Wind, rain and more wind.

The start of State Highway One - Wellington Airport

Barneys Whare

The rear of Barneys Whare, where I spent the night.

John and his bach at Ocean Beach

Gordon the helpful mailman

Ngawi - bulldozers are used to launch the fishing boats

Looking back towards Cape Palliser

High & Dry

Jenny from Tora took my pack 20km out of her way.

The start of the North Island segment of the walk started in Wellington where I stayed for 3 nights at The Base Backpackers. This is the biggest backpackers I've stayed in yet. Despite the size the staff were really friendly and the place is well organised. Thanks to Dana and Hester for all their help.

I travelled to Wellington by bus on Wednesday 9th January and next day caught a bus to the airport and started walking from there. The wind was howling as I walked around the peninsula past Seatoun. I lost my good Bivouac bandana in the wind. Once around the peninsula I walked back to the airport and the start of SH1. Then into the city in the wind and rain and back to the backpackers for a total of 17km.

Friday saw me walking out of Wellington via the Railway Station and the Bluebridge and Interislander terminals. One of the worse parts of the walk so far was walking alongside the Hutt Highway with cars and trucks whizzing past. Then along the foreshore at Petone, alongside the Hutt River and then along the bays to Eastbourne. The ferry ride back to Wellington was great after a 26km walk.

On Saturday morning I signed out of the backpackers and caught a bus back to Eastbourne. A walk alongside the promenade brought me to the start of the coastal walk to Pencarrow Head. A locked gate keeps vehicles out and allows pedestrians and cyclist through. There were a few of each, including one young man walking the gravel road in carpet slippers! Just before the two lighthouses at Pencarrow I heard a noise of wheels on gravel directly behind me and on turning around found a large bus, closely followed by two others. They were taking tourists from a Cruise ship to a lodge. So much for no vehicles. At Baring Head the road turned to a 4wd track and I was hoping that the strong Southerly would disappear once I walked around the headland. No such luck, it turned to a Northerly!
After walking 22km my first attempt at camping was curtailed when the strongly gusting wind collapsed my tent! The first time this had happened to me. I then walked a further 3km and found what I thought was a sheltered spot but once again my tent was collapsed by the wind. Giving up using the tent I retreated to a locked Whare and slept on the porch behind that. Not much sleep though due to the wind and the birds in a nest above my head fidgeting all night!

The coastline in that area is rugged and beautiful. On Sunday morning after 9km I came upon a few baches at Ocean Beach. Calling at on of the baches for water, John invited me to stay the night. This was welcome after my sleepless night. John is an interesting character. In his 70's he still works part time as Land Surveyor. When in his 20's he was keen on geology and once discovered the skeleton of a 14th century Maori Chiefs son buried in the sand. The 4wd track I walked to get to Johns is a rough track and a few years ago John came across a couple in a car trying to drive to Wellington along it. He put them right and put them up for the night. They were driving a Rolls Royce, so that was parked outside his bach for the night. Not far from Johns place isa luxury lodge. Some years ago he and a mate were walking on the beach when they were approached by a man walking the opposite way "good morning gentlemen, my names Bill Clinton, you may have heard of me"! So I can now say i've shaken hands with a man who's shaken hands with Bill Clinton!

The week before I arrived John had been bitten by a dog which had previously bitten someone else and was supposed to be muzzled in public. The wound on his leg was inflamed and as he was heading into town next day to get it looked at again, he agreed to take my pack part of the way. My next destination was Lake Ferry only about 8km along the beach. However a lake empties into the sea there and so I had to make a 44km road detour. Setting off early I walked 16km along a good road and then waited for John with my pack. Once again the wind was blowing. Another 12km brought me to a main road and from there I hitchhiked 18km into Lake Ferry and the Motor Camp. Due to wind and rain I booked into a cabin for 3 nights rather than stay in my tent. The owner of the camp Mary helped sponsor me by only charging for 2 nights.

The next day Mary also generously drove me back to where i'd hitchhiked form the day before and I walked through yet more wind and rain to the cabin. Three people offered me a ride that day. The first vehicle to stop was a police car!

Wednesday was a rest day for me and guess what, no wind!

Mary had given me the name of the local Rural Delivery driver Gordon. On Thursday Gordon took my pack to Ngawi. Meeting him on the road he also gave me the address off Richie & Barbara where I could stop for a break after 21km. They made me very welcome and after tea and cake saw me on my way with fresh vegetables from their garden. 6km from Ngawi it was not only windy but wet and hailing so I hitched the remaining 6km. After collecting my pack from where Gordon had left it I managed to find someone with a room to rent as I was not keen on camping in the wind and rain.

On Friday I hitched back to where I had left off the day before and walked back to Ngawi. I had intended to move on that day but the weather was once again baked bean weather, wet and windy! So I had a lazy day reading.

On Saturday morning I was was away at 7.30 toward Cape Palliser. For 2km I walked with Kevin who was staying in the area for the long weekend. Another 9km along 4wd tracks brought me to White Rocks. Frank a local farmer gave me vege from his garden and a very welcome cold ginger beer. After walking 16km for the day I set up my tent in the White Rocks camp ground. The first time in my tent in the North Island. It had been a good day walking with no wind but by early evening the wind had started. I did manage to drift off to sleep twice during the night but it was a sleepless night as the wind blew the tent flat. The only other tent there was wrecked during the night and the occupants took refuge in their car.

After leaving camp this morning I crossed a river and then walked 12km along a 4wd drive track and a metal road to Tora. Three years ago I did the Tora Walk, this is a farm walk over 3 days where your packs are carried on each day and a meal is provided each night. I called in to see if there were any spare beds in the walkers accommodation tonight but they were all full. However Alastair invited me to stay in their home tonight. Today there has been no wind or rain and tonight I will sleep in a bed. Alastair and Jenny have opened their home to me and made me really welcome. Jenny has also kindly given me the use of her laptop to update this blog.

In the last 10 days I have walked 183km. Its mostly been roads and 4wd tracks with more of the same over coming days.