Cape Reinga to Te Paki Stream. by Jenny

It was a long and windy road to the cape. We encountered a huge mob of cattle, guessing a couple of hundred. As we were racing to beat the tide at one point we did not make it right down to the lighthouse for photos. But we did get around the rocks ahead of the tide. Shame I had forgotten about crossing the river further on, but with Bruce's able recconnaisonce we made it across only waist deep and slightly off track. Christine managed to almost submerge herself, but we all agreed later that it was a great refreshing dip. We all held our packs and shoes above our heads and a passing French maid, led astray by us, helped the geriatrics regain the track by carrying some of our shoes up the slippery slopes. 

It was a beautiful hot day, the sea was azure blue and i could look down on the places Uncle Stuart did his intrepid crayfishing years before. 

Birds were few, hills high and the view when we finally saw 90 Mile Beach, fantastic. The hour on sand was much better than climbing up and down. Never-the-less we were delighted when Joanna managed to hitch a lift for us up the river, saving us another hour walking. Only in the north would a young bloke allow 6 elderly adults (Ross had walked down to meet us) to perch ad hoc in/on his already full ute. Comfortable it was not ....but after 11 hours it sure beat walking! There's a photo of the stream that the 4wd is driving through. Great fun riding on the back, and apparently more comfortable than for those inside the cab sitting on various pieces of machinery.