Heading North to Karamea
Leaving Westport for Karamea takes you on the only road north along the coast initially.
We stopped half way on this journey at the Gentle Annie’s Campground. If you have not stayed here you will miss out on the friendly owners Jess and Jessica’s hospitality.
At 9am each morning at the office/shop/lounge/communal meeting place, treat yourself to one of Jessica’s famous muffins and an organic coffee made by Jess or staff member Christine.
We loved our stay there and returned to stay again on the way back from our explore of Karamea.
When you stay at Gentle Annie’s a ‘must do’ is the Maze created on top of Gentle Annie point. The views from the point are breathtaking. We experienced some awesome waves crashing into the shore and rocks.
Karamea
Boy, the road changed once we left Gentle Annie’s for Karamea. A steep very windy road with slips barricaded off made for a slow journey. We got down to 30klm an hour for most of the way.
We stayed at the Domain Campground in Karamea right next to the school and tennis courts. We were the only non-whitebaiters staying in the campground.
We met them all over 5pm drinks in the lounge to hear their stories. They had all been coming here for years during the White bait season.
Having not experienced the method of catching white bait it was fascinating to see. The white strips of plastic sheeting or similar are layed on the foreshore rocks so that it makes it easier for the fisherman or women to see the translucent white bait passing so they can be caught in the net attached to a long pole.
Exploring Karamea
It was fun to drive around this remote area of New Zealand which has it’s own micro climate. The days were warm and sunny but at 4pm the temperature dropped. However, we enjoyed the pub at Seddonville and Robyn loves to walk the cemeteries for history lesson while I go off taking photos.
Honeycomb Hill Caves and Oparara arches
We were fortuate to get a booking to do a guided tour to see the Oparara Arches but also the restricted access area of the Honeycomb Hill caves.
Honeycomb Hills name is given because of all the ‘tomo’s’ (bottomless holes in the bush floor). Many Moa’s would fall into these tomo’s on the dense bush floor to the caves below with no escape. Their bones are in these caves preserved by the constant 12o temperature in the caves.
So, Robyn and I walked for 2klm in bush to get the the cave that had the Moa bones. Our guide, was great at giving us the history of the area and what they believe happened to the Moa’s and the giant Haast Eagles from the bones of both lying in the caves.
To get to the cave we walked some beautiful dense bush that included a swing-bridge to cross a stream.
In the cave we clambered rather than walked over rocks and through narrow gaps in the limestone, stopping to view the stalactites and stalagmites and see the glow worms up close.
Oparara Arches
After lunch we then visited the Oparara Arches. Magnificent limestone caves and arches.
1 Comment
James Bonham
Absolutely stunning photos Pete, the ones of the coastline and rural setting are just spectacular.