Garden, a place full of character with most tables being outdoors. A hens party occupied the table next to us and the future bride was given a dare to ask Mike if she could kiss his bald head. She was very apologetic and relieved when he agreed.

On Easter Sunday, our last day, we finally managed to walk the Karangahake Gorge Historic walkway, which took us past the Owharoa Falls and to Waikino Station. The Gorge is beautiful and the river was very swollen and fast due to the recent rain. The falls were magnificent as well, with lots of water gushing over. On the way we passed the Victoria battery, which was erected in 1897 to crush the gold ore and extract the gold using arsenic, mercury and cyanide. It is a large (polluted) site and some of the structures still remain. The old Waikino station is also worth a visit, with a cafe and the possibility of a ride on the heritage train.

Despite the long drive to Waihi Beach, this was a trip worth making and a place worth returning to.

Trip Leader - Anne-Mette Kvers