Left the Whakamarino Lodge about 8.30am after a fun two days stay. A beautiful day for travelling and seeing the countryside.
Drove down alongside the Waitaretaheke river to Wairoa. We stopped at Wairoa on the way through to the lakes but only stopped to refuel and didn't really see any of the town and area at that stage.
We drove straight down to the mouth off the river. A pretty area. It makes you realise how much you miss of a place when you just drive straight through. So glad we had a good look around on the way back,
The river mouth opens up to a very spread out area. We were told by a local that the water flow out to the sea varies all the time. The build up of sand has to be broken from time to time and thus the bar changes regularly. It can move several hundred metres up and down the sand dune beach. Fasinating. In the above photo sometimes it goes out in the small gap you can see in the top left of the above photo, (the small strip between the bar and the main land.)
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This photo shows it at present going out in the gap you can see which is at least 500 metres from the first photo.
This is a photo of the sand build up. At least a metre high which will be broken as the river water builds up from the highland river up behind Wairoa.
This is the mouth of the river showing the outlet to the left at present and on the right sometimes flows that way. If you look closely you can see that sand bar running right along from one side to the other.
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Coming back into town along the side of the river. Beautiful Norfolk pines.
Oslers has been here since 1929 and in the shop they had some great old photos of their early days.
I noted that they also had agencies as far north as Whakatane and Gisborne.
One of their trucks had "machine made bread" written on the side and also on the old shop veranda.
The business is still operating out of the original premises.
This is the shop today and we bought donuts and coffee. Best baking I have ever tasted; Yummy. We bought some raspberry buns for later.
Having our coffee on the river bank opposite the bakery
The lighthouse has been relocated into town by the river. PT took this photo. A bit of a lean and he had only been drinking coffee..
The view when we went over the hills from Wairoa.
This view is looking towards Napier which is just over the hills. We think that is Cape Kidnappers in the far distance.
This is an escarpment 40 km south of Wairoa and on the Mohaka river and adjacent to the viaduct below.
The Mohaka viaduct was built in 1937 and is 97 metres above the river. Great shot.
Another 16km south we came across Lake Tutira which is a wildlife reserve set in a pleasant farmland where many bird species are protected.
Around the shore of the lake.
A wider view of the lake. Unfortunately looking right into the sun.
Arrived at Napier 2.00pm at Shoreline Motel on Marine Parade.
Taken from our balcony on the top level of three.
Our room is narrow and long. Behind the very large bed there is a big spa bath in the alcove. And no we haven't had a spa. Back left is the kitchenette and far right is the bathroom. A comfortable room.
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