First Weekend in New Zealand: Piha, Tiritiri

We had a big first weekend. We rented a car Fri. evening and drove to Piha beach on the west coast, only an hour away, with a Russian physicist his wife. It has a big rock, sort of like Morro Rock, and a long, empty, windswept, volcanic black sand beach with huge waves. Sort of like a beach up in Marin, except 75 degrees and much warmer water. Gorgeous. 

Then Sat. morning we drove over to a Gulf Harbour on a peninsula northwest of here to take the ferry to Tiritiri Matangi, an island off the coast where they've restored the native vegetation and reintroduced the native birds. We went on a bird walk with a guide through the bush up to a picnic spot on the top of the island by the lighthouse, with wonderful views of Auckland Bay and the 14 islands and lots of boats. Green tropical water. Very windy with whitecaps. Spectacular. 

Arriving by ferry on Tiritiri

Walking through the bush to the lighthouse on top

When the ferry returned at 4, we still had 5 hours of daylight, so we drove north, stopping to walk on several beautiful beaches and ate fish and chips at a historic pub at Puhoi. 
Sat. a friend of a friend (Fiona) picked us up to go to church. Then she took us to Davenport and we took the ferry from there into the city for lunch and a visit to the Maritime Museum. 

Auckland from the Davenport Ferry

JLFM in the Maritime Museum

For us, boats, ferries, beaches, wildlife, lots of walking--New Zealand is ideal. Rich gave his talk on Friday, so that was one pressure out of the way.