Day 1: Cape Reinga to Twilight Beach (0-12 km)

The starting line: Cape Reinga

Around 8 am Curley, a fellow TA tramper/runner that stayed at Mainstreet Lodge, and I got a ride from Kaitaia to Cape Reinga from Ollie. He was wonderful! He had packets about the next few days of the trail to Ahipara printed for us and told us all about the trail, about the area on the way to the Cape, about plants and animals in New Zealand and about the Maori. When we got to Cape Reinga, a sacred site for the Maori where they believe spirits depart and begin their final trek back the the ancient homeland of Hawiiki, Ollie pointed out some landmarks for us - like where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet - and we were on our way around 10.

First Curly and I walked to the lighthouse and took our starting photos. Then we started the TA. I got my butt and bottom of my pack wet scrambling over some rocks at high tide, but all my gear stayed dry and I dried off pretty quick.

Around 2 pm we got to Twilight Beach Campsite. There were two Canadians from Alberta there, Erinn and Trevor, and we talked to them for a bit. Then Curley was on his way. He hopes to be running every day soon. Pretty impressive! 

After the Canadians made some food, they were on their way too.

Here's some photos from the day:

Ollie and his truck

The lighthouse at Cape Reinga

This is where the Tasman Sea (left) and the Pacific Ocean meet. Ollie pointed it out.  

The first little steam crossing.  

Crazy red rock or hard sand surface we walked over.  

Twilight Beach Campsite  

TA-ers Curly, Trevor and Erinn  

Ready for the first night of camping!  

Twilight Beach

The steps up from Twilight Beach to the campground

Dipping my feet in the Tasman Sea