Tamaki Drive

November 27, 2016 milestepper 2 Comments

Tamaki Drive Walk is a city walk, but it’s a beautiful one, and there is always a great view – this walk is one long, continuous, uninterrupted view. A paved walkway follows the coast of Waitemata Harbor and Tamaki Strait with views of Devonport and Rangitoto, Motutapu, Browns and Motuihe islands.

To see this walk on Google Maps click here.

Ports of Auckland, Mount Victoria, Northhead, Rangitoto and Orakei Marine from Tamaki Drive

This walk looks great in panoramas. I haven’t included all of my Tamaki Drive panoramas in this post, but be sure to check them out in the full gallery of 32 pictures below To view on imgur click here.

I started this walk on my way to Orakei Basin, leaving Tamaki Drive at the point of the panorama above, and the photo below. Today I would continue along Tamaki Drive.

I had ridden a bicycle along Tamaki Drive from the ferry building to Mission Bay many times when I lived in Auckland about ten years ago, but I had never walked it. I planned to revisit the Point to Point Walk and try to make it from St Heliers to Point England along the foreshore at low tide, but this day was not the day for that adventure. I decided to spend this day walking from the Auckland Ferry building to St Helliers, and to continue from there to Point England at a later date.

Just past Orakei Marina is Okahu Bay and it’s beach, the first chance to get off the sidewalk and walk on a beach. I took it. I’m not sure I had ever walked on this beach before in spite of cycling past many times.

Okahu Bay, behind the beach — Okahu Bay, from behind the beach

The east side of Okahu Bay takes on a different character with a nice walkway leading to Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium.

Just past Kelly Tarlton’s and the Okahu Functions and Events building is a long pier that offers a nice walk and great views of Orakei Marina and the whole area.

It had probably been a decade since I enjoyed a walk on this pier.

Pier near Kelly Tarlton's — Pier near Kelly Tarlton’s

You pass this impressive old lighthouse on the ferry to Rangitoto Island. Below is the view from Tamaki Drive.

Tamaki Strait, lighthouse, Rangitoto Island

And here is a better view from the ferry, shot at a later date. Kohimarama is visible in the background, St Heliers is to the left of frame.

The Tamaki Yacht Club inhabits the next point.

Next stop, Mission Bay! But first a couple of wildlife encounters. It isn’t remarkable to see either of these birds along the coast, but I wasn’t expecting it.

Heron from the pedestrian bridge to Mission Bay Beach

Mission Bay has a great beach, and Tamaki Drive at this point is lined with some good pubs and restaurants, some with nice harbor views.

Tamaki Drive moves away from the coast to accommodate a nice green space. At the center is the Mission Bay Fountain.

As always on the east coast, Rangitoto!

A short walk from Mission Bay brings you to Kohimarama Beach.

Just around the next point is St Heliers Beach.

At the opposite end of St Heliers Beach you can see Achilles Point, the start of my day on the Point to Point Walkway. In my next post I’ll take you from Achilles Point to Point England and beyond, this time right on the shore at low tide!

You can view the full gallery of 32 pictures below To view on imgur click here.

Mount Victoria, North Head and Rangitoto from the Auckland Marine Rescue Center

Okahu Functions and Events Center, Kelly Tarlton's SEA LIFE Aquarium on the right — Okahu Functions and Events Center, Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium on the right

Waitemata Harbor, Tamaki Yacht Club on the right

My favorite spot in New Zealand was likely destroyed in the recent earthquakes

November 17, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

The Ohau Point New Zealand Fur Seal Colony on the Pacific Coast just north of Kaikoura was destroyed by a landslide in the recent earthquake, and it seems likely that my favorite spot in all of New Zealand, the Ohau Stream Waterfall, was destroyed as well.

Photo of the landslide at Ohau Point from the article “Famous seal breeding ground destroyed by quake” on Stuff.co.nz

It is likely some seals were killed in the landslides.

It was fortunate timing, however, as many would have been out at sea feeding ahead of pupping season.

It was unlikely there were pups at the waterfall at the time of the earthquake, Morrissey said.

The waterfall was not yet accessible, so it was unclear if it remained intact, but due to the surrounding damage it was unlikely to have survived.

When the seals returned in the coming weeks they would not recognise their home, Morrissey said.

“Those seals generally come back to the area where they were born. They’ll go in there and it won’t be like anywhere they recognise before, so they’ll probably just go and breed on other parts of the coast.”

The colony will likely return at some stage, albeit in a different form.
– “Famous seal breeding ground destroyed by quake”, Stuff.co.nz

Since many seals probably survived, the seal colony itself will have survived in some form as well, but the Ohau Stream Waterfall is a unique place, and if destroyed, is a huge loss.

The waterfall, pool, and the small glade around them are a special place at any time of year, but between April and October the place becomes a baby seal daycare, as their mothers leave them to frolic in the pool while they go out to fish in the Pacific Ocean.

I read online that someone had seen the carpark at the start of the short walk to the waterfall intact, so there is some hope that the waterfall and stream survived. I really hope to see this place again!

Curious seal pup at Ohau Stream Waterfall

Search “Ohau” for all of my various posts about this great little spot.

Search “Kaikoura” for all of my posts about the whole area.

If the Ohau Waterfall pool is lost forever, it is reminiscent of the Pink and White Terraces, natural wonders of New Zealand, reportedly the largest silica sinter deposits on earth, lost and thought destroyed in the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera. Read this article on the always helpful Wikipedia for more on the Pink and White Terraces and their partial rediscovery.

White Terraces, New Zealand, Charles Blomfield (1848–1926) - from Wikimedia Commons — White Terraces, New Zealand, Charles Blomfield (1848–1926) – from Wikimedia Commons

The coastline around Kaikoura has been altered forever, with the seabed in the area raised a meter or more in places by the quake.

**Waipapa bay before and after November 14, 2016 earthquake**

Aerial photographs (above) show the before and after seabed uplift north of Kaikoura – estimated to be between 2 – 2.5 metres.
Photo Credit: Tonkin+Taylor (@TonkinTaylor) [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxRXBeWVEAA1Oms.jpg]
Photo Credit: Ryan Gold (@runr447)
[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxUNkWmUoAAEv80.jpg]
New Zealand, South Island Earthquake November 14, 2016
East Coast South Island; 91km northeast Christchurch; Kaikoura

Even without a “before” picture it’s easy to see where the coastline used to be, and the new upraised land.

**Seabed uplift caused by November 14, 2016 earthquake**

Aerial photographs (above) show the seabed uplift north of Kaikoura – estimated to be between 2 – 2.5 metres.
Photo Credit: Tonkin+Taylor (@TonkinTaylor) [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxRXB1YVEAA_ipz.jpg]
New Zealand, South Island Earthquake November 14, 2016
East Coast South Island; 91km northeast Christchurch; Kaikoura

Today I was told that locals were recently out moving hundreds of paua, left high and dry by the changes to the coast, in hopes of saving the local population, and eating dozens of local lobsters, while worrying that they might be the last from the area for some time.

For more pictures of Kaikoura’s altered coastline, click here.
Also see this article in the New Zealand Herald.

The video below shows an attempt to drive from Parnassus to Kaikoura. One of the two tunnels just south of Kaikoura is open, but he doesn’t make it much further.

Google Maps, characteristically up to date, doesn’t currently show SH 1 as an option for this trip.

Ambury, the petting zoo Regional Park

November 8, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

Ambury Regional Park is one of the more farm-focused parks in Auckland, and definitely the most kid-focused – part of it is a petting zoo! It also offers plenty of space for family gatherings and BBQs. The 45 minute Foreshore Walk is pleasant enough, and offers some nice perspectives on the Manukau Harbor and surrounding areas. Opportunities for hiking in the park are limited, but the 7km Watercare Coastal Walkway connects Ambury Park with Puketutu Island and Otuataua Stonefields, and connects with the Mangere Lagoon Loop, and offers various diversions through other green spaces in the area.

I’ve been busy lately, and my posts have been far too infrequent. But I have continued to explore, and more is coming. I’ve been working on providing additional options for navigating the site, starting the Auckland and its Regional Parks. I’ve enjoyed a post I’ve been working on about Auckland and its status as the most underrated region in New Zealand. I’ll be bringing that and more to you soon!

Sheep near the start of the Foreshore Walk ignoring the view of One Tree Hill over the Manukau Harbor

Mangere Mountain is an extinct volcano near Ambury Park and a very visible landmark in South Auckland, responsible for the geology of the surrounding area.

Black volcanic rock is a feature of the landscape of Ambury Park.

Another feature is small lava caves.

The bottom portion of the shelter below would appear to be ancient stonework, but I haven’t been able to learn anything about it. All of the stone walls in Ambury reminded me of the stonework found at nearby Otuataua Stonefields. I visited Otuataua Stonefields in 2014, but haven’t yet posted about it.

I didn’t see many insects in the insect garden, but I enjoyed this family of chickens, although they would seem to be unwelcome in an insect garden.

This beautiful cat is another creature that I guess is probably not really welcome in Ambury Park. Cats are a threat to native wildlife in New Zealand, and some call for their elimination from the country. I had never seen one before, but this looks to me like a bengal cat.

It being spring, there are many babies among the animals at Ambury Park at the moment. The kids below frolicked in a way that put the spring lambs to shame.

You can view the full gallery of 20 pictures below. To view on imgur, click here.

Cornwallis

October 27, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

Cornwallis is a peninsula (and a Regional Park) in Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, next to Huia, on the Manukau Harbor (view on Google Maps).

I chose the Jubilee Walk, which takes in Cornwallis Beach and Cornwallis Wharf, but there is surely more in the area worth exploring. I can’t recommend the Jubilee Walk as a loop, because the road part is dry and dusty and busy with traffic, but the bush part of it is nice enough, although pretty short. Park in the first carpark you see on Pine Avenue – there are signs for the Jubilee Walk. Park on the right side of the road, and take the track that way.

You’ll soon arrive at Cornwallis Beach, which was the highlight of my visit.

It’s a long beach, with plenty of grass and picnic areas along its length.

Maui dolphin have been spotted at Cornwallis Beach, but I wasn’t so lucky.

From some points along the beach you can see McLachlan Monument. Monument Track may be a nice walk, certainly a nice climb, sure to offer some great views.

Once I got a look at a map near the beach I got a better idea of what the area and the various tracks offer.

In retrospect I should have gone and done the Kakamatua Beach Walk, and gotten a look at another Cornwallis area beach. But instead I went and had a look at the view from Huia Point Lookout. It’s well worth a stop if you’re in the area.

Manukau Heads, the opening of Manukau Harbor, Whatipu, and Huia, from Huia Point Lookout

Huia Beach was another worthwhile stop.

You can view the full gallery of 23 pictures below. There may be some minor problems with the gallery below, but as always you can view all of the pictures on imgur (click here).

Korean cuisine is the best restaurant value in New Zealand

October 21, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

The Korean food in New Zealand is just like I remember it from Korea. The ingredients and flavors seem very authentic. So do the metal chopsticks and spoons, and stone bowls that can be served hot, for finishing the cooking of dolsot bibimbap in the bowl for example.

Because Auckland is one of the larger and more diverse cities in New Zealand, Auckland has a lot of Korean restaurants to choose from.

20161012_182121 — Fish roe soup at Myeong Dong restaurant in Takapuna

In Auckland, a main, such as fish roe soup (above), costs about $13-$15. They are served with 5-8 side dishes, always including kimchi – and you can ask for more. Tea is usually included as well.

The photo above was taken at Myeong Dong Korean restaurant in Takapuna. They have free WiFi!

Makgeolli is a Korean rice beer that I really recommend. It is available at most Korean restaurants.

Makgeolli - Wikimedia Commons — Makgeolli – **Wikimedia Commons**

One of my favorites is Totoya Korean Japanese Restaurant in Albany. They serve 8 sides with every main, and they’re always busy.

Man Du Rang in Northcote Center serves the tastiest dolsot bibimbap I’ve had. Everything there is good, but they don’t serve alchohol.

Korean BBQ

Korean BBQ restaurants are a bit different in that they specialize in meats cooked by guests on a grill at their tables, but they can offer great value as well. My favorite is One Dak Hanmari Korean BBQ in Takapuna.

For $25 you get all you can eat, with quality cuts of meat and a wide range of Korean side dishes and deserts.

Many Asian cuisines are available at a good price in New Zealand, but I have found none that is a better consistent value than Korean.

Chelsea Estate Heritage Park

October 12, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

I didn’t feel like traveling far, and the tides weren’t right to explore more of the coast, so I decided to visit Chelsea Estate Heritage Park.

The sign shown above provides a map, shown below. This is a pretty good indication of what Chelsea Estate Heritage Park has to offer.

This is a small park, and much of it serves to provide walking access between neighborhoods. It does offer nice views of the harbor, and the Harbor Bridge, and there is a bit of bush to walk in as well. And of course there is the Chelsea Sugar Factory.

I think I was told some time ago that very large eels live in the ponds near the sugar factory. I didn’t see any, but I didn’t take the time to look closely.

I was about to walk on of the bushier trails in the park when I got a text. A couple of hard-working friends from Thailand had decided to go for a walk on this beautiful day, but had found only concrete jungle, and were requesting help. For one of them, it would be the first time visiting a beach in New Zealand, so I took them to Cheltenham Beach, and we climbed up onto Northhead. Later we took in the view on Mount Victoria.

It was a good day for a change of plans.

chelsea-estate-heritage-park-auckland-dsc_4777

Hey! Mr. Prime Minster!!!

October 7, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

I’ve never met the Prime Minister of any other country, but somehow I didn’t think it would be quite like this.

I knew that John Key was coming to Devonport this morning because the police were asking people to move their cars to provide space for him to park. One officer told me that the Prime Minister was coming. I wondered if she was supposed to tell people that.

But maybe it was public information that he would be at the Devonport RSA (Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association) this afternoon. I was at Henri Cafe, my favorite spot to use WiFi in Auckland. Parking spaces were reserved right in front of Henri Cafe. It was certainly no secret.

A lone “Ban 1080” protester arrived in time to find a spot right in front of the RSA. She is a nice, very happy lady. I noticed an obvious DPS (Diplomatic Protection Service) agent at about the same time.

I had plenty of time to decide that I should get my camera, and see if I was actually allowed to get anywhere near him. I was starting to realize that I actually might not get tackled, and a knee in my back, for trying.

Two cars pulled up and parked. A bearded DPS agent got out of the second car and stood next to the Prime Minister’s door. The driver of first his car got out and opened the door for Mr. Key.

There were not many people around. Someone strolled past, but seemed to take no notice, or to get much from the authorities. I was standing outside the cafe with the lovely barista. Once he emerged from the car there was no one between us. It was somehow the natural thing to do for New Zealand Prime Minster John Key to walk over and shake my hand.

He talked a bit with the barista, and posed for a picture with her, and she offered him a coffee. One of his staff followed her in to get it for him.

The PM talked with a few people on his way to the RSA, while the lone 1080 protester shouted “shame on you!” It was a small crowd.

A little while later I decided to go into the RSA and see what was happening. There was no one at the door. The one DPS agent stayed close to Mr. Key as people walked up and talked to him. The meeting had something to do with senior citizens.

It was all pretty low key.

Point to Point Walkway

September 30, 2016 milestepper 1 Comment

The Point to Point Walkway follows Auckland‘s coast from St. Heliers Bay to Point England.

Click here to see the area on Google Maps (note that this is not the exact walk, although it’s reasonably close).

You can view the full gallery of 17 pictures below. To view on imgur, click here.

I drove to St. Heliers on a beautiful Sunday morning, and it was so busy that I drove right on through and up the coast a short distance to Achilles Point. I walked along St. Heliers Beach later that evening, after taking a bus from the end of my walk.

St. Heliers has a nice beach, but Achilles Point is situated atop coastal cliffs, and has a viewing platform with nice views of central Auckland and Tamaki Straight, including Browns Island, which was looking especially photogenic that day.

Browns Island is a recreation reserve accessible only by kayak or small boat. It is also one of the best preserved volcanoes in the Auckland volcanic field.

Glover Park is a nice enough little local park, but following the path shown below leads back to the cliffs and more great views of Tamaki Strait (the picture of Browns Island, above, was actually shot from Glover Park).

Churchill Park is mostly pastures, cows and tree stumps, but I’m sure it’s great for locals looking for a break from the roads and sidewalks. It serves that same purpose for the Point to Point Walk as well.

After Churchill Park a short walk takes you back to the coast, and just a bit further the Tahuna Torea Nature Reserve begins. Tahuna Torea is beaches much of the way, with great views, surrounded by green, and extends a great distance along the coast.

I followed the beach to a sand spit that extends out into Half Moon Bay.

I found that sand spit interesting enough that I had to walk to the very end.

The picture below looks back along the sand spit toward Tahuna Torea. The body of water to the left is called Wai O Taiki Bay.

I had made it this far along the low tide route, but the tide was not low. I was quickly stymied when I tried to continue along the coast, and had to backtrack a fair distance in order to make use of a boardwalk across a stretch of mud and mangroves and continue south.

It looks like Tahuna Torea transitions into Wai O Taiki Nature Reserve, then into Point England Reserve. I followed another boardwalk for a short Tahuna Torea walk, but when it reached a carpark I decided to call it a day, and catch a bus back to my car.

The walk from St. Heliers back up to Achilles Point offered a dramatic early evening view of the Auckland CBD.

Tamaki Strait and Auckland's CBD — Tamaki Strait and Auckland’s CBD

I plan to go back and finish this walk, but next time I’ll do it at low tide. I think that I can do the whole thing along the coast, below the cliffs and along the beaches, avoiding the roads entirely.

You can view the full gallery of 17 pictures below. To view on imgur, click here.

point-to-point-walk-auckland-20160828_131513

Kea are facing extinction

September 21, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

Kea are the world’s only alpine parrot, they’re found only in New Zealand, and their numbers are estimated to be between 3000-4000. The population has declined rapidly.

Kea photographed by backpackingmatt @ reddit

Kea are very cool birds, and I was disappointed to see none of them on my trip through Arthur’s Pass this summer. They seek out interaction with humans, very unusual for wild animals. Sadly the way that humans interact with kea is one of the things putting them in danger of extinction.

Keas in Arthur’s Pass, New Zealand. The population has plummeted thanks to non-native predators, lead poisoning and hunting by people who consider them pests. Photograph: Andrew Walmsley/Kea Conservation Trust. from **the guardian**

An estimated 150,000 kea were killed from the 1860s onwards thanks to a government bounty introduced after conflict with sheep farmers. DOC and the Kea Conservation Trust continue to record intentional kea deaths each year (either shot, bludgeoned, or poisoned by humans) though targeted kea deaths are thought to be largely under-reported, because they are an endangered and protected species.

“Education efforts have gone a long way towards New Zealanders learning to love and respect the kea, but if the kea cause financial loss or begin to hit people’s bottom line, that is when we are still hearing stories of Kea being killed.” said (Jack) Kemp.
– the guardian

Kea in flight. from **Radio New Zealand**

Predators like stoats, possums and cats were also taking their toll on the kea population. The Department of Conservation uses 1080 poison as one of its primary methods of controlling these invasive species. Unfortunately kea also eat the poison.

A juvenile Kea (Nestor notabilis) perching on some rubble on the Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand. from Wikimedia Commons

Cinnamon-flavoured, cereal food pellets will be spread from the air, twice. The first time they will be just flavoured cereal. The second time, they will contain deadly 1080 poison.
Kea will eat the cereal baits and die. They will also be poisoned if they drink from ponds and alpine tarns where the baits lie, or scavenge poisoned carcasses or eat the dying insects surrounding the poisonous baits.

It was first recognised that the government’s poisonings were killing kea in 1963.

In 2008, government monitoring of the kea began.

The monitoring showed that large numbers of kea were dying.
– 1080Science

Unfortunately the practice continues, and over the years various practices intended to minimize consumption by kea have been abandoned.

A kea investigates a carload of tourists. - Wikimedia Commons — A kea investigates a carload of tourists. – Wikimedia Commons

This has been a sad post to write. The links above offer info on efforts to save the kea. Have a closer look at 1080Science and their efforts to end the use of 1080. It would be a great shame to lose these cool and unique birds.

A kea about to land on a white vehicle, with wings outspread showing their orange underside. from Wikimedia Commons

Anawhata

September 15, 2016 milestepper Leave a comment

Anawhata is one of those regional parks that is really mostly just a beach. But as the Auckland Council page says “Anawhata is a spectacular beach that can only be reached by foot. Because it is less accessible, it is much quieter than other beaches in the Waitakere Ranges“. But on the map it looks like Anawhata Road will get you very close to the beach.

Have a look at Anawhata Beach on Google Maps.

You can view the full gallery of 21 pictures below. To view on imgur, click here.

The Arataki Visitor Centre is on the way to Anawhata, so I stopped in to see what advice they could offer. The lady told me that Anawhata Road is an 11km long narrow gravel road, that the locals drive it very fast, and to leave no valuables in my car. These are all common to rural roads in New Zealand. She also told me that the walk from Anawhata Road is very short. She offered me another option – walking to Anawhata Beach from North Piha. I wanted a walk, and avoiding Anawhata Road sounded good, so I chose the latter approach. This involved walking in reverse part of the Marawhara – White – Rose – Laird Thomson Track Circuit in North Piha that I walked earlier this winter.

I started by parking in the carpark at the end of North Piha Road and walking north along the beach.

Piha Beach, Lion Rock and Taitomo Island in the distance

I was able to get a better shot of some interesting sea caves at the north end of Piha Beach.

At the north end of the beach a track leads up the steep coastal hills, with an option to walk out to Te Whaha Point.

I walked as far as the saddle before Te Whaha Point, and had lunch while enjoying the view of Whites Beach.

A look at these hills from near Te Whaha point gives no indication as to how steep the climb to Anawhata Road actually is. Most of that climb is a paved driveway, and the rest is gravel and not at all muddy, but it is a monster climb.

Inland from Te Whaha Point — Inland from near Te Whaha Point

It was easy to find the trail at the end of Anawhata Road that leads down to the beach. You get some nice views of the beach as you approach, and the surrounding landscape is impressive as well.

A rock and pool at the entrance to the beach has a lot more character than they first reveal.

Rock and pool at the entrance to the Anawhata Beach

Other interesting features are likewise not immediately visible.

View from the entrance to the Anawhata Beach

It was an overcast and chilly day. There was one person at the beach when I arrived, but she soon left. It took me some time to walk there, and I didn’t want to do the walk back in the dark, so I didn’t stay too long. The tide was in, and the stream was deep enough that I didn’t make it to the other part of the beach beyond the ridge!

The part of Anawhata Road I saw was well-packed gravel. That doesn’t tell me anything about the other 10km, but I might consider driving back at some point, depending on the kind of outing I’m looking for. Anawhata Beach has a lot of character, and I’d like to see the rest of it!

You can view the full gallery of 21 pictures below. To view on imgur, click here.