Cape Reinga

Not too far outside of Aukland we had our first "local" experience as I was pulled over for speeding.  The officer questioned, "Do you know what the speed limit is?"  "100 KPH,"  I calmly replied.  "She continued, "That's right, and my radar showed you at 113 KPH.  That will get you a ticket in New Zealand." She was nice enough to give me a warning, but we soon realized that distances were going to take a long time to travel as we were now stuck at the equivalent of 60 MPH with "highways" that passed through every countrside town and village at marked speed all the way down to 20 KPH or 12 MPH!!  Very slow.

We somehow endured and pushed on until we couldn't push on anymore (we hit the end of the road).  Suddenly out before us in the distance was the meeting of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.  And wind!!!  Lots of it.   And sand!!!  Lots of it blowing in the wind.

Sand, water, rocks -- what a great place for a lighthouse.

Cape Reinga isn't the official northnmost point in New Zealand but it does have a raod leading to it.  The official northern point is several kilometers away with no road access.  We did find a trail but it was marked closed for restoration.  So, as the true northern spot was "closed," my official interpration is that we reached the only available northern point available on that particular day.

We took a great hike down, down, and down through the blowing sand and eventually reached the hardest-packed-sand beach in the history of the world.  Fantastic walking ensued past chunks of coral washed along the shore.  Sheets of sand would fly past along with gusts of wind on the dry portion of sand near the dunes, but the water's edge featured wetted sand that faithfully stood in place and felt like slightly damp concrete.

Offshore, a mightly clash was occuring between the Sea and the Ocean and waves in all shapes, sizes, and direction met other waves in all shapes, sizes and directions, sending sea spray upwards where the wind would have its way.

Sand, water, rocks -- what a great place for a lighthouse.  Sure enough, a lighthouse stands on the bluff protecting mariners from near and far. In front of the lighthouse is a post holding arrows that signal the distance far-off places such as Los Angeles, London, Sydney, and the Tropic of Capricorn.