Wairoa Wanderings

Wairoa River mouth near where I left the beach to hitch into Wairoa..

My bus departed Hamilton last Saturday at 10am, with me on board, but I was destined not to leave Hamilton until 3pm! The bus broke down 10minutes later and we were all decamped to the footpath. An hour and 20 minutes later a mechanic arrived, he was unable to fix the problem and we were put aboard another bus and taken back to the bus station about noon. We were told that a replacement bus was being sent from Auckland. When it arrived  at 1.30pm those of us travelling to Napier and due to change buses at Taupo were advised to wait for the next direct service to Napier at 3pm! I finally arrived in Napier at 8.05pm, friends Bev & Chris collected me and took me home for a delayed dinner.

On Sunday Bev and Chris drove me to the end of Aropanui Rd where I had permission from Ron, the owner of Glendale Station to walk across his land. This was where I had walked to in March, before returning to Hamilton with a sore foot. After saying farewell to Bev and Chris it was a long hard struggle uphill. I had weighed my pack that morning at 26kg. It rained an hour after I started and I had to put on my raincoat and new leggings. Having done no training this time around I intended to take it easy for the first few days and only did 6km that first day. I camped on the coast at Ridgemount having seen nobody. I did see lots of sheep, goats, geese and one very dead very bloated pig! As it was dark by 6.20pm, I was in my tent and in my sleeping bag by that time!

On Monday I did 12km along the beach, the first 5km of which involved lots of clambering over rocks. Later it was all hard sand and easy walking. Towards the end there was a mass of tree debris washed up on the shore. The Waikari River proved to be too deep and fast to wade across so I decided to camp alongside it and try to cross at low tide next morning. At that stage I had seen nobody since Bev and Chris had dropped me off the day before. Later that afternoon I was sitting in my tent reading when I heard an engine. Thinking that it might be a boat, I got out of the tent and discovered it was a plane flying over. While watching the plane I saw a man walking on the beach. Allan had rowed down river from a campsite upstream. We sat chatting for quite awhile and he told me about the many different and diverse careers he had during his working life. Now "nearly 80" he is long retired. He agreed to row me across the river the next morning as he was planning on returning to do some fishing.

About 7am on Tuesday, Allan rowed me across the Waikari River. Shortly after I got wet feet crossing another shallower stream. I walked along hard sand all day until I got to the Mohaka River, where I  walked up roads and crossed the river bridge. There is a camping ground at Mohaka but it was locked up and there was no sign of anybody being around. After filling my water bottles at a house, I spent a miserable night camped above the beach, with the tent flapping in the wind. Total walked for the day was 11km.

I was away at 7.20am on Wednesday. An initial scramble along the steep banks of the Mohaka River brought me back to the beach. The beach was ideal for walking, nice hard sand and no rocks. All day I walked under steep cliffs and it looked like that, at high tide, the sea washed against the cliffs. Just before the Wairoa River mouth the cliffs finished and I followed a road for a short way. After walking 19km that day I  hitched a lift into Wairoa. The young family, who picked me up, drove out of their way to drop me at the Riverside Motor Camp, where I booked into their backpackers dorm for 3 nights.

I'd have to say that this is the cleanest camp I've been in so far! Bill and Sharon made me very welcome.  It was great to spend a night in bed again and the two others sharing the dorm, Howard and Derrick assured me I didn't snore too loudly!

Yesterday (Thursday) Bill the camp owner drove me back out to where I had hitched from and I walked the 7km back into town alongside the Wairoa River. I spent the rest of the day trying to get information about my route ahead. I was also interviewed by the local newspaper, the Wairoa Star.

I'm having a rest day today. After a leisurely start to the day I posed for a photo to go with the newspaper article and then walked into town to update this blog. This afternoon I intend to curl up with a book. Tomorrow morning I head north again.

So far I have felt no adverse affects in my feet, legs and back and I am hopeful of continued good health. I may not be able do another post here until I reach Gisborne, in about 10 days or so.

Total walked since restart on Sunday is 55km.
Total North Island to date = 620km
Grand total = 2356km.