Christmas at Whiritoa

This Christmas we decided to have a break away from Auckland and booked a bach at Whiritoa Beach for 4 nights.  The bach was lovely, just a short walk from the beach and a home away from home.

The beach itself has a steep drop off so some great waves for the surfers, so we stuck to the shallows and made the most of the sunshine.

On Christmas Day morning we walked through the estuary and the Te Ramarama Scenic Reserve to Waimama Bay, only accessible by foot.  We had the beach to ourselves and despite the cloudy skies it was stunning.

The pohutakawa trees at the beach were flowering so a proper Kiwi Christmas.  A fantastic and relaxing break, a place we will return to very soon.

Visiting Anna & Tim

This weekend we went to visit Anna & Tim, always expecting to see something different and this time they didn't disappoint...ranging from a bus (converted to a camper van)

To a tractor dating back to 1945.

And on the animal front they now have a cow which they will keep for another year before ready for eating.

Jodie is developing a real personality and is a very good baby.

Mum & daughter.

And Dad & daughter.

Jodie getting used to her turtle we bought her for Christmas.

Rotoroa Island

Rotoroa Island has recently been opened to the public after being owned by the Salvation Army for many years as a place to send Auckland drunks to sober up and dry out.  This is a photo of what the island used to look like with all its buildings.

A few of the old buildings still remain, including the jail where the arrivals were originally held - I had to let Royston out...

This is a map of the island - not much to do here but walk and relax on the beaches.

The island is now a haven for native plants and wildlife - the conservation teams have spent a lot of time planting new trees and eradicating pests.  Only a few buildings remain now including a couple of holiday homes for rent.

The island can be walked in a day so we did just that as well as spending some time on some of the beautiful beaches.  Here is a view down the island with Ladies Bay and Mens Bay on the left.

On the western point of the island is a sculpture by Chris Booth in memory of an Auckland boatie.  Quite an amazing structure pointing out to sea.

The view from the highest point of the island looking down to the exhibition centre and across to Waiheke Island in the distance.  A beautiful quiet place to visit and one we will return to in the future.