No Fixed Abode: Lynda's West Coast tour

Wed 23 Dec 2015 - The west coast of Auckland

With much on the agenda for today we arose and were ready to go by 0900 this morning.

Setting off in Lynda's car our first stop was the Arataki visitor centre, which has several viewpoints with stunning views of the bush and surrounding coast, and lots of information on the local flora and fauna. We then wound through the hills, frequently stopping at viewpoints to admire the amazing views of the city and the east coast that we are now familiar with. On reaching the far side we rounded a corner and were presented with a beautiful view of Piha, a small but famous surfing town with a wonderful black sand beach and our next stop.

Shedding our shoes we spent the next hour ambling along the soft sand, enjoying the sun, watching the surfers and discussing the joys of children - this had been a regular spot for Lynda to bring her two boys. Walking along the waterline had been wonderfully refreshing but after several hours of sunshine the dry black sand had become incredibly hot resulting in us sprinting the last few metres back to the car.

The next stop was another favourite spot for Lynda's boys - Fairy falls. We set off on a trail through the bush and after crossing several small streams over slippery rocks we reached a very pretty waterfall spilling down the moss covered rocks. A wooden staircase zig zagged up the side of the fall bringing us to the top, where we discovered it was the lowest of a series each plunging into a small pool, some with children splashing around. Such a beautiful spot we could see why it had been so popular with Lynda's family. The trail home wound up the hillside via a series of the now familiar wooden steps with occasional breaks in the bush for more spectacular views. On our return to the car Lynda produced some mince pies to replenish our energy. Merry Christmas to that!

Then it was onto the last destination of our mini tour, the gannet colony at Muriwai. Leaving the cliff top car park we could smell the birds before we could see them but as we crested the clifftop we were greeted with an amazing site. Thousands of gannets tightly nestled onto every flat spot keenly defending their territory and nurturing either an egg or a chick. We spent a long while watching the skies congested with birds either departing to fish or returning to share their catch with their lifelong mate and their offspring. Scenes of conflict, mutual grooming and parenting provided a fascinating insight to lives of these fascinating creatures.

By now it was getting late so we returned home, stopping off at a fish shop to get some Hoki for one of Lynda's 'quick' meals. This delicious fish dish was enjoyed by us all before spending our last evening enjoying sharing photos of our travels. Lynda and Lloyd gave us some more tips of must see places for when we visit South Island soon. The perfect end to a perfect day.