Sheila's Diversion

It’s a long haul from Paihia to the Coromandel Peninsula and gives a visitor the opportunity to see the best and worst of New Zealand motoring. Someone had warned me that driving here could be a nightmare, but for the most part it’s been fine with one or two notable exceptions. Driving from North to South on the North Island it is impossible to avoid Auckland and here you see the densest traffic in the islands. The motorway that runs through the city has been widened, most spectacularly by the addition of four extra lanes to the outside of the major bridge just north of the city. Driving this section is an experience with four lanes of quickly moving vehicles dodging from lane to lane. Keeps you on your toes.

On the other hand most of the roads are good with traffic moving at the appropriate speeds. Other than a few would be Italian rally drivers most of the roadsters are fine, but as everywhere there are one or two who deserve a thump. Today’s highlighted deserving are those who, with traffic coming towards them, think it’s okay to turn right immediately in front of the oncoming vehicles expecting them to brake and allow their manoeuvre. Rant over.

The destination we arrived at was a town called Whangamata, a pleasant coastal retreat for sailors and surfers. A short walk, dinner and to bed to face the rigours of a day out sightseeing.

Whangamata Beach

Hills behind Whangamata

Result of Wither Hills cursor control

Up early to Skype and ring home checking on the state of play with the family, we discovered that we have access to footy in time for the Sunderland game that will be televised live. Getting nervous already.

One of the best known landmarks in this part of the world is a place called Cathedral Cove and my interest in sea stacks and cliffs had this firmly on the agenda, even thought it requires a fairly strenuous trek up and down fairly long steep paths.

The view from the car park is fabulous, on one side Hahei beach and on the other a view of the cliffs at the side of a cove called Stingray. The information boards say the route should take 45 minutes, the guidebook says the journey should be shorter for anyone not in need of a ventilator. A challenge for the unfit and overweight members of our party, (me).

Hahei Beach

About fifteen minutes into the walk we met a sign that told us there was 30 minutes to Cathedral Cove and 5 minutes to another cove, Stingray. Sheila, seduced by the only 5 minutes notice, suggested that we take that path. In future this will be known as the Sheila Diversion. What followed was an object lesson in the accuracy of Newton’s observations about falling objects, five minutes being the time that a falling object would take to get to the beach. We arrived weary and some serious sitting was required to prepare for the, yes you’ve guessed, the climb back up to the point where we left the main trail for our now 30 minutes similarly steep journey to our original destination. Sheila has been my main diversion for the last forty years or so but today she excelled herself. I joke of course the two coves visited are well worth the effort and this is clearly the view of many visitors to these parts, lots of fit swimming, surfing, boating and diving people thoroughly enjoying the splendid surroundings.

Stingray Cove

View through the Hole in the Rock
Knackered
Through the Keyhole

Our climb back to the car was the real challenge, where would we stand in terms of the guide’s verdict that the journey should be completed under the advised 45 minutes? We’ll save the answer to that till we see you all.