Whangarei
North Island
Today it's just a short little flight to the city of one hundred beaches. We'll nip over to the coast while we're at it to see if we can find Cape Brett lighthouse.
And away we go.
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More or less puttering along the top of Enzed.
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Cape Brett. There's a lighthouse here somewhere, although it was deactivated in 1978. Also quite the hiking trail here. In fact, you can hike out here from Paihia (8 miles) and then spend the night in the old keeper's cottage.The peninsula is known as Rākaumangamanga to the Māori people, and has long been of maritime significance. While later travellers relied on the lighthouse to keep them away from the rocks, earlier travellers relied on sunlight reflecting off the cliffs to guide them to the rocks. |
Looks a little soupy up ahead.
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Yup.
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Approaching our destination, Whangārei. To Lie in Wait, referring to a spot where sentries could see enemy canoes approaching. Or a contraction of E whanga nei i te rei o te tohorā, Waiting for the breastbone of a whale, a rebuff of an older Tohunga to a younger upstart in one of the stories. Or a contraction of Te Whanga-a-Reipae, The Harbour of Reipae, in another story.
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Quite the harbour. In fact, the Whangārei estuarine harbour is some 100 square kilometers in size, and drains a catchment area three times that. It's so large that its actually also a marine reserve.
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Haere mai ngā manuhiriHaere mai e, tūārangi e Tēnā koutou Tēnā koutou Tēnā koutou katoa! Come on in, take a look Greetings Greetings Greetings to you all! |