Whakatane & White Island

On White Island

Boiling mud & sulphur

Abandoned factory White Island

White Island from boat Pee Jay IV

I left Opotiki last Friday, my friend Gavin drove me to the museum and then Len drove me to Ohiwa Bay, where I booked into a cabin at the Top 10 Holiday Park. Len then drove me back to Opotiki and I walked the 11km back to Ohiwa. The first 3 km was on the road with the remainder on the beach. I was not sure if I could wade across the Waiotahi River but after talking with some people collecting Pipi's, I crossed with the water coming up to my waist.

My destination on Saturday was Ohope, just half a km across the water, however there being no boat available to take me across, it was a 30km walk along the roads. At Cheddar Valley there is a 2km nature walk through a salt marsh. I stayed in my tent at the Ohope Top 10 Holiday Park. My pack was taken from Ohiwa to Ohope for me by a fellow camper.

On Sunday I walked to the end of Ohope Beach then walked back to the camp. Chelsea who lives in Whakatane and works at the camp agreed to take my pack into Whakatane at the end of the day. The days total was 16km, 11km along the beach and then up and over the Kohi Point Walkway.

I am staying in a backpackers room at the Whakatane Hotel for 3 nights. Yesterday was a little special for me. Pee Jays White Island Tours sponsored me with a free trip to White Island. It was a beautiful day and the sea was flat for the 2 hour trip out to the island 49km's away. Once there we were transferred, 10 at a time to the wharf by rubber dingy. We had been issued with hard hats and gas masks in case the active volcano erupted while on the island. Our guides took us on a 1.5 hour tour of the island and showed us sulphur deposits, boiling mud pools and the crater lake. Sulphur used to be mined here and there is the remains of a factory, abandoned in the 1930's. A great day out and something unique, visiting an active volcano on an offshore island.

Today I am having a day off (yes another one!) and catching up with some chores. tomorrow I head up the coast towards Matata, then Tauranga.

Total km's walked to date 2888km - 1145 North Island.