Day 15: Whananaki Holiday Park to Nikau Bay (312-338)
Today was a great, easy day. I left Whananaki around 6 am and met a nice man crossing the boardwalk. The two forests and road walking went so quickly, I ended up in Ngunguru around 1 pm. Around 2 or 3 Marjolein walked by and after she got some food from the store we started walking to where we thought we'd meet James with Nikau Bay.
As we were walking James drove by and figured we were TA hikers. He was right! We got a ride to Nikau Bay. It's the most beautiful campsite I've seen and James has built it himself.
We set up our tents, cleaned up and James let us use two of his kayaks. We ended up paddling through mangrove trees! When we got back, two other TA trampers were at the camp. Magnus from Sweden and Robert from the US.
We all ate dinner and then a crazy orange moon rose over the water. It was stunning. Then I was off to bed!
I started my morning on the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere.
More cows. I thought I'd see more sheep than cows but that hasn't been the case.
A view from the Whananaki Coastal Track
Another view from the track early in the morning
I think this was the Matapouri Bush Track
Tane Moana, a big Kauri Tree.
Tane Moana Selfie
Marjolein swinging at Nikau Bay Camp
Our campsite for the night
Looking back on Ngunguru from Nikau Bay
The beautiful kitchen at Nikau Bay Camp
Kayaking through mangroves!
Marjolein kayaking through mangroves
