Nov. 20, 2023, Whananaki to Nikau Bay, 26,5 Km ( km 359,6)
The day starts late for me, at 8:45 am, with a walk on the longest footbridge in the southern hemisphere.
Then there is a nice 9 km coastal walk with several bay views.
At the end of the coastal walk I find a tree swing with beautiful views and of course I had to use it.
Next there are 17 km of road ahead. Paved road and gravel road. Lots of up and downs. I take my time.
After covering a total of 26 km, I reach Ngunguru. It is a small place, but it has a dairy, a fish and chips shop, a pizza place, and an ATM in the dairy.
I buy some soft drinks and order a large pizza. The pizza is covered with Remoulade sauce. New style.
X is there, and we eat on a bench, surrounded by hungry seagulls.
Supplies and stomach filled, we walk out of town to a small pier:
We need to cross that channel and wait for James with his boat to take us to the other side.
At Nikau Bay, nestled in a patch of rainforest, he has a lovely spot for hikers to stay. Some have already pitched their tents.
Since James has a room with beds available, we take that luxury.
The shower and toilets are shared, and I enjoy the nice outdoor shower:
There is a big room with a kitchen.
Everyone gathers there at 4:45 pm to receive instructions for the river crossings we will encounter tomorrow.
James has a large map on the wall with all the necessary information, and he guides us through it.
The crossings can only be done at low tide. For the first one, we should be there at 7:30 am. It is 5 km from this place, spanning a distance of 300 m. There are markers for orientation to cross at the optimal spot. According to James, the water would reach the upper thighs.
Following that initial crossing, there is a mangrove swamp to traverse with deep black mud and no alternative way around it. At the end of it is a small parking area with a large puddle where we will be able to clean our feet.
An 8-9 km road walk will follow to reach the next crossing, which we should approach around 10 am. This one will be quite long, about one km, but the water should not be higher than knee-high, and there will be markers along the river and poles in the water indicating the route.
At the end, another muddy walk through mangroves will await us.
James’ instructions are very detailed and helpful.
We are getting an early sleep for an early start tomorrow.
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