Day 13: Russell Forest to Waikahoa Bay Campsite (267-296, plus 5 km)
Marjolein, Curly and I ate breakfast, packed up and hit the trail a little after 7. It had rained a bit during the night, but had stopped by the time we were ready to go.
We had a few more kilometers on a gravel road and trail, and then we had 4 kilometers in the river. The river is soooo nice on your feet! The rocks in this river were a little more slippery than the last river we had to walk through, but it was still really enjoyable. After the river we hiked the rest of the Russell forest track and ended up on Russell Road. After a few kilometers we stopped for lunch.
I don't really like to stop long for lunch and we all had tentative plans to camp different places so I headed on down the trail after about 20 minutes and continued road walking til I made it to the campsite at Waikahoa Bay.
I have a feeling we'll all see each other in two days at Nikau Bay Camp.
When I arrived at the ranger station for Waikahoa Bay, a detour about 5 kilometers off the TA trail, the ranger was nowhere to be found. I even tried calling the number and it just said to book a campsite online. I already had, so after waiting a bit I just decided to go to the campsite and not check-in. I was hungry and tired and had already paid. So far nobody has come after me, so I think I'm fine.
It's a beautiful campsite looking over the beach.
Our morning walk in the river
A shelter right after the river section of Russell Forest
This is what some of the trail looked like today
Lunch break
Repaving the road
Where I've gone and where I'm going. I should be in Whangarei over the weekend, but it looks like taking the road would be a lot faster than the trail!
The view walking down Mimiwhangata Road
Another view from Mimiwhangata Road
Dinner with a view
Campsite by the beach
The view from the campground at sunset