Kauri Mountain and Ocean Beach - by Joanna







We were going to drive right down to Ocean Beach, but the road was strewn with sign warning of slips so we decided to not risk the van and walked down. It was lucky we did as the slips had made the road very narrow with a sharp fall on the other side. 

The road down was pleasant and we got to the beach and walked and walked. The sea was on the side of my good ear, meaning conversation was difficult. 

The beach and bay were beautiful, we took off our shoes to wade through the river running into the sea and continued on barefoot. Finally we got to the end and scrambled up the very steep bank to where Ross was waiting. We slid/walked back down the other side, walked a bit more and made our way to the van.

Ross and I chatted to a French surfing couple while the others went back down to the beach to swim, but they reported that the surf was a bit too surfy and came back. 

We drove back to Whangarei and then Christine, Gordon, Bruce and I drove back to Helena Ridge to look for Christine's glasses which she had discovered were missing about 5 hours into our 7 hour walk two days before. We walked in about 12 minutes and Bruce saw the lens glinting in the sun under a manuka tree! Thank you God!

We had bangers and mash for tea, played marbles and then an early night.  

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