October 13, 2012

  • Wednesday 10th October - part 1

     

     

     

    Breakfast is served between 8am and 9am.

    We managed to make it before it finished!

    After a delicious breakfast of muesli, fruit & yogurt, herb tea and toast we were all fueled up and ready to go sightseeing.

    All the places we were about to see we had heard of many times over the years but had never been there.

    We drove around the corner and found the Tarakohe Wharf.

    I pulled off the road so Tim could check out the mussel boats that were unloading.

    There was a hive of industry happening there.

    I was more interested in the rock formations and the interesting old structures from the days of the cement works.

    Fascinating place to build a bach.

    Squished in between gigantic rocks perched up above the road.

    Looking back towards Pohara from Tarakohe.

    We drove on to Wainui Inlet.

    They were hammered really badly in the December 2011 floods.

    We were gobsmacked at the devastation we were seeing.

    They are cleaning up and rebuilding - some very extensive ongoing work involved.

    We parked up, put on our walking shoes,

    and headed off in the direction of the...

    There were creeks to jump across

    bridges to cross

    views to check out along the way

    tracks to wander along

    funny folk to meet

    tree roots to trip over

    interesting trees growing in strange places

    a river to listen to as it tumbled and rumbled

    and splashed over and rushed past huge rocks

    massive slips to navigate

    a swing bridge to precariously negotiate

    the view below down stream from the bridge to stop and admire cautiously

    and yet more evidence of the December devastation

    all of what was up there

    ended up down in the river

    a boardwalk to walk around

    and then we are finally there!

    The Wainui Falls.

    The 40 minute walk was very worth while.

    It is so beautiful up there.